Teen creates gift boxes full of treats and toys for domestic violence victims
The plight of families living with domestic violence prompted a Stafford teenager to launch an appeal to collect dozens of gift-filled boxes and donations for a local refuge.
Honor Sutton, a 13-year-old student at Stafford Grammar School, wanted to surprise women and children being supported by Staffordshire Women’s Aid charity, with individual boxes packed with treats and toys.
In under four weeks Honor collected 67 packages and raised more than £400.
The kind hearted Stafford Grammar pupil was so overwhelmed by the response to her Operation Comfort project that she was able to share surplus gift bags and cash with two other Stafford-based charities, including the Brockington Mother and Baby Unit and A Child of Mine.
Honor said: “During lockdown I started to think about how difficult it must be for families living with domestic violence. It made me very sad to think of women and children who were suffering, even in my own area.
“I realised just how hard it must be for those who were living in emergency refuge accommodation, especially during the pandemic. I wanted to help and decided to start an appeal to make up what I call ‘comfort boxes’. The response was phenomenal."
Family members, friends and teachers rallied to gather toiletries, make-up, face masks, sweets, baby clothes and toys for the Stafford refuge, while parents of children at nearby Oakridge Primary, where Honor’s brother Guy attends, also joined in the appeal.
Honor added: “It kept me really busy and our dining room was full of boxes.
"It’s lovely to think that I can make a difference to people's lives in some sort of way.
"I would have never believed just how big the project has grown and how generous people have been. There are special treats in each of the boxes to hopefully make sure that whoever receives them feels special."
Honor’s collection was boosted with donations of nappies and a laptop.
Stone firm, Yellow Power, added £300 to the cash total, while baby comforters and craft sets flooded in from national companies that Honor had contacted.
