Rugby volunteers team up to help victims of domestic violence with Buddy Bags appeal

Donations including knitted toys, handmade toiletry bags and pencil cases were packed into 180 rucksacks at the Baptist Church last week.

Goods were supplied to the Buddy Bag Foundation and will be distributed to seven UK women’s refuge centres.

Gill and David Ralph have been co-ordinating the project and would like to thank everybody who has supported them.

The rucksacks contain essential items for a child’s immediate needs including their own toiletries, pyjamas, socks and underwear, plus a reading book and a soft toy.

They are tailored to suit babies, children and young people according to age and gender, who had to escape from violent domestic circumstances with nothing.

Skilled volunteers and a host of crafters stepped into acction to help the project, giving their time and materials, with many shops and friends contributing fabric and wool.

Karen Williams, OBE founded The Buddy Bag Foundation in 2015 because up to 48,000 children have already required necessary items to help ‘restore a sense of comfort and love’. Karen and the BBF volunteers were awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Services in June 2022 to recognise the outstanding work by her and all their volunteers.

Donations of fabric, wool and completed items are needed and also funds to help pay for the rucksacks and contents.

Co-ordinators also need an inside, dry space that is independently accessible for storing donated material and completed sewn and knitted items.

For more information, Gill and David can be contacted on 07770302946.

A ‘BBF Craft pack’ can be downloaded with just the relevant pages of patterns and guides, from their website: buddybagfoundation.co.uk

For more information, visit wolstonhive.com website.