Buddy Bag: Domestic abuse charity gets free home

The charity's founder, Karen Williams, said getting the new home was "a dream come true"

A charity which supports children affected by domestic violence has been given a new home.

The Buddy Bag Foundation provides a bag of essential items for youngsters when they arrive at a refuge.

The charity saw its fundraising decrease due to Covid. Supply firm The Haulage Group offered it a base for free near Sutton Coldfield.

"It was literally a dream come true," Buddy Bag Foundation founder Karen Williams said.

The charity's income dropped by 80% as their fundraising opportunities were largely lost in lockdown, she added.

Graham Johnston said the haulage firm had planned to use the building for training but then "Covid hit"

The owner of The Haulage Group, Graham Johnston, said they had constructed the site in Minworth for another use but then the pandemic happened.

He said: "I built this as a training facility for us as an industry or as a company and Covid hit so we were unable to use it for that so why not?"

The charity has recently reached a milestone, packing their 40,000th bag and they passed their sixth year as a charity in December.

Each of the bags the charity packs contains essential toiletries and toys

Each of their bags contain 12 toiletries and toys for youngsters including clothing, toothpaste, a brush and a teddy bear.

"They really do make a difference when they arrive in emergency care to find a bag of love on their bed waiting for them," Mrs Williams said.

Anna, who did not want to give her surname, was supported by the charity when she left an abusive marriage with her two young children.

"I knew that I had to get out for myself and my children and the buddy bag just gives that sense that somebody actually cares," she said.