BEDS FOR KIDS
After seven years without a bed, this 11-year-old will sleep well tonight – thanks to YOU
Since the age of four, Heather has had nowhere of her own to sleep - she's had to make do with sofas, a camp bed, and even the floor
HEATHER, 11, is like most girls her age. She loves nail varnish, laughing with her friends and playing in the park.
The only difference is she hasn’t had a bed for the past seven years.
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Heather is one of 400,000 children in the UK who doesn’t have a proper place to sleep.
She’s slept on sofas, a camp bed and even on the floor.
“It’s been heartbreaking watching my daughter sleep like this. I’ve cried myself to sleep so many times,” says her mum Natalie Cooch, 37, from Stafford.
Without somewhere to permanently rest her head, Heather lacks a bedtime routine and is regularly tired and irritable in the mornings.
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Often sleep deprived, she finds it hard to concentrate throughout the day, which has a detrimental effect on her education.
“It’s affecting her terribly,” Natalie explains. “She’s really tired and moody in the mornings.
"She’s getting into a routine of staying awake for far too long. Her concentration during the day just isn’t what it should be.”
Heather and her parents have lived in a string of tiny properties after Natalie’s mother passed away in 2011, forcing Heather and her parents to leave the home they had all shared together.
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Natalie runs a small business renting out gypsy-style carts and caravans but suffers with anxiety and depression and Heather's dad has a degenerative back problem that prevents him from working.
Since 2011, they've lived in a series of tiny flats and even a house boat.
And with next to no money and minimal space, Heather’s parents have been unable to provide their daughter with the bed she desperately needs.
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“She’s at an age now where she needs her space and wants her own bed. I’m upset that we haven’t been able to provide that for her."
Sadly, Heather's isn’t an isolated case.
More children are living in relative poverty than at any other time in the past 10 years, with 4.1million children across the UK living below the breadline.
Like thousands of other families in crisis, Heather’s parents have turned to Buttle UK, a grant-giving charity that is a lifeline to thousands of families and young people in need.
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Over the past five years, Dreams Beds has provided charity Buttle UK with nearly 10,000 children’s beds to donate to those families in desperate need.
Aiming to help even more children, The Sun joined forces with Dreams Beds to launch the Beds for Kids campaign.
This means for every bed or mattress bought at Dreams Beds, one will be donated to Buttle UK's Chances for Children campaign.
Our initiative is helping 3,000 children in need of a good night’s sleep - children just like Heather.
Heather and her family have moved into a two-bedroom council house in Hilderstone, Stafford, so we sent the Dreams Beds delivery lorry out out on a very special delivery for the 11-year-old.
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After hearing that a bed of her very own was finally on the way after seven long years, Heather told The Sun: “I’m looking forward to having my own room and sleeping in a clean, comfy bed. I haven’t had a bed in so long.
“I can have my friends round and have sleepovers all the time.”
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When the doorbell rang, Heather rushed to welcome the delivery drivers. She was smiling from ear-to-ear as she showed them up to her new room.
Once it had been assembled, mum Natalie helped her make the bed - and with her new pink pillows nicely plumped, Heather dived straight in.
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"I love it and I’m never getting out,” she said.
The Sun would like to thank all our amazing readers for supporting the Beds for Kids campaign so far.
THERE'S STILL TIME TO HELP
THERE are 400,000 children in the UK who do not have a bed. Without somewhere to rest their head, bedtime routines become difficult, stress levels rise and getting a good night’s sleep is almost impossible.
Below are three ways you can support our Beds for Kids campaign.
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1. Buy a bed from Dreams
FOR every bed or mattress bought from Dreams Beds stores across the country, one will be donated to Buttle UK's Chances for Children campaign.
Simply take the voucher below into any Dreams Beds store when you buy a bed or mattress and you will be making a big difference to a child’s life.
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2. Donate to the campaign
READERS can also donate directly to the charity through the Beds for Kids page at or via your wallet.
LATEST FROM BEDS FOR KIDS
3. Buy this charity book
YOU can also buy a copy of the specially created book, That’s No Place To Sleep.
It tells the story of Sleepy Simon’s quest for a bed to sleep in. All proceeds from the book go straight to the charity and you can buy a copy in all Dreams Beds stores.
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Find your nearest Dreams Beds store at .
Terms and Conditions
For every bed or mattress purchased from a Dreams store, Dreams will donate a child’s bed to Buttle UK’s Chances for Children campaign.
Starts on Saturday, May 5 and will end when 3,000 beds have been donated. Vouchers can only be used in store.
Please present voucher at time of purchase. 18 and over, UK only.
Excludes NI. Full T&Cs can be found at: . Promoter is Dreams Limited, Knaves Beech, High Wycombe, HP10 9YU.
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