Does your child attend a playgroup or school which may be able to support us? Can you and your colleagues wear stripes for the day? Are you associated with a local business who may be interested in running a ‘stripey’ promotion? Please email partnerships@stripeystork.org.uk to discuss how we can support your efforts.

We can supply you with printed posters (please email communications@stripeystork.org.uk) or you can download here.

Help us to spread the word, so we can make this even bigger and better than last year, and achieve our target of £1500.

The funds raised on the day will be used throughout the year to buy new items needed to complement the pre-loved items included in our children’s clothing packs – such as underwear, socks and nightwear- and complete our donations. We want the recipients to feel like they are receiving a gift and not a handout, and including such items in new, clean condition helps us achieve this.

These essential items make such a difference, so please wear stripes on 20th June and remember to tell your friends, family and colleagues about our campaign. You can show your support by downloading our Stripes4Stripey supporter’s profile frame for Facebook and/or Twitter using this Twibbon link.

You can donate online here (on the day): http://www.localgiving.org/appeal/stripes4stripey2019

Please remember to share your stripey photos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #Stripes4Stripey2019. We had such great fun last year seeing all the photos come flooding in. From local councillors tweeting stripes from their meetings, to office bake-offs and our mascot Stripey doing a mini-roadshow with some of our corporate partners.

We also had lots of Stripey visitors at HQ on the day, as they came to admire our Stripey décor and join us in indulging in some stripey doughnuts. We even had photos coming in from foreign lands – our loyal supporters not letting being out of the country get in their way of supporting Stripey Stork.

How far can we spread the stripes this year? What will you do? The skies the limit, as long as it’s stripey of course!
Thank you #TeamStork for your support!

The post Wear #Stripes4Stripey on 20th June 2019 appeared first on Stripey Stork.

Our April wish list is now here, along with donation days. Please take a look at the items we need, and if they match up with items you are looking to re-home, we can pass them on to families we are supporting.

Please book a donation slot. We operate a booking system so that we can manage the flow of donations. If you cannot make one of our donation days or the slots are filled, please email donate@stripeystork.org.uk to make alternative arrangements. 

Book a slot

There are some items that we can’t accept due to safety concerns, lack of space or little demand. Please take a look of the full list of items we can and cannot accept. 

Items we can/cannot accept

• Please ensure that any clothing is freshly washed, sorted by age and gender and labelled. For cots, prams and other equipment please ensure that the item is cleaned and includes all fixings or spare parts in a labelled bag and where possible include a manual. 

Our warehouse address: 51a Albert Road North, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 9EL.

Any queries please email donate@stripeystork.org.uk.

Thank you for your continued support – we need your lovely donations to keep supporting families in our community.

APRIL 2026

Girls clothing, shoes & coats 

• 0-3months/newborn
• 9-12months
• 12-18months
• 18-24months
• 2-3yrs
• 3-4yrs
• 4-9yrs
• 10-11yrs
• 11-12yrs
• Teen clothing adult sizes 12-16

Boys clothing, shoes & coats

• 0-3months/newborn
• 9-12months
• 3-4yrs
• 4-5yrs
• 6-7yrs
• 7-8yrs
• 8-9yrs
• 9-10yrs
• 10-11yrs
• Suitable teen clothing in adult sizes S, M, L, XL

Equipment

• Pram/Buggies
• Buggy boards
• Moses baskets & folding stands
• Cots/Cot beds/Toddler beds (less than 10 years old. No mattresses)
• Bed guards
• Bouncy chairs
• Playmats
• Changing mats & bags
• Muslins
• Bibs

Bedding  

• Baby sleeping bags (0-6 months)
• Baby cellular blankets
• Moses basket, cot, cot bed & single bed sheets
• Single duvet covers

Bathing

• Baby baths
• Reclining bath supports
• Hooded towels

Toys

• Baby toys suitable from birth
• Sorting/stacking toys
• Board and cloth books for babies
• Toddler toys (no large playsets)
• Board games and card games
• Teen books

Please make sure all toys have a CE mark on.

Toiletries

• New and unopened toiletries e.g. shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, deodorant etc.
• Nappies and wipes

School Uniform

• All non logo school uniform in all colours and all sizes including shirts, t-shirts, jumpers, cardigans, skirts, trousers, shorts, summer dresses
• PE kits items such as shorts, t-shirts in all colours and all sizes.
• New stationery items including pens, pencils, rulers, maths sets, highlighters, A4 pads.
• Our full school days wish list can be found here. 

