This campaign has now closed
What would you do if your cooker broke down? Pop down to Argos or Comet and replace it? Some people don’t have the means to do this and have to go without..... unless they’ve heard about us. With the help of our 117 volunteers, we run 3 furniture projects In West Berkshire and Hampshire, and we are seeking funding for the day to day running of our collection and delivery service. We provide the simple link between people disposing of goods and those in desperate need of the same goods. We supply essential items such as cookers, beds and sofas to local people in need, helping them to prevent cycles of debt and make long term changes to their quality of life.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
We offer everything needed to furnish a home – from a cooker or a settee, to crockery and books and toys for children. We collect in donated goods, repair or reupholster furniture where necessary, safety test and repair electrical goods against a nationally approved standard, display a wide range of good quality items and deliver them when required. During our last financial year we had 28,546 visits to our warehouses, and supplied people with over 35,000 items – an increase of 17% on the previous year. Our vans made 7,860 collections and 2,367 deliveries, and we safety tested 5,326 electrical goods – including everything from irons to washing machines. At present, each of our vans averages 16,000 miles a year collecting and delivering goods to and from households across West Berkshire and Basingstoke and Deane. £38,000 would keep all 6 of our vans running for a whole year, and would cover the costs of fuel, insurance, licence, MOT and servicing. The collection and delivery service is at the core of our work, allowing isolated, elderly and vulnerable people to access our services. We provide a friendly, approachable service and our staff and volunteers are always willing to go the ‘extra mile’ for our customers – carrying out an urgent late night delivery to make sure children have a bed to sleep on for the weekend, helping a vulnerable elderly customer to assemble furniture, or just offering a sympathetic ear and a welcoming face.