St George’s Hall in Liverpool became the home of kindness and community spirit recently, as the Buddy Bag Foundation held its latest bag pack event during the Labour Party’s Annual Conference 2025, which took place in the city.
Hosted by Places for People and supported by Cardo Group, the event brought together housing professionals, political supporters and volunteers to pack Buddy Bags – each one designed to bring comfort and essential items to children who have fled domestic abuse and are entering emergency accommodation.
The iconic surroundings of St George’s Hall provided a beautiful backdrop, while the Buddy Bag Brigade packed bags with toiletries, pyjamas, books, toys and a soft teddy – hand-knitted by generous volunteers from across the UK.
In one hour, 192 bags for 0 – 2-year-olds were packed, making a difference to 192 children in emergency care.
Karen Williams OBE, CEO and co-founder of Buddy Bag Foundation, said:
“Every Buddy Bag packed is a message of hope to a child in crisis. We are incredibly grateful to Places for People, Cardo Group and every individual who helped make this event possible. Together, we’ve made a real difference to 192 young lives.”
Branwen Evans, Group Director of Public Policy at Places for People, said:
“Supporting the Buddy Bag Foundation and providing essentials for families in emergency accommodation is about directly helping children in crisis and supporting them to feel safe and cared for.
“So many contribute to the success of this initiative – from the charity volunteers to the people across the country who knit the teddy bears – and PfP is proud to be part of a community making a real difference.”
The bags packed at this event were generously funded by The Places Foundation, with additional support from Cardo Group, which also sponsored the day’s activities.
Alana McCarthy, Director of Partnerships at Cardo, added:
“We’re proud to support Places for People with a donation towards The Buddy Bag Foundation. Every child deserves comfort and security, especially during times of upheaval.
“Knowing that these bags provide not only essentials but also a sense of reassurance is something that really resonates with us at Cardo. Social value is at the heart of what we do and supporting causes like this is an important part of how we give back to the community.”
As always, the success of the day wouldn’t have been possible without BBF’s wonderful partners – from the tireless work of its volunteers to the fantastic team at St George’s Hall and the dedicated local staff from Places for People who helped deliver the event.
Whether it’s packing bags, knitting teddies, or simply spreading the word, every contribution helps a child feel that little bit safer during an incredibly tough time.
If you would like to volunteer for The Buddy Bag Foundation, you can find out more here.