We are well stocked with all other items, thank you!- 

Important notes when donating

• We are located in Reigate, Surrey and unfortunately cannot offer a collection service.
• Please do not bring donations at any other time and absolutely no donations to be left outside the warehouse when we are closed, thank you!
• We are operating a ‘drop-off‘ system – donors will drive into the car park and we can assist to unload donations at the warehouse doors.
• It will be a great help if you follow our usual guidelines for donating items – ensure all items are freshly laundered, pre-sorted by age/gender and in a condition which you’d be happy to donate to a friend. This means that we won’t put a strain on our already limited resources and we can re-home your items quickly. For more information on making a donation, see How to Donate.

We know you all have lots of items to offer, so we’ve prepared a page to show you where to take the items we are unable to accept at the moment – Other places to recycle and reuse in Surrey.

We also have an Amazon wish list of new items which we continually need to complement our pre-loved packs. The list is regularly updated as our stock changes and items are delivered straight to us where they are readily distributed.

Please email donate@stripeystork.org.uk if you have any queries regarding our Stripey Stork wish list donation sessions .

Thank you for your support Team Stork

The post Stripey Stork’s wish list appeared first on Stripey Stork.

A new government report shows a continued rise in children in the UK growing up trapped in poverty – this figure now sits at 4.1 million, with 70% of those coming from working households*.

During the school holidays, the detrimental effects of poverty on children’s health increases – as lack of affordable childcare, costly activities to keep them entertained and food worries are at their worst.

Families who rely on free school meals during term time face an added financial pressure to provide a main meal during school holidays. It is estimated that the loss of free school meals is between £30-£40 a week per child**. A lot of money for those already living on the breadline.

This, combined with the cost of activities to keep children entertained, means the thought of school holidays fills such families with dread, rather than excitement.

We recently had the opportunity to be involved in a project which will help alleviate some of the additional pressures brought on by school holidays for local families – we were very keen to help where we could.

Loveworks, a Reigate community charity and foodbank, started the project after they were contacted by a few local schools last summer over concerns that those children who were depending on free school lunches may go hungry in the holidays. Loveworks had also noticed a substantial increase in families, with children, accessing their foodbanks over the summer.

Following discussions with a local Children’s Centre, they decided to run a trial project to provide relief for the nearly 150 struggling families on their caseload. For the Easter holiday period, Loveworks have provided lunch boxes and some healthy lunch ingredients to help those families who may otherwise have struggled to provide food and would also benefit from being inspired by healthy lunch ideas.

The lunchboxes were filled with food such as wraps, cheese, fruit, veg and snacks, which were low in fat, salt and sugar. Recipe sheets were also included, full of easy, affordable and healthy packed lunch ideas to help fill the gap so the children don’t go hungry and their families aren’t pushed any further into food poverty and insecurity.

So, we put our heads together on how we could also help and our ‘Easter bags’ project was born. We sourced some reusable and bright drawstring bags (blue and orange of course!), and filled them with new pens, pencils, colouring paper and crafts along with books, games, puzzles and small toys we already had in stock. We ensured the contents were suitable for children in preschool, nursery and reception.

We were also able to donate some branded water bottles to complement Loveworks’ lunchboxes.

These goodies will give the children plenty of opportunities to play, with some downtime and educational activities to match. Whenever they utter those dreaded words “I’m bored!”, then they’ll be reminded of their bag full of entertainment. The fact that the items fit into a child-sized handy bag means that they can bring them whilst out and about, for example to any of the great, local parks in our area.

The bags were dropped off today (Friday 5th April 2019), in time to be distributed to the children just before the school bell rung.

A very special thanks to Elaine and Nancy, two of our dedicated volunteers, who have done a brilliant job in coordinating this project and were on-hand to deliver the bags today.

Loveworks were also in the playground handing out the packs and showing the children how to fold the wraps, and discuss ideas of what they could put in them.

Here’s some feedback from the Children’s Centre involved in the project:

“The Easter holiday project has been a fantastic way, we as a Children’s Centre, along with local charities can help to support families with the additional costs they face over the Easter holidays. Many children receive free school meals which means parents have higher food costs during school holidays and the additional pressures of finding things to keep children entertained can put additional strain on families financially. Approximately 150 bags have been given out, the parents and children have been thrilled to receive them.”

Thank you to Caitlyn, a very kind young lady who asked friends and family for donations of colouring pens and pencils to Stripey Stork, instead of Birthday presents this year. Thanks to this act of kindness, we were able to use them in the Easter bags.

