A Christmas appeal backed byThe Independent aiming to provide 500 beds to the most impoverished children has been given a boost after a generous donation from the Hinduja family.
Property tycoon Gopichand Hinduja and his daughter Rita Chhabria have funded dozens more beds as part of an appeal by charity Zarach to provide beds for those in need.
Along with donations from our readers, the latest boost brings the campaign more than two-thirds of the way towards to its £90,000 target, with more than 400 beds now funded.
The family told The Independent: “It is so sad that so many children have no bed of their own.
“It is heartbreaking that the very young and vulnerable are not given basic needs. We are delighted to make a donation to try to change this.”
Gopichand Hinduja and his daughter Rita Chhabria— (Alpha Press)
After years of austerity cuts and the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, a recent Barnardo’s report estimated that 894,000 children - 11 per cent of those in the UK - were without proper beds and were sleeping on the floor, on sofas or sharing with other family members.
The Hinduja family, which runs the Hinduja group, own businesses across a variety of sectors but have recently transformed the Old War Office in London into a five-star Raffles hotel and residences.
The family also run the Mukul Madhav Foundation, which works with local communities focusing on education and healthcare. The foundation recently donated money to give primary school children enjoy essential furniture and playground equipment in Somerset.
Since being founded in 2017, Zarach, which is based in Leeds, has delivered more than 7,000 beds to impoverished children across the north-west of England, with a surge in the number donated in the last 12 months.
The charity was founded by Bex Wilson, a deputy headteacher who witnessed firsthand the impact of bed poverty on her young pupils.
The charity has delivered nearly 3,500 beds this year and hope to deliver 500 by Christmas— (Zarach)
Costing £180 per bed bundle, families supported by the Christmas appeal receive bed frames, mattresses, duvets, pillows, pyjamas and chocolate treats as well as a £30 supermarket voucher for a Christmas meal.
In order to identify families struggling behind closed doors with a lack of bedding, the charity has formed close relationships over 500 schools who provide them with referrals.
Statistics taken from the last 12 months show that 31.13 per cent of children it supports have fallen on hard times due to the mental health of either one or both of their parents.
Meanwhile, domestic abuse is the cause behind 23.74 per cent of Zarach’s referrals, with debt concerns listed at 28.11 per cent and issues with benefits taking up 18.09 per cent of cases.
Other causes given to the charity are issues accessing public funds (8.46 per cent) and being the victim of violent crime (3.79 per cent), while nearly four per cent of those it supports are asylum seekers and refugees.
Speaking to The Independent, CEO Andy Peers said: “Our mission is to end child bed poverty in England but there’s a reason we want to end child bed poverty; it’s to give children the opportunity to engage at school. Everybody recognises that education is a really clear way to break that future cycle of poverty.”
Zarach deliver bunk beds and single beds for children in need across north-west England— (Zarach)
Geordie Greig, Editor-in-Chief of The Independent, said: “The Independent is proud to support Zarach’s campaign. It’s shocking that so many children do not have a bed to call their own, and it’s important to come together to help put that right.”
Lynn Perry MBE, Barnardo’s chief executive said: “Bed poverty is just one aspect of child poverty, yet it starkly illustrates the challenges faced by families not having enough money to afford the essentials needed to raise happy and healthy children.
“Families in crisis are having to prioritise essentials such as food, heating and electricity over things like replacing mouldy bedding or fixing a rotten or broken bed. Children are sharing beds and sleeping on the floor, all of which is affecting their development, attendance at school and their mental health.
“We are pleased The Independent is highlighting this issue and helping to address it in the run up to Christmas, sadly a difficult time for many.”
To donate to our Christmas appeal, click here.
