ONE woman’s dream of handing out 20,000 buddy bags to children caught in the middle of domestic abuse is a step closer after hitting a major donation milestone.
Karen Williams, 54, of Linton, started the Buddy Bag Foundation in January with the aim of handing out 20,000 buddy bags to children who, along with a parent, have fled to a refuge.
Buddy bags contains essential items such as toiletries, socks, pyjamas and underwear as well as things that may bring comfort to a child such as books, a frames for a treasured photo and a teddy.
The foundation proudly told the Mail that it had delivered the 500th buddy bag to a Burton refuge earlier this week.
Mrs Williams said: “This is very exciting considering that this was just a dream back in January and now, eight months down the line, this is what we have achieved.
“Twenty thousand bags is still the goal and to build up as many contacts and get as many businesses involved.
“The more awareness we create, the quicker we can achieve this.”
Bags are delivered to refuges across East Staffordshire and Derbyshire, mostly to children who have been forced to leave their home with few or, sometimes, none of their possessions.
Mrs Williams added: “Some children have left in the middle of the night and have nothing. I consider it a privilege to be able to give back to a child. They are so excited and it is just like Christmas morning.”
Many businesses have already offered up their services, including time and skills, to the foundation with Mrs Williams keen to see more organisations back the scheme.