A shout-out also to Phoebe, who asked for donations to Stripey Stork for her recent Birthday. It’s because of funds like this that we are able to support special projects like the Easter bags. We are so proud of these special young ladies in being grateful for everything they already have and showing such empathy to others.

Thank you to Loveworks and everyone involved in making this project happen. It highlights how different organisations can work together to address a real need in the community. Each having its own strengths and resources, but together doing even more amazing things.

* https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/households-below-average-income-199495-to-201718
** The All Party Parliamentary Group on Hunger – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-39697216

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That’s 529 happier Mums who will receive an acknowledgement from their children on this special day – one which may not have been made possible if it wasn’t for this invaluable campaign.

This year we felt privileged to hear back from one of the Mums who had received a gift pack and wanted to express her gratitude in telling us what it meant to her. She had recently left an abusive relationship and had been pleasantly surprised when in the immediate days which followed, her local Children’s Centre had put her name forward for receiving a pack.

“I was quite tearful to receive such an amazing gift. As my daughter is only 3, I had come to the conclusion any Mother’s Day gifts I received would be ones I paid for. This just changed it all! Knowing there are people empathising with your struggles and offering kindness and support is just so uplifting and heart warming.”

The realisation for her that there are people out there offering support – helping to pick her up and encouraging her to stay strong with such moments of kindness, meant everything when she was at an all-time low. She also commented on the quality of the branded toiletries included and couldn’t wait to use them to help her relax after the hardest week.

We also had one Mum’s appreciation passed on via one of our referral partners, East Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (ESDA):

“Please pass on my thanks, it was such a joy opening the bag and seeing all the things. There were mini size creams of a brand I love which I can’t afford to buy. It was all absolutely lovely and I really appreciated it.”

We know that this is a campaign which resonates with so many of you. Whether that’s because you realise that being a Mum can be the hardest job in the world, and you understand that if everything else was stacked against you, how much harder it would be to keep your head above water.

Whether it’s because you’ve been at rock bottom and know what it’s like to be picked up by the kindness of others.

Or whether it’s because you feel strongly that no Mum should be forgotten – regardless of whether or not they have a partner or family support network to arrange such recognition.

Whatever the reason – please know that once again a difference has been made in our little corner of the world and that’s thanks to everyone involved. In particular, we’d like to say a special thank you to the following:

• Our lovely volunteers who so lovingly put the packs together and included a handwritten Mother’s Day card with their words of encouragement.
• Our referral partners for looking after the Mums on their caseloads so well, and coordinating the ordering and collection of gifts.
• Everyone who purchased items from our Amazon wish list or who dropped gifts off at the office.
• Becky Pearce Designs for donating 20% of the sales from two of her most popular necklaces, and for being our online Mother’s Day card shop.
• Doodlemoo for designing this year’s Stripey Stork Mother’s Day card. And to our local card sellers – Gerrards, The Reigate Pop-up Shop, Imagineville, TSB in the Belfry Shopping Centre, Redhill and The Peekaboo Café near Dorking.
• The Peanut App for including us in their #SantaIsAWoman campaign – we were able to save the more luxurious items to be included in our Mother’s Day packs which have been very well received.
• IHS Markit and esure for their gift donations and giving us the opportunity to sell cards during their lunch break.
• Tropics Skincare for donating products from their beautiful range for this campaign and all your round.
• The Hygiene Bank who arranged for us to collect a bumper collection of toiletries that were perfect as gifts.
• Outwood WI who organised a collection of items at one of their meetings and delivered it to us.
• The Natural Baby Shower for donating 1% of their sales this Mother’s Day to Stripey Stork, and for selling our charity cards in their Bagshot store.
• The Guilty Mummy for helping us to spread the word.

That just leaves one more thing to say – Happy Mother’s Day to all of the fantastic Mums out there! We hope you have a special day to remember, you deserve it!

The post Mum2Mum2019 makes a record difference appeared first on Stripey Stork.

For those of you who are signed up to our mailing list, you will have already heard our big news! We found out at the end of last year that we need to find a new home. There is a planning proposal in place for development of the business park where we operate, and our lease is unlikely to be renewed after August this year. We needed to take action.

The last time we had to search for new premises it took us a year to find somewhere suitable so we got straight on the case. I’m pleased to say we were luckier this time and we’ve found somewhere that fits the bill.

We have taken this as an opportunity to find somewhere that will help us achieve the ambitious longer term targets we’ve set ourselves. By the end of 2021 we want to be able to respond to 3500 requests a year from across the county and beyond, and pass back items into the community worth £1m per year.

We believe that every baby deserves the same start, and time and time again you show us that you believe this too. 

