Children's charity moves premises to meet demand
Housing Plus GroupA charity that provides free essentials for parents has moved into larger headquarters to help meet growing demand.
Little Stars provides items like nappies, clothing and school items and has relocated to its own dedicated building on Battlefield Enterprise Park in Shrewsbury.
The premises will be used as an office and storage warehouse.
The charity said it had seen a 25% increase in support in January compared to a year earlier, supporting 60 children.
It provided 69 night-time bundles throughout the month, a "noticeable increase" in requests for Moses baskets, bedding and cots.
"Winter pressures were felt too," it said on Facebook.
"We distributed 26 clothing and winter essentials bundles, including coats, hats and gloves, helping children stay warm during the colder months.
"Safety items continued to be in high demand, with stair gates being our most requested item in January."
Housing Plus, which helped the charity move into the new premises, donated £2,000 to it.
"That support meant I was able to invest in the essential health and safety work needed in our new premises," said founder and chief executive, Leanne Simcoe.
"We were also able to purchase items for the staff kitchen, buy fleeces to keep our volunteers warm in the warehouse, and fund marketing materials so people can find us easily and know where we are."
The charity is looking for volunteers to help organise the space.
"It's about being more granular with the sorting so we can work more efficiently," Simcoe said.
"Once everything is organised, we'll know exactly what we need and can reach out to the community for those donated items."
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