Referrals

If you support families who are vulnerable or experiencing hardship in Surrey or the surrounding area, you can make a referral to us on their behalf.

We supply a mixture of new/good condition pre-loved baby/children’s items – clothing, toys, equipment, toiletries – from birth up to age 16.
We operate on a referrals only basis, which means families can’t self-refer. We accept referrals from a wide range of organisations – social workers, health visitors, family centres, food banks, women’s refuges, teachers and nurses. If you are a family in need of help, please ask a support agency to make a referral on your behalf, such as your local family centre (find your nearest Surrey family centre by borough/district).

Our service is free of charge and there is no assessment criteria, but items will need to be collected from our offices in Reigate by the referral partner. We are always quick to respond to the referrals we receive as we know all too well the urgency behind these requests.

Here's how to make a referral

1 From your work email account, please email [email protected]ystork.org.uk with a list of items needed and supporting information:

Age/gender of each child (indicating if a different clothes size is required).
Any known interests for each child so we can customise the bundle accordingly.
The borough/postcode of the family.
The reason for the referral.
If the request is urgent/when the items are needed by.

2 Once we have responded to let you know that the items are in stock, we will arrange a date/time for you to collect from our Reigate warehouse (term time only, between Monday to Thursday, 9:30am-1:30pm). Our storage space is limited so we appreciate arranging prompt collections. Please allow plenty of time to be shown how to assemble and operate the larger items, such as cots and prams.

3 Join our Referrals mailing list and Referrals Facebook group to keep up-to-date with available items, referral news and how our campaigns can help the families you support.

A rule which we live by at Stripey Stork is that our recipients should feel like they are receiving a gift and not a hand out, so all of the pre-loved items we re-distribute are clean, stain-free and in good working order.

As well as our day-to-day operations, we are well-placed in our community to undertake specific projects as the need arises. See blog posts on our Bags4School, Easter Bags and Stork Sacks projects.

List of items generally stocked

Regular referrals since September 2021

Referrals since opening in 2013

Items re-homed so far this year...

Essentials for babies & children

Our warehouse is well-stocked with new and pre-loved items, so we are able to provide all of the essentials needed for babies and children. For a list of the items we stock (and don’t), please refer to the below list. There may be a waiting list for some of the larger, more popular items, such as prams.

What we do and don't stock

New baby packs for expectant mums

We can also provide beautifully packaged new baby packs for the expectant Mums on your caseload. And, whenever possible, we like to include some ‘pick-me-up’ items for the parents/carers - if you feel they would really benefit from one of these, please let us know.

School items

We understand that buying school items for children can be a costly overhead for parents who are already struggling, which is why we have collated this list of school items we can usually help with.
See our ‘Ready4School’ blog for more information.

Ready4School information

“What comes out of that warehouse is far more than practical - it's the glue that holds communities together. The message that says - you matter and we'll help you get back on your feet.”

“Not only does it provide family with all the essentials they need, but it also provides them with the knowledge that people care! It also really helps us develop a relationship with the families that we are working with, helping to breakdown the barrier between a family and surrey children's services.”

“To be able to offer quality clothes and toys to our families who are living in poverty is so helpful, and they really do appreciate it. The quality is always amazing, and it can have such a positive impact to children and their families to have toys to play with, books to read and clothes to wear. To have such a fantastic resource on our doorstep is so beneficial, and very much appreciated. It does make a real difference.”

“In Children's Services, Stripey Stork have been invaluable - going above and beyond to help and support our families. It has made families feel like they matter and that there is hope, especially when they have had to flee domestic abuse.”

Signposting of other support services

Sometimes the requests we receive go beyond the remit of our resources and capabilities, so here’s a useful list of other support services.

Individual funding requests:

Buttle UK offers small grants for families/children falling into specific categories (usually in care or having fled domestic abuse).
It’s also worth taking a look at the Turn2Us website, which provides links to all the small grant making organisations locally (searchable by postcode).
The Reigate & Banstead Mayor’s Trust Fund assists the Borough’s less fortunate residents by providing support to help make a small difference in their lives. Small disbursements of usually around £50 (but up to a maximum of £750) are made to successful applicants.
The Surrey Crisis Fund is a discretionary fund run by Surrey County Council and provides financial help to Surrey residents who have nowhere else to turn in an emergency or following a disaster. It also can provide assistance to set up a home in the community where no other funds or resources are available. No specific deadlines. Apply 9-5pm Monday to Thursday.

Other services:

Local food banks such as Loveworks and St Matthew’s Church food bank, and The Trussell Trust national food banks network.
The District and Borough Council websites for information on financial and welfare support services available.
Local Citizens Advice Bureaus provide in person, online and telephone advice on issues such as debt management, benefits, housing, immigration and landlord-tenant disputes.
Furnistore based in Merstham, provides recycled furniture at very affordable prices. If proof of means tested benefits can be provided, then they offer a 50% discount on essential items, and are welcome to a discussion if circumstances mean essential items are still unaffordable.
Reuse network is a useful secondhand furniture network, where you can search by item and area.
If we are located too far for you to collect, please consult our other UK baby banks map to see if there is a similar service closer to you.

We feel privileged to have helped many thousands of families to get back on their feet. See for yourself the impact of some of our Stork Stories.

The dressing gown gift

“I went to visit with him last week and he showed me his room. He has nothing in it except for a little rucksack which he packs a few clothes in for his stay each week.” This came from a

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