The proposed site is double the size of our current space and is still based in the same borough so is a convenient location for all our volunteers, donors and referral partners. There is so much scope to grow the service and help more families from this new base. I took the trustees and the team to see this new unit and everyone loved it.

Sonya our Referrals Coordinator loved the roller shutter doors. She could imagine being able to easily pack the cars of referral partners with items for the families they are working with.

Lydia our Donations Coordinator loved that it is on the ground floor. Any of you who have visited Stripey Stork will know that we have always had stairs to deal with – what a joy it will be to move prams and cots without having to think of the stairs!

Debby our Office Administrator loved that there is an office space big enough to accommodate the team AND organise the items we need for events and campaigns like Mum2Mum and Santa Stork.

Running these vital campaigns in a bigger space will be much easier.

I loved the fact that it will be such a fantastic location to welcome visiting groups and people who are interested to find out more about the work we do. I’m always proud to show people around our current offices but I just know that we’ll be able to do so much more from this new site.

But bigger space comes with a bigger cost.

And whilst we have never been short of ambition, we are going to need the support of our fantastic #TeamStork community to make this move possible. So often we ask you for the items your families have outgrown, or to pass on new presents for Mother’s Day or gifts for Christmas. You always overwhelm us with your responses and kindness.

Today we’re asking for a financial contribution towards our increased rental costs. 

A symbolic ‘brick’ in the wall of our new premises, and a show of support for the service that has become an integral part of our local community.

Please show us that #TeamStork are behind us as we take this next step on the Stork journey, helping us to ‘spread our wings’. Some generous funders have come on board already but we need to show them, and other potential supporters, that the community are behind us as we take this next step.

Are you with us #TeamStork?

You can make a one-off or monthly donation here (please include gift aid if you can as it makes such a difference). Making a £10 commitment per month gives us a secure base from which to grow our service.Your contribution however small will make a difference and, as we’ve demonstrated over the last 5 years, we’ll make the new space work incredibly hard for the community.

Please email me directly at info@stripeystork.org.uk if you have fundraising ideas or if your workplace, church or community group have funds or grants that we may be able to benefit from. We are always happy to chat if you’d like to know more about our plans for the future, pay us a visit or find out more about what we do.

It’s the exciting next step for #TeamStork and we’d love you to be a part of it. 

Thank you,

Founder and General Manager

The post We’re spreading our wings appeared first on Stripey Stork.

So, what does this have to do with International Women’s Day we hear you ask?

Well it’s the journey it made, and the women that made it possible – we believe they should be celebrated.

The donor

This brand new Mountain Buggy was sent to us by Natural Baby Shower. Double buggies are usually in short supply at Stripey Stork so it’s always exciting when we receive one. Lauren and the team at NBS made this happen as part of the partnership with us that they recently announced. They wanted this ex-display item to be re-homed where it would make a real difference and they trusted Stripey Stork to make that happen.

The company was founded by Victoria Hampson in 2007 – an inspiring women and Mum with a passion for parenting, the environment and a desire to make baby shopping simpler. We share so many of the same values and couldn’t be more pleased that we’re going to be working with NBS.

The referral source

At Stripey Stork we work with such caring community partners and Sallie from the Cobham & Banstead Community Midwife Team is no exception. She was keen to help a family on her caseload – the Mum has a seven month old baby and a toddler and, since the birth of the second child, had been using an old stroller which was unsuitable and unsafe for transporting a toddler. This was sadly her only option as buying one, even second hand, was out of the question.

Sallie explained that before the team knew about Stripey Stork, the Community Midwives at Epsom had gathered together suitable equipment, clothing, toys, food and toiletries for the family. Incredible women exceeding the expectations of their role and coming together to support other women.

The recipient

The Mum in question had a particularly difficult upbringing involving drugs and prescription medicine. After losing her own mother at a young age, she suffered from ongoing mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. With very little family support, both emotionally and financially, it’s been a tough time. But, she is managing to turn her life around with the support of others and is solely focussed on the health and wellbeing of her children. Her persistence and determination are to be applauded.

Making A Difference

So, when we were able to contact Sallie this week to pass on the good news that we had a double buggy for Mum, she knew this was going to be life-changing for them. She quickly came to collect it as she knew Mum would be keen to start using it.

Sallie reported back the next day and told us that this ‘freedom machine’ had already allowed Mum to attend her Community Mental Health Support Group getting the children there safely. One of the many journeys she’ll be able to make using the buggy as she continues her progress and raises her children. And it obviously means such a lot to her – one of the support team there saw her padlocking it outside the centre to make sure her precious new buggy was left secure.

