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The Independent’s Christmas campaign to purchase 500 beds for children who are either sleeping on the floor or sharing beds with family members has received an overwhelming response from our kind readers and donors, nearly doubling our initial goal.
Within a span of only four weeks, the charity Zarach, based in Leeds, received a sufficient amount of funds to supply 931 beds during the Christmas season to children who previously had no place to rest.
We submitted our appeal following a recent report by Barnardo’s, which discovered that almost one million children in the UK who are experiencing financial hardship are being forced to sleep on the floor or couch, or share a bed with family members.
Last month, the Dean of St Paul’s wrote a moving article in support of the appeal, highlighting the heartbreaking issue of bed poverty. He emphasized that every child should have a bed to sleep in, referencing the humble birth of Jesus Christ.
Zarach offers single and bunk beds to underprivileged children in need.
Thanks to the generous donation from Debbie Crosbie, CEO of Nationwide, we were able to reach our goal in under two weeks. The building society contributed funds for nearly 150 beds.
For £180, Zarach’s bed bundle includes a bed, mattress, duvet, pillows, pajamas, toiletries, chocolates, and a children’s book. It also provides a £30 food voucher to assist families in purchasing a Christmas dinner.
Bex Wilson, a teacher at a primary school, started Zarach after seeing students living in poverty. She stated that the donations will greatly impact the children’s lives.
She stated, “We are very excited to have collaborated with The Independent and even happier to have reached our goal for the Christmas campaign to raise enough funds to provide 500 new beds and bed bundles to children in need before the holiday season.”
“We are extremely proud to have the opportunity to positively impact the lives of children and provide them with the best chance to thrive in school. Thank you to all who have shown support for our cause.”
Bex Wilson, the founder, expressed her excitement for the charity’s achievement of reaching the goal of 500 beds.
A young recipient of a bed from Zarach expressed being “overwhelmed” by the charity’s generosity and their family’s gift.
One family mentioned they had never received anything new in the past, while others were moved to tears at the thought of having their own bedding and bedclothes.
Zarach, established in 2017, has a goal of eliminating bed poverty and operates hubs across the North West of England. Yet, due to a significant increase in the need for beds in the past year, it recently launched a nationwide campaign.
Years of austerity cuts and the impact of the cost of living crisis have caused bed poverty figures to increase, with research showing it has a severe impact on children’s mental wellbeing and performance in school.
According to data from the past 12 months, 31% of the children who receive support have experienced difficult situations as a result of their parents’ mental health, either from one or both parents.
Zarach provides support to families referred by schools and volunteers deliver beds to these families.
In the meantime, 23 percent of Zarach’s referrals are attributed to domestic abuse, while 28 percent are related to debt concerns and 18 percent are linked to issues with benefits.
Zarach has teamed up with over 500 schools to pinpoint families in need. These schools refer individuals to the charity, and volunteers then distribute beds within a maximum of eight days.
The head of a school in south Leeds, catering to students with behavioral problems, stated that the charity has had a significant impact. Zarach stays in touch with the school to monitor each student’s progress, and 76 percent have reported a positive change due to their involvement.
Geordie Greig, the editor-in-chief of The Independent, expressed his admiration for the immense generosity shown towards providing something as essential as a bed for children in need.
“We have hit a chord across the nation with this terrible blight affecting so many families. I am delighted we have highlighted this injustice in our society, and done a small bit to help alleviate it through the generosity of Independent readers.”
Almost one million children in the United Kingdom do not have a suitable place to sleep at the moment.
Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, praised the efforts of Zarach charity and The Independent in providing 500 beds for society’s most vulnerable children. She described it as a significant contribution to those who are most in need.
The current issue of homelessness has resulted in numerous individuals requiring housing, and nearly one million children do not have their own bed to sleep in. Having a personal bed should not be considered a privilege, yet many children are lacking this basic necessity.
Andy Peers, CEO of Zarach, stated that their goal is to eliminate child bed poverty in England. However, their motivation behind this mission is to provide children with the chance to participate in school. It is widely acknowledged that education is a powerful tool in breaking the cycle of poverty in the future.
Source: independent.co.uk
