Cosy Coats returns to Birmingham to make sure children stay warm this winter
The pop-up shop is in New Street Station
A charity, which aims to help children stay warm this winter, has been in Birmingham New Street Station to offer travellers the chance to sponsor a coat.
Cosy Coats buys warm, fashionable coats for children who would otherwise go without. It has manning a pop-up shop today, where people can buy a coat for a child in need.
Buys warm, fashionable coats for children who would otherwise go without
Founder Mark Goodall said: "We've been working with Oasis Academies, which are schools set up in very deprived areas, so 50% of the children who go to Oasis Academy' schools are classed as deprived.
"We work with the care workers and social workers in each of those schools and they talk to the families and understand what the children want as their coat so the children often get to pick their own coat. That comes as a wishlist to us and we fund it through various initiatives and then the schools buy the coats and give them directly to the children."
The charity also helps children who have been exploited in county lines or those who have been trafficked. It also aids community hubs that cater for vulnerable families.
The pop-up shop is in New Street Station today (31 Oct). Mark said: "We've had some really generous people come up and buy a coat. We've got about 40 coats to sell. We're hoping to sell out today.
"What we find when we set up the pop-up shop in New Street is Birmingham people are so generous. The story of not having something brand new, fashionable, and something that you're proud to wear to keep you warm really resonates with people. Everyone knows what it feels like to go and get soaking wet and soaking cold, and when you start your day like that, you never warm up and you're miserable for the whole day.
"We will run out of money this year, unfortunately. There is more demand than there is cash available."
More information about Cosy Coats can be found at www.cosycoats.co.uk