Our team take such care to match the items we receive to the referrals on our list, and in this scenario once again, we got it just right. With space being such a premium in the family flat, it can be folded down and comfortably tucked behind the sofa. It’s also manageable for her to carry down one flight of stairs with two kids in tow.

Mum summed it up: “This buggy is awesome!”

For us it’s another referral marked as ‘completed’ and once again made possible by a group of amazing women. From the donors to the Stripey Stork donation and referrals team. From the referral source to the grateful recipient. We all share the same belief – that children deserve the same start – and by working together we have once again made a difference.

On International Women’s Day we salute them and all of #TeamStork.

The post Amazing women making a difference appeared first on Stripey Stork.

You can watch #SafeAtLast on Channel 4 Catch-Up – it’s such a powerful piece, which is sympathetically narrated by Julie Walters and highlights a very real challenge which is happening right now on our doorstep.

If you’ve been moved by this documentary and would like to contribute to their plight then you can donate here.On Tuesday 26 February we watched with a vested interest – Stripey Stork have been long term supporters of RBWA and our team have seen first hand the amazing lifesaving work they do. In fact, one of our ‘packages of care’ had a subtle cameo appearance on the programme.

We wanted to support the RBWA in raising awareness of the broadcast, so volunteered our communications expertise around this time. It was a pleasure to be able to contribute in some way and we hope it had the desired effect.

The Funding Challenge

Funds are desperately needed for our local refuge to survive – shockingly they only have 4-6 months of funding secured, and it’s scary to imagine what lays beyond this time frame.

Government cuts have meant that local authority spending on refuges has been cut from £31.2m in 2010 to £23.9m in 2017. The RBWA currently costs £375,000 a year to run – a quarter of this comes from a Surrey County Council grant but this funding is never guaranteed and can be dropped within a 3 month notice period. Another £115,000 comes from housing benefit and the rest must be found by the RBWA through one-off grants and fundraising activity. When they should be solely focussed on caring and helping these women to rebuild their lives, they are having to put their efforts into securing funding to ensure the refuge survives.

This is why the bold decision was made to let the film crew inside the refuge, but it wasn’t an easy decision to make. As Charlotte Kneer (CEO of RBWA) confides:

“From the minute I was asked to help make this film, day in and day out, it has caused me to lose sleep because I have had to make sure that everyone was kept as secure as possible.”

You can read more about the motivation behind this bold decision in The Sun’s recent coverage.

Shocking Statistics

The documentary highlights some disturbing facts:

• Domestic abuse costs the UK £66bn a year.
• Every day the National Domestic Violence helpline receives 230 calls of victims looking for a safe place.
• 1 in 4 women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime.
• 2 women each week are murdered through domestic abuse in the UK.
• The drastic shortage of beds means that 6 out of 10 women will be turned away from refuges.
• Refuges have lost a quarter of their funding in the last 10 years and 1 in 6 refuges have had to close – with only 302 refuges left in England and Wales.

Dispatches takes you on an emotional journey with some of the brave women and their children who arrive at the refuge.

Susan

Pregnant Mum of 3 was on the street with nowhere to go and arrived at the refuge with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, they’d fled their home 200 miles away. Her partner had become increasingly violent towards her since being pregnant, which we learn is common in cases of domestic abuse. The final straw was when her young daughter was thrown across the bedroom into the wall.

Rachel

A long-suffering domestic abuse victim of 18 years. As well as the repeated physical abuse, she was isolated her from family by her husband, another form of control. During filming, Rachel left the refuge to return to her husband, much to her support worker’s frustration. This is sadly something which they see time and time again – women often return 7 times before they leave their partner for good. But they appreciate that these women need to reach this conclusion on their own. Thankfully, in Rachel’s case she was back in two days after he turned violent towards her again.

Alison

This story is probably the hardest to watch. Alison (whose name had been changed for protection) had been beaten and sexually abused for 16 years and the fall-out of this on her now teenage children is devastating. They have been witness to the abuse and understand all too well what is happening, going through all the associated emotions – from anger to grief. Her eldest teenage son, who was also physically abused, had witnessed his Mum being strangled and had started skipping school to protect her.

They arrived at high risk because her ex was already looking for them. Unfortunately he managed to track them down through a photo of one of her children in their new school uniform on social media. Alison and her children were devastated to be leaving the safety of the refuge and were pleading to stay – they finally felt protected and then were being forced to uproot again. A hard watch indeed! They only had an hour to leave as it had been reported that he was on his way. With only 4 refuge spaces in the country at the time, anxiety levels were high. Luckily, a last minute place at another refuge became available and the family were safe once more.

