Urgent request for help and donations
Hurst: Charity needs support to combat demand for services
A Hurst-based charity that provides clothing and essential items to people in need is urgently looking for help and donations as demand for its services grows.
The rise in cost of living has left some families needing greater help sourcing clothing and household items and that, combined with the influx of families fleeing war-torn Ukraine, have stretched the growing charity’s resources more than ever before.
“We’ve been very lucky with donations from the public – people have been really supportive,” said Rebecca Mole, fundraising manager of The Cowshed.
“But the longer the war goes on we won’t be able to sustain at the current level. We’ll do this for as long as we can continue.”
Based in Sandford Lane, Hurst, The Cowshed is supporting up to five Ukraine families a day and help is needed to ‘contain the pressure of this massive increase in demand.’
Since April 1 a total of 934 individuals across the county have used the charity’s services for new bedding, clothing, baby equipment, school uniform and more.
More than 400 of those have been refugees fleeing to the UK from Ukraine.
Families and individuals often arrive with very little and The Cowshed starts them off with the basics in a welcome pack.
Referrals manager Becky Russell said: “Each welcome pack includes two new towels, new toiletries (including sanitary products for women or specific child/baby items). The child/baby packs also include a new soft toy as well as colouring book and pens.
“We have currently provided 416 welcome packs and we are still getting in many requests.”
Help in putting the packs together is needed as The Cowshed takes great care with packing and presentation to ensure that people from Ukraine feel at home and welcome.
Each package is tied with a blue and yellow ribbon and handcrafted decorations made by the Barkham Hookers.
“We go that extra mile to show our Ukrainian visitors that someone has thought about them. We want each recipient to feel the love and care that’s gone into it and we want them to know we’re thinking about them and are here for them,” added Rebecca Mole.
Items of clothing, personal care items, toys for children and baby products are also being requested as once a family receives a welcome pack they then get invited to The Cowshed’s premises to select clothing and other items they may need. Sportswear, underwear, trainers and unopened toiletries are being particularly sought.
The Cowshed’s work has recently won it an ‘Improving Impact Award’ from the Charity Governance Awards.
Given to a small UK charity who are taking big strides to improve in their community, The Cowshed impressed the judging panel, not just with its day-to-day work with families in need of essentials, but for its Christmas appeal where it went above and beyond to make children’s wishes come true by making hundreds of loaded gift sacks.
If you can help The Cowshed with donations of items or time or money please contact info@thecowshed.org or give a gift through The Cowshed’s Amazon Wishlist at amzn.eu/ d8n240w