A CROWBOROUGH-based children’s and families charity is hoping to raise £10,000 or more in a campaign to provide suitable beds and bedding for older children in the area.
Baby2Baby was founded in 2018 to help provide for infants and small children whose families cannot afford baby clothing and essentials, and has since expanded operations to help older children in families, too.
However, the charity is increasingly seeing the problem of ‘bed poverty’ among the families it helps, said Baby2Baby co-founder Hannah Powell. This prompted the launch of a new campaign: Beds4kids, which starts today (June 28).
The charity takes referrals from professionals at a range of organisations, from local authorities, social workers and women’s refuges to the likes of Citizens’ Advice and Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees.
“We had got increasing referrals where older children did not have suitable sleeping arrangements,” said Hannah.
“They were sleeping on the floor or on a mattress on the floor.”
She stressed: “We’re seeing this more locally now.”
Beds4Kids is one of five fundraising campaigns chosen to receive the Community Wellbeing Fund by East Sussex County Council. The charity will receive a ‘fund-matched’ amount, equivalent to all donations up to £5,000.
Funds will no longer be matched after August 2, but the fundraiser will continue, explained Hannah.
For details of how you can help, visit: crowdfunder.co.uk/p/beds4kids
