A CHARITY that helps children across Wokingham borough has put out an emergency plea for help – they need beds.
With more than 20 children on its waiting list lacking the most basic of household equipment, First Days Children’s Charity asked residents to donate essential items and funds.
“There are children sleeping on the floor, and others taking it in turns to sleep in the one bed in the house,” says the charity’s CEO Emma Cantrell.
“And babies who have outgrown their cots that can’t even stretch their legs out.”
The charity has urgently requested single beds, new single mattresses, new duvets and bedding, cotbeds, and toddler beds.
“We have seen this sort of situation before, but it was rare,” Ms Cantrell says.
“Now, we have a long list of children who desperately need help.”
The charity needs donations of good quality second hand items. Alternatively, bedding and beds can be purchased online, and donations can be made to a bed fund.
Toddler beds are especially useful as they can be adapted as the child grows.
New mattresses, bedding, single beds and cot beds can be purchased via the charity’s Bed Appeal 2023, which can be found on the online retailer Amazon, where the charity has a Wishlist.
“When we put out the appeal, we were all feeling pretty desperate,” says Ms Cantrell.
“It’s awful to know that you should be able to help but haven’t the resources.
“We do occasionally hear of children sleeping on the floor, or in a cardboard box, but it’s usually only once or twice in a year.
“Over the last couple of months, requests for beds and mattresses have been coming in thick and fast.
“The storeroom was emptied.”
Ms Cantrell believes that one of the reasons for the greater demand for children’s beds, is a knock-on effect of the energy crisis.
“People haven’t been putting the heating on,” she says.
“And in the cold weather, they have kept their windows closed and their rooms less ventilated, so mould has become a problem.
“We’ve never had so many requests for a new mattress because the child’s current one is affected by mould.”
The other reason for the increased need for help, Ms Cantrell says, is the cost of living crisis.
“Where people would somehow have managed before, and could budget for items like a second hand bed, they simply have no wriggle room any more,” she says.
“And where they might have borrowed from another family member in the past, that is often no longer possible.
“I’ve had people say to me, ‘I would have asked my mum to help out, but she has no money to spare.’ “
Since the charity put out its plea to the community to support its bed appeal, there has been a surge of support.
“The video I put out on our Facebook page has been viewed over 60,000 times,” she says.
“Lots of people have donated beds, and items on our Amazon wish list.
“People’s response has been fantastic, and, as a result, we should be able to get all of the 20 children into new beds by the end of this week.”
The charity was recently able to help a household that needed a set of bunk beds.
“We don’t normally take these, but as the family had specifically requested bunk beds it was so lovely to be able to provide them,” she says.
“I was able to collect the bunk beds from the donor and take them straight round to the house where they were needed, along with two new donated matresses.”
But Ms Cantrell does not think the issue is by any means resolved, despite the help received so far.
“We still need people to please keep giving to this bed appeal,” she says.
“The demand is very likely to continue, and even to increase, as more people in need hear about the help we can offer them, and come forward.
“So we are expecting even greater demand for children’s beds in coming weeks.
“We want to be able to provide help for all those who need it, but we rely on the continued support of the community.
“Please keep giving.
“People can still visit our website to donate second hand items, buy new items, or donate funds.
“And we are in need of volunteers too, to make deliveries, and to carry out safety checks on items.
“We’d love to hear from anyone who can come and give their time in this way.”
Moses baskets, cots, cot beds, and toddler beds, all in excellent condition, and other donations can be delivered to Unit 9, The Business Centre, Molly Millars Lane, Wokingham.
To make an online purchase for the charity, visit: www.amazon.co.uk
To donate to the charity’s Beds for Children: Mattress Appeal, which will only be used to buy mattresses, bedding and beds, visit:www.localgiving.org/appeal/Beds4kids
For information about First Days, for links to the appeal, or to volunteer, visit: www.firstdays.net
