Councillor Stephen Simkins toured the storage facility of the Good Night Project in Oxley to learn about the challenges from those working daily to provide beds to children and adults in the city.
He also saw the project take delivery of a van, which has been donated by the council to help with deliveries, after being specially repurposed by the council’s transport department.
The council launched the Good Night Project in March last year with partners the African Caribbean Community Initiative (ACCI) and the Wolves Foundation.
It was in response to the scale of the problem being revealed when the council launched a wide range of measures to combat the cost of living crisis.
The project was inundated with requests for help and donations when it was first launched and still receives 25 referrals on average each week for families who need help with beds and bedding.
But the levels of donations fluctuate and although the project has good connections with many local businesses to provide beds and bedding at discounted prices and they also refurbish furniture, supply is only just keeping up with demand.
The council has allocated a further £50,000 from the Government’s final round of the Household Support Fund and the project is working hard to become self sufficient, but donations of both beds and cash are still needed to help people in the short term.
Councillor Simkins said:
‘Those working on this project day to day are doing amazing work and we’ll do all we can as a council to support them. It is awful to think in this day and age that people don’t even have a bed to sleep in at night and it’s certainly not what I want for residents in our city.
‘The cost of living crisis revealed the extent of this issue and with the help of our partners, initiatives like the Good Night Project are doing a great deal to help eradicate it.
‘I heard an awful account of a man who was hospitalised 3 times after being bitten by bed bugs so badly, because he had to use an old mattress off a skip. But I also heard inspiring accounts of how children and adults were being helped every day and how something as simple as a bed can really transform lives forever.
‘Please help this project if you’re able, we all deserve a good night’s sleep as a basic in life, so we’re in a fit state to learn, work and live successful, healthy lives.’
Councillor Simkins met Phil Dixon, Projects Coordinator for ACCI and Laqai Dowdie, 19, from Bilston, who is studying to be an electrician, but also works at the GNP project part time to help others and develop his skills.
Find out how to donate or apply for help from the Good Night Project by visiting our website The Good Night Project.
The project is not able to accept used mattresses or bedding, but it can accept cash donations to it’s Just Giving page to buy new ones.
Just £4 will enable the Good Night Project to buy a pillow or fitted sheet to help a child or parent sleep comfortably.
Alicia Spence, Chief Executive of the African Caribbean Community Initiative, said: ‘The Good Night Project has proved to be a truly effective partnership and has already provided hundreds of cots, toddler beds, snoozing pods, bunk and single beds, mattresses and bedding to families with babies, toddlers and children across the whole of Wolverhampton.
‘But demand is still high and anything that can be donated to benefit more families in Wolverhampton will be gratefully received.’
Tom Warren, Senior Manager at Wolves Foundation said: ‘The power of the Good Night Project across the city can’t be understated, and the partnership allows us to make a much greater impact together.
‘As well as bedding, we’ve also been able to provide a wide range of support, such as sleep hygiene resources and mental health advice, to improve people’s wellbeing.
‘Through the ‘Supporting Our Pack’ initiative, Wolves Foundation are committed to helping communities across Wolverhampton, whether that is with bedding, clothing, food or any other donations.
‘We’ve been delighted to work with the council and ACCI to provide this support and the many positive benefits that it brings."
