A good night’s sleep: How the WAT Community Foundation is making a difference in Walsall and South Staffordshire

Windsor Academy Trust (WAT) believes every child deserves to start their day happy, healthy and ready to learn, and that a good night’s sleep is a vital part of that. That’s why the Trust’s ‘Bed and Breakfast’ campaign is such a simple but powerful initiative showing the kindness and strength of community.

Thanks to this collective effort, the Trust has provided 24 new beds for 13 families across seven of its school communities through the WAT Community Foundation.

The impact this has on families is truly heartwarming. After visiting a family who had just received new bed, a staff member said, “it was so heartwarming to see the smiles on their faces, this meant such a lot to them and to us!”

Feedback like this shows just how much this campaign means. One parent explained that the support meant it was “one less thing to worry about and one less thing to try and find money for.” The parent was overwhelmed with gratitude and couldn't quite believe that this kind of support from a school was possible. This powerful reaction is a reminder of how a practical act of kindness can lift a huge weight from a family’s shoulders.

A vital partner in this initiative has been the Old Hall People's Partnership and their wonderful ‘Pass It On’ furniture project. Based in Walsall, this fantastic charity helps ordinary people buy quality furniture at low prices by recycling quality used furniture donated by the community. Their dedication is essential in helping WAT get beds to the families who need them most. Among those helping to coordinate this support is Nick Tuck, Assistant Headteacher at Rivers Primary Academy, one of five Windsor Academy Trust schools in the Walsall and South Staffordshire learning community benefiting from this initiative.

Nick Tuck says: “Working on the Bed and Breakfast campaign has been incredibly rewarding. At a school level, you see first-hand the difference a good night’s sleep makes to a child’s wellbeing and their readiness to learn. Partnering with a brilliant local charity like the Old Hall People’s Partnership means we can act quickly to support our families. It’s a true community effort and it’s wonderful to see the direct, positive impact it has.”

Cheryl Hatton, the Pass It On Project Co-ordinator, says: “We are thrilled to be working with Windsor Academy Trust on the Bed and Breakfast campaign. It’s a perfect example of what can be achieved when a community comes together to support one another. We hope we can continue to work together to make a real and lasting difference for people across Walsall.”

Claire Gething, Windsor Academy Trust’s Executive Leader for civic leadership, said: “The Bed and Breakfast campaign is a perfect example of our community in action. This isn’t a small issue. Research from Barnardo's shows that over 4.2 million children in the UK live in poverty, and within that number, it’s estimated that around 700,000 children have to share a bed because they don’t have one of their own. The impact of this is huge, affecting a child’s ability to concentrate and focus on their learning.

That's why this campaign is so vital. It’s about ensuring every child can get a good night's sleep and a good start to the day, ready and happy to learn. I am incredibly proud of our WAT family for stepping up to make such a direct, positive difference to this national problem.

“We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign. Your kindness is making a real, positive difference every single day.”