Charlotte

Charlotte’s own story is also featured in the documentary, who is herself a 9 year victim of domestic abuse and has been the motivation behind the great work she is doing. You can read more about her journey here.

More than a shelter

What comes across loud and clear, is that the refuge is more than a shelter where essential items are provided, but a 6 month rehabilitation programme with access to specialist help from Family Support Workers, counselling and health advice. Each family lives independently, but becomes part of a bigger support network made up of the other families and the 8 refuge workers.

“Shadows come into this refuge and women leave”. 

Aftercare is also provided once they have left the refuge to begin their new life, which is so important in ensuring they don’t slip and go back to their perpetrator if things get lonely in the outside world.

The Future

Over the last 34 years the RBWA have helped over 1800 women and it’s devastating to think that their life-saving work may not be available in the near future. The documentary poignantly ends with one of the carers having to turn down a woman looking for a refuge because all 11 of their spaces were taken. You feel their heartache of not being able to help due to the limited resources they already have.

We’d like to take this opportunity to express our admiration for Charlotte and her wonderful team for everything they do.

If you are a victim of domestic violence, please can the free 24 hour National Domestic Violence helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit www.womensaid.org.uk.  

Media Coverage

Here’s some of the #SafeAtLast media coverage for further reading:

Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/safe-at-last-inside-a-womans-refuge-review-channel-4-julie-walters-a8798121.html

The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/feb/26/safe-at-last-inside-a-womens-refuge-review-film-desperate-situation

The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/womens-refuges-saved-mine-countless-lives-national-scandal/

iNews: https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/safe-at-last-channel-4-documentary-tonight-time-narrator-julie-walters/

Local Susy Radio: http://www.susyradio.com/2019/03/04/reigate-and-banstead-womens-aid-rbwa/ 

Others: https://twitter.com/louisa_compton/status/1100703594108469248 

The post Dispatches: #SafeAtLast appeared first on Stripey Stork.

In Surrey*, data suggests that it is low income families which are experiencing poor levels of school readiness, so we want to ensure that we are doing everything possible to support the local health professionals who rely on our services to help the families on their caseload.

Here’s a useful list of how Stripey Stork can help with many of the items needed in preparation for this transition:

Books

We have a continuous supply of  books for all ages and levels here at Stripey Stork. The condition is always checked before our book bag bundles are made-up by age.

Books at home support being read to, holding a book and turning the pages, understanding aspects of the narrative and, being able to talk about the characters.

Reading is also a great opportunity for children and parents to bond – which is why a book bundle is always included for every child referred to us.

Toys

We have an abundance of good condition toys which teach children all about the world around them. From small world toys which they can immerse themselves in play with and let their imaginations run wild, to role play toys where they can learn how to best deal with certain situations and practise qualities such as good manners, taking responsibility and sharing.

If there is a particular toy request that you have then please ask and if we don’t have this in stock, we may be able to get hold of one for you.

Games

We have a great selection of educational games, from phonics and counting, to problem-solving and memory recall.

Stationery

Every child loves a pencil case, its treasured contents and writing/colouring books. We can put a bundle together which will have them skipping through those school gates on the first day.

Toilet Training

Schools strongly encourage all children to be toilet trained and using the toilet independently by the time they start school. We can support this often difficult quest by providing a potty, training seat, pull ups and spare pants, helping to ensure they have a good start from day one and embarrassing accidents are minimised.

Feeding Equipment

School lunchtime can be a real challenge for those children who are unable to adequately feed themselves – let us help if one of your families needs any plates, bowls, training cups, bowls and cutlery.

Toiletries

Personal hygiene is so important for a child’s confidence. We have shelves of toiletry supplies, such as body wash, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste. We understand that for families desperately struggling to put food on the table, such products can be a luxury item which they can’t always afford.

Schools Bags

We always have a supply of school rucksacks for children to keep all of their special school belongings together. We ensure we have a variety of designs to match different personalities and interests. We want them to feel proud wearing it!

We can provide lunchboxes for those children who are planning to take a packed lunch to school, getting this in plenty of time means you can encourage picnics before they start school – this will help with their independence in taking off their own yogurt lids, opening packets and peeling fruit. And no school bag would be complete without a brand new, leak proof water bottle to keep refreshed throughout the day.

Clothes

We always keep a range of standard school uniform shirts, trousers, skirts and dresses. As well as plimsolls and school shoes – we appreciate that the cost of these alone can be a real financial burden, especially if there are siblings to buy for too.

