The Richardson Brothers Foundation has teamed up with the Summit Learning Trust to support a campaign the Trust is running to tackle the issue of bed poverty across Birmingham and Solihull.
The 'Summit Base Camp' is an initiative from the Summit Learning Trust to support vulnerable children, young people and families through the current cost of living crisis and beyond.
It is part of the trust’s long-term commitment to support learners in beginning their ascent to successful, happy lives and make a positive impact on their communities.
The trust, which operates primary and secondary schools as well as a college across Birmingham and Solihull, has already provided a number of beds for children in need.
In support of this work, the Richardson Brothers Foundation, which supports a range of national, regional and local causes, has granted the education trust an award of over £2,300 to buy even more beds for students within the trust who are most in need of one.
According to research from End Furniture Poverty, nearly a third (30%) of families in the UK are impacted by bed poverty – which means they don’t have a comfortable bed to sleep in.
Having a good night’s sleep is one of the most basic needs a child has: without this, they will struggle to achieve the highest levels of academic progress, and stay physically fit and mentally healthy.
The Summit Base Camp seeks to ensure all basic needs are met, and it does so by providing:
● Free breakfast for all Summit Learning Trust children Monday-Friday
● A warm, supervised space for all learners to come to before and after school.
● Health and Hygiene products
● Support for free school meal applications
● Free revision materials for all SATs and GCSE students
● Support with uniform and travel where required from local authorities
● Digital equipment and platforms to enhance learning
● Cultural experiences to prepare them for later life
● Free cultural capital experiences
Speaking on behalf of the Richardson Brothers Foundation, Paul Faulkner, Chief of Staff for the Richardson family business, said:
“It is shocking that in 2023 there are many children living across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands who do not have a bed to sleep in at night.
This impacts their physical and mental well-being and ultimately has a detrimental effect on their ability to learn and perform to the best of their ability at school.
The Richardson Brothers Foundation received a very compelling application from the Summit Education Trust to support their Summit Base Camp campaign that is working to tackle the issue of bed poverty and was delighted to make this contribution that will hopefully have a directly beneficial impact on the lives of local children.
The Foundation also hopes that this helps in a small way to raise awareness around the issue of bed poverty in the region and encourages additional support for the great work that the Summit Education Trust are doing with this issue.”
Vince Green, CEO of Summit Learning Trust said:
“Our Summit Base Camp is a crucial element of our offer. Our Trust mission to deliver exceptional education to children and young people in Birmingham and Solihull to enable them to have successful, happy lives and make a positive impact on their communities, is underpinned by us working to ensure that all basic needs are met.”
“This amazing gesture by the Richardson Brothers Foundation is very much appreciated by our Summit family, and will support many children and young people to enable them to have a comfortable bed to sleep in.
Huge thanks to the Foundation for their donation and for raising awareness around bed poverty issues.”
For more information on the Summit Learning Trust please visit: Homepage | Summit Learning Trust