Sebby's Corner Support Hub

The Pitch

Problem statement

Sebby's Corner believes no child should go without basic essentials. We are based in Cowley Hill, the most deprived area of Hertfordshire. One-in-three residents are income deprived, rising to 40 per cent among children, and one-in-four adults are out of work. We regularly hear stories of parents who go without food so they can buy formula or babies who get nappy rash from staying in nappies too long as parents can't afford to buy more. We support families living in poverty, families in temporary accommodation, women and their children who have fled domestic abuse, refugees, asylum seekers and victims of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Solution

We provide basic essentials to families in need, items such as clothing, coats, shoes, toiletries and baby equipment. Every month, we distribute over 5,000 nappies, 1,200 items of clothes, over 100 boxes of formula & much more. This funding will ensure we never run out of items like nappies & toothbrushes and that we can pay for the services that keep us running such as delivery costs & rent. We have seen a significant increase in referrals in recent weeks due to the cost of living crisis so this funding will help to ensure that we don't have to turn families away. It will also reduce the time our families have to wait for our support which is so important for families currently in crisis.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

We began in January 2021 and have to date helped over 5000 families in poverty. We have seen first hand the difference we can make to families at a time of crisis - parents have told us that we have been their safety net during their most difficult days. We work with our referral partners to ensure that every family receives a different support package that is tailored to their needs. Within weeks of the outbreak of war in Ukraine, we had begun a pop up hub where Ukrainian families who have fled the war can come and take all the items they need for themselves and their children - all completely free of charge.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

1,000 people

Expected impact

We are helping people to reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage. We have seen first hand the difference we can make to families at a time of crisis - parents have told us that we have been their safety net during their most difficult days. On a practical level, it has meant that their children can wear shoes that fit, that they have a buggy so they can take their children to the park and that they don't need to spend their money on nappies, but on food for their family. The significant mental health issues that are a result of living in poverty are often overlooked. For parents, this means relieving some of the burden of worrying about how they can afford a new coat for their child in the middle of winter or how to pay for school uniform when their weekly shopping budget is less than £30 a week. For children, it means enabling them to thrive by ensuring they are well fed & clothed so they can reach their potential at school without being hungry & cold.

Track record

Since January 2022, we have distributed essentials worth over £102,000 to families in Hertfordshire, Barnet, Brent, Harrow, Enfield and across London. Our Ukraine support hub has had over 200 families visit and given out items to a value of over £90,000. We also supply hundreds of essential items to food banks & refuges every week. Since the Afghan crisis began in August 2021, we have supplied to over 5,000 Afghan refugees across the South East. We were the only organisation that the Red Cross allowed into the hotels to supply to families in Hertfordshire. As an example, we received a request for support for a hotel in Waterloo where there were 500 families who had received nothing since their arrival two weeks prior. We put out an emergency call out to our volunteers who packed and delivered the same day; 18 giant bags of clothing from sizes newborn to adult, 150 packs of brand new underwear, 200 pairs of shoes, 100 toys, over 2,500 nappies and hundreds of other essential toiletries.

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