Wearing appropriate outdoor clothes to brave the elements of the school run is so important to start and end the school day positively. We are well-stocked with winter coats which we save all year round for when the colder weather strikes. Often pupils are required to keep a spare pair of wellies at school for outside play, which can be an added financial burden, so ask and we’ll try and help.

Role Play/Dressing up Clothes

Once school has started, then the party invitations will start flooding in. We are able to supply party clothes and as many birthday parties around this age group are fancy dress themed – we can definitely help any young spidermans or princesses get into character with our costume supply. Then there’s World Book Day on 7th March this year – see our blog on how we supplied 51 costumes to a local school last year.

Buggies

If a family lives quite a distance from school and has younger children in tow, they may benefit from a buggy, where previously this was no longer required. Sometimes it’s the small adjustments which can make all the difference to a child’s attendance – as is demonstrated in this story of a family we were able to help by easing their walk to and from nursery.

And Remember…

All of the requests we receive are made to order and specific to each child – we want them to feel special. We also want the parents/carers to feel like they are receiving a gift and not a hand out – so we pride ourselves on only redistributing items in excellent condition. We understand how dignity and self-esteem are more important than ever when life isn’t going your way!

Being school-ready is something which parents may feel anxious about, but the important thing is that any gaps in readiness are identified early and steps are put in place to ensure a child is developing the necessary skills required.

Then they’ll be ready, steady, go – to reach their full potential once school has started.

Please remember, we are unable to respond to direct requests from individual families, but if you speak with your healthcare professional or local Sure Start Centre then they’ll be able to make a referral on your behalf. All referrals should be made to refer@stripeystork.org.uk from the health professional’s work email address.

*Source: https://www.surreyi.gov.uk

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It was the end of a busy week at the office when the post arrived one Friday before Christmas 2018. We opened a Christmas card and a crisp ten pound note fell out. The handwritten message inside stopped us in our tracks:

“Dear Stripy Stork
Thank you for all the help you have given me and my baby. Last year I was in a bad place and was dreading Christmas. I had no family, no presents and tried to pretend it wasn’t happening. My support worker got me some things from you and I am so greatful (sic). I didn’t realise how important it was to give my son a gift. When he opened the Frozen snowman toy and I saw his face I felt like a proper mum for the first time ever. I started to get things sorted in January and got a new job in the summer. I made a promise that this year I would support what you do at Christmas. So here is £10. I hope it makes another mum feel like I did. Thank you for all you do.”

Wow. What an incredible thing for this mum to do. The Santa Stork gift of last year – an Olaf teddy donated by In Kind Direct – had such an impact that she was paying that kindness forward. We couldn’t be more grateful.

A year on and this family are in a better position but we know there are hundreds of parents and carers in our community feeling exactly like she did – dreading Christmas and wishing it wasn’t going to happen – because they can’t provide a few simple gifts for their children to open on Christmas morning.

That’s what Santa Stork is all about – you can read all about our annual Christmas campaign here in our blog.

“I hope it makes another mum feel like I did.”

See Santa Stork page for details of how to help this year’s campaign.

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Reflecting on 2018

No post about looking forward would be complete without starting from where we’ve come. 2018 was a big year for us. The ambitious target we set ourselves to respond to 2018 requests for help was exceeded; we were able to respond to a massive 2276 requests from our referral partners, which were made on behalf of the local families they support.

We estimate that the total value of these new and pre-loved items which have been passed onto the local community this year is over £600k.

Targets for 2019

We KNOW that the demand for our services has been rising since we started in 2013. And this is now truer than ever, with the introduction of Universal Credit and the issues it brings, benefits being frozen, and living costs and unemployment increasing. See our blog for further evidence.

Contrary to misconception, this is happening right on our doorstep, with 10% (22640) of children in Surrey living in poverty and two thirds of these being from working households (source: www.cfsurrey.org.uk).

The target we have set ourselves this year is to respond to 2500 referral requests and we are currently gearing up for the challenge. The area we primarily serve is East Surrey – this is where we are located, where we have fantastic support from the local community and where we have built a reputation with the referral sources who have come to depend on our services.

But, we can do more!

We have a great opportunity to ‘expand our village’ even further to other parts of Surrey. Such areas have been identified as being in desperate need and are drastically under-served at present. Establishing and building partnerships with referral sources in these areas is a key focus for 2019, and the groundwork for this has already been laid in 2018.

A number of projects are also underway which are looking at our operational processes and infrastructure, to ensure that we can meet the promise of expanding the area we cover.

