How a freezing family found warmth

The children were huddled together under towels, trying to keep warm in a bitterly cold flat.

Andrea*, a single mum with three primary school aged children, unexpectedly lost her job. They were forced to leave the family home and move into emergency accommodation in Surrey. For three months they lived together in a small hotel room, trying to create a sense of normality in a place that was never meant to be a home.

They waited patiently for something more suitable, when eventually a one-bedroom flat became available. It was far from ideal, but after months in limbo it offered stability and felt like a gift. Because they owned so little, the move was quick, but it was also a stark reminder of how few belongings they had.

During a conversation with Helen*, an NHS Community Nursery Nurse, Andrea mentioned that they had no bedding in the new flat. Helen immediately said she would refer them to Stripey Stork for bedding, pyjamas and clothing, though it may take a couple of days. Mum thanked her, giving no hint of the urgency of their situation.

But at midnight that same night, the truth came out. Helen received a panicked phone call – the temperature had plummeted, the children were freezing, and only then did mum reveal they had nothing to sleep under. No duvets. No blankets. The children were huddled together under towels, trying to keep warm in a bitterly cold flat.

Knowing they could not endure another night like this, Helen acted immediately. The next morning, as snow began to fall in Reigate, she arrived at the warehouse a full day earlier than planned, hoping warm bedding packs could be put together quickly.

Our volunteers didn’t hesitate. Despite the freezing weather outside, the warmth inside the warehouse was undeniable as duvets, sheets, winter clothing packs and cosy pyjamas were gathered in record time.

More worries soon emerged. The children’s school had told mum they wouldn’t be allowed to play outside without warm coats – something she simply could not afford. Thanks to generous coat donations collected by the community since early October, we were able to include a winter coat for each child.

We also added winter warmer bundles – funded by Surrey County Council’s Fuel Poverty Programme – each containing a hat, gloves and a blanket to keep the cold at bay. A larger sized bundle was included for mum to wear on the school run.

What began as a freezing, frightening night ended with hope, comfort and the reassuring warmth of community support. Instead of towels, the children had duvets. Instead of shivering, they slept. And instead of facing the cold alone, they learnt the kindness of strangers.

* Names changed to protect privacy.