Staffordshire charity to deliver 500 beds to children in poverty this year
Emmaus North Staffs helps vulnerable families
A North Staffordshire charity is working to deliver 500 brand-new beds to local children living in poverty before the end of the year.
Emmaus North Staffs launched its Beds for Kids campaign in 2022, providing bed bundles that include a bed, mattress, and bedding for families in need. Over the last three years, the charity has distributed more than 1,000 bed bundles, primarily to support households in Stoke-on-Trent and increasingly families in Newcastle-under-Lyme.
John Webbe, Executive Lead at Emmaus North Staffs, highlighted the growing need for the campaign:
“Beds for Kids was introduced by our charity with the aim to support vulnerable local families.
“In the last few years the numbers of beds we have delivered have increased. In 2024 we delivered 400 bed bundles and this year it will be 500. The issue is not going away anytime soon and we anticipate we will deliver 550 children’s bed bundles in 2026.”
John also shared alarming statistics about the scale of the issue:
“We estimate that there are around 9,000 children in Stoke-on-Trent who do not have a bed of their own - which is staggering. For a child not to have a bed of their own it can have such a negative impact and we have heard from parents how - after receiving a new bed bundle - they have seen how their child has started to flourish at school and to live a happier life.”
Emmaus North Staffs is appealing for more support to keep the campaign running and help even more children.
“But, as we move forward into 2026, there is no doubt about it that we do need more support to help us to continue with Beds for Kids,” John said.
“Therefore, we are looking to introduce more fundraising activities and are looking for businesses - and members of the public - to join us in sharing their ideas on what they would like to take part in, which will in turn help us to support more local children.”
Previous fundraising efforts for the campaign include a Saucony London 10K run earlier this year, where Mark Holland, Director at Holland Construction, raised £6,500. Newcastle-under-Lyme Rotary Club also contributed through a charity golf day, raising £1,000. In earlier years, university students have climbed Snowdon and taken part in 24-hour fitness challenges to support the cause.
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