Therfield School Partnership

Our partnerships with schools bring us closer to families within their communities, both when families need our help, and as supporters of our work.  By building strong relationships with key members of school staff, we’re able to understand their needs and tailor our support accordingly. When schools share information about our services with parents it sends a clear message to families: that their school is there for them when they face hardship and help is available, and that the experience of getting that help is straightforward and welcoming.

In this blog we highlight the partnership that we’ve built with Therfield school in Leatherhead. They first referred to us in March 2025 and since then we have supported 274 families with essential items, school uniform and Christmas presents. Over the past year this partnership has continued to grow, with students choosing to support Stripey Stork through their annual RAG week.

We asked a senior leader at Therfield School what this partnership means to them.

At Therfield School we are really proud of the relationship we have built with Stripey Stork since March 2025. When I first visited the Stripey Stork warehouse in Reigate I was absolutely blown away by the scale of the organisation and the wonderful things they were doing for the community.

We have since developed a brilliant partnership and we are really proud to have raised over £2500 for Stripey Stork through non-uniform days, our RAG week and our recent Battle of the Bands event. Stripey Stork have helped some of our most vulnerable families during some of their most challenging moments, including providing hygiene packs, clothing packs and winter warmer packs for families in need. Our students (and their mums!) absolutely loved the Mother’s Day gift bags we were able to provide them with, these were such high quality, full of beautiful luxury bath products, our students were really proud to be able to gift them. One of our mums said: I just wanted to pass on my enormous thanks for the kind and lovely gesture. The gifts were such a wonderful surprise and the card a really lovely touch. The wonderful products were items that I as a Mum wouldn’t ordinarily purchase for myself and were so gratefully received, I felt so very lucky.

The Christmas campaign, Santa Stork, was equally successful, we were able to provide high-quality gifts for some of our most disadvantaged students to take home, we supported them with wrapping them in school. It really meant a lot for them to be able to gift their brothers and sisters with presents they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford, whilst making sure they got something too! Stripey Stork have also provided all of our disadvantaged students with rucksacks full of stationery which have supported them with being prepared for school and eased the financial cost for families of replacing equipment or purchasing it in the first place.

Our partnership with Stripey Stork means that when something goes wrong for one of our families, or they are in need of a little bit more support, we have a clear pathway and a first port of call to go to for additional help. This isn’t something that we had previously – so we are extremely grateful for Stripey Stork’s work and the dedication of their workers and volunteers. Thank you, from the entire Therfield School community.

It’s incredibly encouraging to see young people developing an understanding of the challenges faced within their communities and choosing to take action to support them. The Sixth Form’s annual RAG week is a brilliant example of this in action. Through their creativity, energy and enthusiasm, students raised vital funds for Stripey Stork, helping us provide essential items to families facing hardship across Surrey and Croydon. Some of the highlights included a bake sale, the teacher lip sync battle, student talent show and the RAG concert.

Their fundraising makes a real and lasting difference, and we’re hugely grateful for their compassion, commitment and community spirit.

Could your school support us with fundraising events?

We’d love to hear from any schools interested in fundraising for Stripey Stork. Whether it’s a non-uniform day, a sponsored challenge, a RAG week or something completely different, your support helps us continue providing essential items to families across Surrey and Croydon. Every fundraiser, big or small, makes a real difference. Visit our website for details.

Are you a teacher or school staff, who wants to support students in hardship with practical items?

We provide practical support to families across Surrey and Croydon, helping them access essential items such as school uniforms, clothing, toiletries and equipment. Our aim is to make getting help simple and stress-free, ensuring families can focus on what matters most while we step in to provide the items they need, when they need them. As a member of staff you can easily make a referral to us on behalf of a family. Details on how to refer to us are on our website.