Beds4Kids

Aim

400,000+ children in the UK are without a bed. Beds4Kids will provide beds to children in need aged 0-16 years in East Sussex

Why are we crowdfunding?

'The 6 year old is sleeping in a cot'. A recent referral for a family of 4 children living in cramped accommodation with their parents highlighted an issue we are becoming increasingly familiar with. 

In the UK, more than 400,000 children are without a suitable bed of their own. In our referrals we hear of children sleeping on duvets on the floor, and recently had requests of support for a family of 5 children who all sleep in one bed.

Buttle UK found that 30% of low-income households struggled to afford beds for their children in 2020 and the number is on the rise. Not having a bed to sleep in impacts neurological, physical and emotional development and affects all aspects of a child's life including education, mood, wellbeing, and relationships. 

To date, the largest bed size we have been able to provide is a toddler bed. This is because we ask professionals who refer to our service to collect the items requested and take them to the family.  We provide brand new mattresses with all of the cots, moses baskets, and toddler beds we gift - this is to promote safe sleep guidelines and reduce the risk of SIDS. We know that a dismantled toddler bed and mattress will fit into a standard size car so can be transported easily and safely to the family. In recent months demand has increased for cots and toddler beds, and this has impacted our response to referral time when we do not have sufficient stock. 

We are raising funds to launch our Beds4Kids campaign, a project we hope to run all year round (subject to adequate funding). Beds4Kids will see Baby2Baby &Beyond accept referrals for beds for babies and children up to 16 years of age who otherwise have detrimental sleeping arrangements.

Image: A delivery of cot and toddler bed mattresses made to Baby2Baby &Beyond with funds received in 2022 

Who are we?

Established in 2018, Baby2Baby &Beyond is based in Crowborough and operates across the county of East Sussex -  through the simple act of redistribution, we seek to alleviate poverty and associated adversity by gifting good quality baby and children's clothing and essential items to those in need of support. Items are quality and safety checked by volunteers, and beautifully presented so families feel they have received a gift from the community in their time of need. There is no cost to this service for families, or the professionals who refer them. Since May 2018, we have gifted clothing and essential items like prams, cots, toys, books, highchairs, and toiletries to more than 4,500 local children. 

Image: Clothing bundles ready to be gifted in reusable bags, complete with gift tag and a message 'this bundle has been packed with love, just for you, by [volunteer name]' 

Impact

Today, 1 in 4 children in the UK are living in poverty. East Sussex is no exception with some areas having child poverty rates above the national average (2020/21). The data may not reflect the true scale of the problem due to sampling issues amidst the pandemic and the deepening cost of living crisis has undoubtedly impacted families. 

Financial hardship in childhood can hugely impact children, causing detriment to their health and education, as well as triggering feelings of anxiety and worthlessness. For parents, having to choose between paying rent, bills, or providing clothing and food for their children, poverty can create stress and strained relationships, often impacting mental health and overflowing into other aspects of life. Through the simple act of promoting redistribution and reuse, Baby2Baby gifts families in need of support with essential items for their children including prams, cots, toddler beds, clothing, toiletries, bedding and toys. Receiving these items provides an immediate improvement to their situation, offers hope, and often demonstrates kindness to some who have seldom experienced it. In addition we have feedback from professionals who have recognised an improvement in parental mental health and wellbeing on receiving a Baby2Baby bundle, which in turn, supports their ability to focus on other aspects of parenting and ultimately benefits babies and children in their care.

We have gifted bundles to families experiencing challenges which include low income, mental health issues, domestic abuse, homelessness (or risk of), care leavers, young parents, asylum seekers, and women who have been trafficked. Many of these families were isolated and vulnerable and were truly overwhelmed to receive such gifts.

We believe that receiving a bundle from Baby2Baby causes a ripple effect in the life of a struggling family. Receiving physical items improves day-to-day quality of life, and the process of receiving quality, well presented items boosts wellbeing, relieves stress and strained relationships, and enables parents to meet the needs of their children.

'The impact on families who receive the gifts is almost immeasurable, it makes a huge difference to families. I have often thought that I don't know what I would do as a Social Worker supporting families without Baby2Baby. The quality of the presentation is beautiful. I have had such lovely feedback from all the families I deliver to. They are always really overwhelmed with the presentation and grateful for the homemade bags too' (Feedback from an East Sussex County Council Social Worker)

Image: A Moses basket and additional items ready to be gifted to a family of a newborn

How we’ll spend the money raised

Funding will be used to:

• Buy beds and mattresses for children up to 16 years old
• Pay for delivery of beds direct to the child's home
• Buy cots and toddler beds when demand is high to reduce wait time for families
• Buy Moses baskets, cot, and toddler bed mattresses 
• Buy duvets, pillows, sheets and duvet cover sets to ensure the bed can be used straight away

Where possible we use wholesalers and our contacts in the community to ensure we obtain items at the best price so funds benefit as many children as possible. 

Image: A cot bed gifted to a 6 month old girl, complete with sheets, blankets, sleeping bag, handmade quilt, and brand new mattress

This project successfully funded on 2nd August 2023