Stripey Stork – 7,199 Children Supported this Year so Far!

I have always been a great supporter of local businesses getting involved with the community within which they are based and as Chair of Guildford Philanthropy we engaged with 44 local firms becoming our Corporate Ambassadors. I was therefore delighted to visit Stripey Stork in Reigate, a fantastic charity, which as a baby bank collects and redistributes baby and children’s items to families in Surrey and Croydon who are experiencing hardship, ensuring they have the essentials they need. Last year an opportunity arose for them to lease an adjoining building which would enable them to expand the help they can provide to the local community.

Helped by a National Lottery grant and the Community Foundation for Surrey, local businesses then made the project viable. Unum, based in Dorking agreed to cover the first year rent cost and Overbury completed the transformation of the warehouse in an amazing six weeks after assembling a team of skilled sub-contractors. As a result Stripey Stork already this year have helped 7,199 children. Suzanne and I enjoyed meeting the team of volunteers who help sort through the donations of goods received and make the bespoke packs that go to local families that need these essential supplies.

I had the privilege of cutting the ribbon at the new facility with Founder and CEO, Nicola Dawes, with all those that had helped make it happen there to see the result of a great collaboration between businesses and a local charity.