Flexible polyurethane foam manufacturer The Vita Group has donated 280 mattresses to Shelter and the L6 Community Centre based in Liverpool, in a bid to support struggling families across the region.
The Vita Group and Shelter have been working with the L6 Community Centre to distribute mattresses to families where they are most needed across Merseyside.
In the North West, a total of 12,500 people – one in every 587 – are currently homeless, including more than 5,500 children. Of these, more than 220 people are sleeping rough while 12,200 people – including many families – are living in temporary accommodation due to a lack of permanent social housing and the soaring costs linked to private renting.
L6 community centre’s close role within the Merseyside community means they are able to prioritise the areas where the mattresses are most needed, ensuring children and families across the region who are rough sleeping benefit from access to a clean, high-quality, durable bed, whilst looking for a permanent housing solution.
Liz Hamson, Acting Strategic Lead at Shelter, said: “Here in Merseyside, and across the whole country, there is a housing emergency. We are thrilled to be working with Vita again and this time, we are donating to families. Those children, those families, that are also homeless – whether that is living in temporary accommodation, sofa surfing, stuck in dire conditions – they now have a mattress and a bed to call their own and stay in longer term. The impact of this is going to be phenomenal!”
Gerard Woodhouse, L6 Community Centre, said: “The cost-of-living crisis means that the main priorities are feeding and heating your home. Mattresses and other pieces of furniture slip to the back of the queue. People cannot afford to have it all. We have been working with Vita and Shelter for a number of months and cannot thank them enough for what they have done! It is unbelievable. The smiles on parents’ and their children’s faces are unbelievable, you’d think it was Father Christmas coming again!”
Mark Lewis, Regional Director at The Vita Group, said: “Being socially responsible is one of The Vita Group’s key values. We believe that responsibility extends beyond our employees and includes the communities in which we operate and society as a whole. We are delighted to have seen the difference our previous donations have made within the North West first-hand and that our contributions are reaching the most vulnerable families and children in Merseyside.”
“The continued work Shelter and the L6 Community Centre complete is invaluable to the region and creating a resolution to the wider growing homelessness crisis we face. The Vita Group is honoured to offer our continued support to these two key organisations and play our part in their important work.”
Alongside this Merseyside donation, the Manchester-based manufacturer has pledged to donate 300 mattresses over three stages – equating to £50,000 – to Shelter for the benefit of the Greater Manchester homeless population, with 200 already being delivered.
Outside of the UK, The Vita Group’s Hungarian and Romanian facilities are manufacturing and supplying an additional 125,000 mattresses to the UNICEF organisation.