How to get involved

As well as the usual but crucial volunteering and donating items from our monthly wish list, we also have a list of many, sometimes less obvious, other ways you can help.

We have a calendar of events planned for this year, so here’s our quarterly campaign dates for your diary:

#Mum2Mum – 31st March is Mother’s Day

We want to let all the Mums that we support know what a fantastic job they are doing, under what is sometimes the most difficult of circumstances. We are aiming to provide gift packs and cards for 300 Mums who would otherwise be unrecognised.

There are numerous ways to get involved and you can read all about how in our recent Mum2Mum blog. From donating just £5 via Localgiving towards a mini pamper pack, to organising a collection of gifts amongst your friends or colleagues.

#Stripes4Stripey – 20th June

This is the day of the stripes, where we ask everyone far and wide, or local and small, to make a statement and dress in their favourite stripey attire in return for a donation to our ‘new socks, underwear and nightwear’ fund. Stripey people will be encouraged to share their photos on social media using #Stripes4Stripey2019 to help spread the fun and create awareness. Inspire your friends, work colleagues or children’s school to get involved. The more the stripier, the more the merrier is what we say!

Run Reigate 2019 – 15th September

If you’re setting your personal goals for 2019, then why not go for the ultimate and start with taking part in Run Reigate this year? You’ve probably heard about all the fuss so now it’s time to find out for yourself. There’s plenty of races to choose from; 5km, 10km, the award winning 1/2 marathon, or even the kid’s race for the little people in your life.

Whatever your ability, we’d love to have you on #TeamStork. You can run as an individual, team or family. Either way you won’t be on your own. We’ll be with you every step of the way; providing lots of moral support, working with you on fundraising, covering your adult race fee and supplying you with our branded running kit. It’s a great community event and our biggest fundraiser of the year, so pencil us in!

#SantaStork2019 – 2nd December

Our popular Christmas campaign provides brand new (and often specially requested) presents for those most in need in our local area. In 2018, 1517 children and 828 parent/carer presents were distributed in the run up to Christmas, estimated to be a huge £50k in value. There are lots of ways to help with our biggest seasonal campaign; donate online, buy from our special Amazon wish list or take your children shopping for an item from our suggested gift list – more information when the campaign is launched mid-October. All presents are collected by 2nd December, ready for our Santa Stork Giving Day in mid-December.

If you think your work may like to get involved, then we can arrange for a bespoke Amazon wish list or company gift list. We will support you with posters, graphics and any other marketing materials which you may need, and we always give a shout-out of thanks on social media to our corporate partners.

New for 2019

Virtual Challenge

If the Run Reigate date or the idea of an organised race doesn’t work for you, then hot off the press is Stripey Stork’s virtual challenge. This is ideal for those who prefer to challenge themselves at their own pace and in their own time – your race, you way! More details coming soon, but we are very excited about giving you the opportunity to #EarnYourStripes with us and thus a bespoke Stripey Stork medal, all for a little fundraising for your favourite local charity – us!

Reigate Manor Hotel Quiz & Curry Night

Another date for your diary is Thursday 21st March at 7:30pm – with all profits from this event going to Stripey Stork. So, start thinking about your ‘dream team’ as we’d love to see as many of you there as possible to show everyone that when we get behind an event, we mean business! You can download a poster to display at work or on any community noticeboards you are associated with. Tickets can be purchased here.

And Not Forgetting…

Match Funding

If we are lucky enough to have you fundraising for us for a particular event or challenge you are undertaking, then please enquire with your employer on whether they have a match funding scheme; where they match, up to a certain amount, the funds you raise. This is often a missed opportunity so it’s always worth asking the question. A prerequisite will be that the charity you are supporting is UK registered, which we are: charity number 1161613.

Gift Aid

If you are kindly donating money to us via one of our online appeals, always add gift aid if you are a UK tax payer. This will ensure an extra 25% is added to your donation, at no extra cost to you.

Have an Idea?

Keep your ears to the ground and eyes wide open for any potential opportunities or partnerships for us to be involved with. It doesn’t always have to be about parting with your own hard-earned cash, but more about thinking ‘outside the box’ and seizing opportunities as they arise. If you have an idea, or any questions about the above, then our door is always open – please email partnerships@stripeystork.org.uk.

And finally, all that’s left to say is a huge thank you for your continued support. We couldn’t do what we do without our supporters, volunteers and partners. It’s because of you that we are entering into 2019 with a ‘can do’ attitude and the capability to achieve our goals – keep up the smashing work #TeamStork!

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