We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been entered into the Business in the Community Award category of the Staffordshire University Business Awards 2024.
This award recognises businesses demonstrating an impactful commitment to corporate social responsibility, including contributing to the community within which they’re based.
Our awards entry acknowledges our ongoing commitment to supporting local families throughout Stoke-on-Trent and surrounding areas. In the last two years we have been campaigning to support people unable to afford basic essentials for their homes through our successful ‘Beds for Kids’ campaign.
Since the campaign launch in 2022, we’ve provided hundreds of brand new bed bundles to children – which include a new bed, bedding and a mattress.
We’ve also forged fruitful collaborations with other organisations working to end furniture poverty, and last month it was announced we were to become one of the new Lord Mayor for Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Lyn Sharpe’s, chosen charities.
“No child should be without a bed”
Our Executive Lead, John Webbe said: “When Councillor Sharpe heard about Beds for Kids and the work we have been doing she wanted to help and we are so appreciative to be one of her chosen charities.
“No child should be without a bed, but unfortunately we are seeing more children living on the grips of poverty crisis.
“It’s heartbreaking to know there are thousands of children across Stoke-on-Trent who do not have a bed to call their own. The impact this can have on a young person can be quite severe and affects their schooling and all-round physical and mental well-being.
“We aim to eradicate this and to put an end to bed poverty by bringing about positive change.”
We teamed up with children’s bed charity Zarach in December 2023, to provide a local support hub at our Furniture and Home Charity Emporium, located in Etruria. Enabling us to provide more support to local people, the partnership hub has seen just over 100 beds delivered in five months to children in need.
“Amazing” support to local family
In December of the same year another charity – Thrive at Five – which aims to help children in their early years to develop strong foundations for life and learning, contacted us for help to support a family with the provision of a new bed.
Their response from the support given at the time was: “When they (Emmaus North Staffs) said they could help we were so happy to then help the family with a children’s bed, which came with a new mattress and bedding – and was amazing.
“Prior to this the young child had not only been suffering from lack of sleep, but had also been experiencing pain from sleeping on a camp bed or the sofa at home. This was really affecting his school life as well as his own happiness…the school where the child goes to has since reached out and passed on thanks from the mother, who was deeply appreciative and has said how much it has helped. Her child is now attending school better and is much happier – which is great news.”
As well as continuing with our Beds for Kids campaign, we also support around 850 local households by supplying other furniture items and appliances to those who cannot afford their own.
In 2023 our charity – which also has a large store in the Potteries Centre – was recognised for our commitment to the environment after scooping a Sustainability Award at the Centre’s Annual Awards.