Buddy bags bring cheer to children in need

More than 40 volunteers from the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering team across the UK packed 360 Buddy Bags for children in emergency accommodation.

Teams from Halewood and Gaydon gave up their time to pack these vital bags and raised £7,000 to pay for the contents through a number of activities, including completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks and the Three Highest UK Peaks challenges.

Each year, 48,000 children require emergency accommodation in the UK and often arrive in just the clothes they are wearing. Many of these children receive Buddy Bags which contain all the essential items a child needs, as well as comfort items such as a book, photo frame and teddy bear. They not only help to restore a sense of safety and security into a child’s life but can also make the transition into emergency care a little easier.

Garry Peasland, Gaydon Project Manager and Body-In-White Business Office Lead Engineer, said: “The Buddy Bag Foundation is fantastic and the work they do makes such a difference to so many children’s lives.

“The things we take for granted mean so much to a child who has arrived at an emergency care home with nothing but the clothes on their back. We are all very proud to fundraise and volunteer for such a worthy cause and let the children know that there are people out there who care and are thinking of them.”

Karen Williams, Founder of Buddy Bag Foundation, said: “On behalf of the Buddy Bag Foundation a massive thank you for another very successful, well organised Buddy Bag Brigade. We love working with Jaguar Land Rover, because of their professionalism, dedication and desire to really want to make a difference to the community. Making a difference to 360 children is simply amazing.”

Well done to all those involved! You can find out more about the Buddy Bag Foundation and all the fantastic work they do.

For more information about our volunteering programme or to get involved.

Gallery