As part of our work with Carrie Jahn from the Spires Care Home, we are flagging up the Buddy bag scheme which seeks to support children who have had to move into emergency accommodation. Often the children have left behind all of their belongings and the Buddy Bag is designed to offer a sign that wider care and support are out there for them.

The next Buddy Bag session in Lichfield is Saturday 29th February from 10.30am-12.30pm at Life Church, Lichfield.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer to go along just need to go on Facebook link on so that organisers can manage the amount of volunteers. The connection is: facebook.com/BuddyBagFoundation

The packing sessions are a lovely way of volunteering, they are informal, families of any age can go, and 180 bags get packed which are then delivered to refuge centres locally and around the UK.

One popular option is knitting a teddy bear which is them given to a child – and a knitting pattern is available below – but the Buddy Bag packing or other fund-raising helps too.

Carrie Cain, Assistant Headteacher, said: “As a school we put great support into children from a wide range of backgrounds and this scheme adds further backing to the most vulnerable children. We would urge anyone who has the time or skill-set to get involved and make a difference.”

Further information is available at: www.buddybagfoundation.co.uk

Equally, more details and knitting patterns are available here.