Sarah has a unique and special job. She works in a small team at Surrey County Council, which facilitates the safe return of children to their families. When the parent(s) are in a position to be able to welcome their children home, an intense support plan is put in place. Part of this plan is …
Category Archives: Stories
They love their new wardrobe
At Stripey Stork we always try to personalise our response to specific requests. We recently received a referral from Gaynor, a Safeguarding Midwife at Royal Surrey County Hospital, with a note that the eldest teenager in the family, who identifies as non-binary, desperately needed some new clothes. Our volunteers set to work sorting through the …
One Mum’s unthinkable choice
“Sometimes we find ourselves sitting in the car at 6pm, hungry and cold, waiting to hear where we’re being moved to. There’s no stability or routine for the children. At a time when they should be winding down for bed, we’re waiting on news of where that bed will be.” – Mandy* (Mum) Referral partners …
Impact story of the cost of living – one Mum’s struggles
The challenges of learning at home in a cost of living crisis We spoke to a Mum recently who first encountered Stripey Stork at a cost of living event run by a local family centre. There she was given two of our age-specific activity packs, made by our wonderful volunteer team, which are filled with …
Continue reading “Impact story of the cost of living – one Mum’s struggles”
Bugaboo – The Magic of Togetherness
This is little J and he is 10 months old. With that infectious smile his nurses describe him as a ‘delightful little baby’ who loves interacting. He hasn’t had the easiest start in life, having been diagnosed with a very rare genetic condition which affects his lungs. It has caused lots of respiratory infections and …
She found the doll she left behind in Ukraine
A few weeks ago, Stripey Stork posted details of how our Surrey Baby Bank was planning to support local families who are opening their homes to Ukrainian Refugees with children aged 0-16. You can read more on our Ukrainian families appeal page. Most of the families will arrive with just a few belongings that they …
Continue reading “She found the doll she left behind in Ukraine”
Christmas giving with Choice, Dignity and Care
“He’s had a very tough year…” So began a request from one of the family centres we work with, on behalf of 6 year old B and his siblings. Like any typical 6 year old, B will be eagerly counting down the days until Christmas and writing his letter to Santa – we’re told he’s …
Continue reading “Christmas giving with Choice, Dignity and Care”
Appeal for Afghan children arriving in the UK
“To light up a child’s heart is probably the best thing a person can do and it’s unforgettable.” Last weekend we put a call out for help as we had received a request for support from Little Village HQ who are coordinating a response to the British Red Cross aid request on behalf of the Afghan children …
Continue reading “Appeal for Afghan children arriving in the UK”
Sweet dreams, sleep well
“They had to cover the floor with rolls of wallpaper and sleep in their clothes to protect them from the previous tenants’ body stains.” Imagine moving into somewhere so dirty that all the cleaning in the world could not remove the human stains left on the carpet, feeling like the only solution was to lay …
A Proud Mum
“You guys have supplied my Son, not only enough clothes to see him through but with happiness too. When his face lit up on seeing he had clothes that fitted him, it was just priceless!” A proud Mum. One who works hard and wants nothing more than for this to be enough to support her …