GB Plastics announces new charity ‘Buddy’ to help fund support for local children

Family business GB Plastics has its head office in Rugeley and a network of trade counters and branches across the Midlands.

A retailer and specialist supplier of low maintenance building products to the trade and DIY sectors, GB Plastics has selected the charity for all its fundraising throughout 2017.

The Buddy Bag Foundation aims to deliver 20,200 Buddy Bags to 300 family refuges across the UK by 2020, and to support this target it looks for companies or individuals to fundraise or donate to fund the creation of Buddy Bags in their local area.

The Buddy Bags are tailored across a wide age range, from new born babies to teenagers, and contain all the essential items a child needs straight away, such as toiletries, pyjamas, socks and underwear, as well as comfort items, such as a book, a photo frame and a teddy bear.

GB Plastics’ director Wendy Hill said: “The Buddy Bag Appeal is a great cause for GB Plastics to be involved in because the money we raise will go direct to helping children in our local area who are going through a very difficult time in their lives.

“Each Buddy Bag costs £25, and we are aiming to raise enough money to pack 180 bags – the charity packs all the bags itself, and out of every 180, 30 go to a women’s refuge. Once we have raised enough money for the 180 bags, we will choose a refuge in the area of each of our branches, and provide 30 women and their children with essential items they need when they are in difficult times.

“We have planned a series of fundraising fun events for our staff and their families which we hope will raise our funds target for Buddy Bags.

“We have also commissioned a number of Buddy Bags Foundation/GB Plastics co-branded collection tins,” said Wendy, “which will be on each of our trade counters in Rugeley, Banbury, Shrewsbury, Walsall, Banbury, Kettering and Oswestry, for customers to make their donations too.”

Karen Williams, founder of the Buddy Bag Appeal, said: “We are delighted that GB Plastics has agreed to support us this year. It will make a huge difference to the women and their families that will be helped through the company’s fundraising. We are looking forward to finding out more about the events the GB Plastics team have planned for this year, and maybe even getting involved ourselves!

“The Buddy Bag Appeal has gone from strength to strength since we began in 2015,” explains Karen. “So far, we have provided a back pack filled with essential items that children need straight away, to 6510 children. Our target is to provide a buddy bag to 20,200 children by 2020. It costs £25 to fill a buddy bag so the money GB Plastics will raise will mean we can provide bags to at least 30 local children.”

To get involved with the Buddy Bag Appeal visit: www.buddybagfoundation.co.uk