Buddy Bag Foundation have announced they have successfully secured over £9,000 to continue helping children fleeing violent situations at home.
Established in 2015, the Buddy Bag Foundation works to supply children with a bag of emergency supplies that aim to provide a sense of comfort and practicality after they have fled from a violent environment.
The contents of the bag often includes toiletries, pyjamas, socks, underwear, a book and a teddy bear.
The funding that has now been awarded by the Places Foundation – the charity of the UK’s leading social enterprise Places for People – will help to issue over 360 backpacks to children across the country. To celebrate the donation and boost awareness of the charity, over 35 Places for People colleagues volunteered their time to join ‘Buddy Back Pack’ and pack 360 bags to give to children this month.
‘Our work aims to restore a sense of safety and security to a child’s life during a traumatic time which we believe is one of the first steps to recovery,’ Karen Williams, CEO of Buddy Bag Foundation said. ‘This recent grant funding from the Places foundation is gratefully received and will help us to continue our missions by supporting many more young people.’
The recent work the charity have been doing is nothing short of expectational. Currently, the Buddy Bag Foundation works with over 300 refugee centres across the UK to supply backpacks, including Places for People who provide supported accommodation services, including safe housing and additional support for domestic abuse victims.
Marcus Hulme, director of places Impact at places for people commented: ‘We are proud to have been working closely with Buddy Bag Foundation and have seen first-hand the positive impact these backpacks can have on young people entering our emergency care supported accommodation services. The backpacks are vital in helping to restore a feeling of safety and security to a child in these difficult times. Through our independent charity, Places Foundation, we are delighted to be able to support incredible initiatives like the Buddy Bag Foundation with our time and funding.’
Image: Oxana Lyashenko
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