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Sept 2024
Search launched for business to help cut numbers of local children in 'bed poverty'
A Harrogate furniture charity has launched a search for a corporate partner to help address the "staggering" number of children in the Harrogate district who don't have a bed of their own.
Essential Needs has set aside funding to provide up to 75 beds free of charge to children who don't currently have one, but is also looking to join forces with a local business for fundraising initiatives to help eradicate child bed poverty.
A recent report by Barnardo’s found an estimated 894,000 children in the UK live in 'bed poverty'. They don't have their own bed, so either sleep with a parent or sibling or the parent sleeps on the sofa so that the child can have their bed.
Essential Needs, which is located on Back Gladstone Street, off Hookstone Road, has supplied households in need with donated furniture for nearly 30 years.
Lee Wright, manager at Essential Needs, said:
Sadly, it’s a problem that won’t go away overnight. We’re always looking to the future and how we can support households across the Harrogate district, however we’re aware to address bed poverty long-term, we do need additional financial support.
We’ve started speaking directly to local organisations, but really hope local businesses heed our call for help and contact us to help step up to the challenge.
In the past financial year, Essential Needs has supported more than 650 local households, in addition to giving away furniture and services worth over £16,000 to some of the most vulnerable people in the community through its partnership with Harrogate Homeless Project and IDAS women’s refuge.
Mr Wright added:
We’re lucky to have a great team and small army of volunteers and, thanks to the generosity of people from across the district, we’re able to re-use and redistribute good quality used furniture, household items and white goods to those residents in need of support – also lessening the burden of landfill waste by giving unwanted goods a new lease of life.
Businesses interesting in helping should contact Essential Needs on 01423 870040 or essentialneeds@gmail.com.
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