When I first heard about Big Blue Cuddle, I knew this was a shop that would resonate with mums. Lara Soetekouw, the mother behind the online retailer has pieced together a great line up of brands that give back to society. Every purchase donates a percentage back to a charity of your choice – there are currently four to choose from: Children with Leukaemia, Ickle Pickles, ThePlace2Be and One to One Children’s Fund. What stands out most is the amount that Big Blue Cuddle gives back.
Here’s a breakdown:
- 15% if you spend less than £75
- 25% if you spend between £75
- 50% if you spend more than £150
So, if you spend £100, Big Blue Cuddle will donate £25 to your chosen charity at checkout.
THE CHARITIES
Children with Leukaemia
Children with Leukaemia is the leading national charity dedicated to researching the causes of and treatments for childhood leukaemia and to the welfare of leukaemic children and their families.
Fifty years ago a diagnosis of leukaemia was a virtual death sentence; great advances in treatment and care mean that four out of five children now survive. However, much more needs to be done. Treatments are lengthy (two-three years or longer) and painful, with many survivors left with serious side-effects from the powerful drugs used. In addition, the incidence of childhood leukaemia has risen in recent years and we need to advance our understanding of the causes.
Research funded by Children with Leukaemia has already led directly to an increase in the survival rate for childhood leukaemia, as well as enabling some children to escape the punishing side-effects associated with current treatments. Our research into the causes will benefit future children by establishing preventative strategies; in the short term it is also helping the development of better treatments. Our welfare funding makes diagnosis and treatment just a little easier to bear for affected children and their families.
Ickle Pickles
The Ickle Pickle Partnership is about people who were directly affected with Neonatal care in the UK.
The Ickle Pickle Partnership does this in four main ways:
- Purchasing specialised equipment, such as incubators and ventilators, to help Neonatal units provide incredible levels of care to premature and sick babies.
- Assisting Neonatal units to improve their facilities, so parents, families and friends of babies in Neonatal care can experience a welcoming and homely environment.
- Providing a channel for families and friends of babies treated in Neonatal units to raise funds for NNU / NHS Trusts around the UK.
- Raising awareness amongst the British public about Neonatal care and the continuous requirement for blood and platelet donation.
One to One Children’s Fund
The One to One Children’s Fund is a small charity relieving the suffering of children who are innocent victims of poverty, disease and conflict. They aim to remedy and prevent the adverse impact of HIV/AIDS and trauma on children, working hand in hand with communities to develop and implement projects which can be scaled and replicated. By delivering sustainable projects and empowering local people, One to One Children’s Fund succeeds in rebuilding lives.
The charity is doing that in Africa with our Paediatric HIV programmes, where they began by treating one child and the programmes that followed are now helping to save tens of thousands of children’s lives. In the Middle East and Kosovo, the integrated trauma and resilience building programmes are helping vulnerable children affected by conflict. The eventual results can be huge. And they always start with one child.
The Place 2 Be
The Place2Be works inside schools to give children aged 5-13 a voice, enabling to work through and overcome problems such as neglect, family break-down, domestic violence and bereavement.
Our evidence-based approach helps young children to cope with distressing situations today, but also helps to prevent more serious mental health and problems in later life. When children are happier and less preoccupied with problems, they find it easier to learn, and their educational chances are improved, with knock-on benefits throughout their adult life.
Today there are Place2Be teams based in 172 primary and secondary schools across the UK. They are supporting 58,000 children, often in areas of great deprivation, through a combination of longer term 1:1 counselling and a lunchtime self-referral service, where any child can request an appointment to talk to a qualified, experienced counsellor.
We want a world where every child grows up with prospects, not problems.
THE BRANDS
Big Blue Cuddle features new and exciting local and international lines. Lara has sourced labels such as Paul Frank, bonkeli, Limon Mignon, Pila Pala, Ruda Hund, name it, i-Dare, Eponime. Initially, Big Blue Cuddle would sell the brands surplus stock, however, more and more lines are now selling their current season while still offering a sizable discount.
What’s also great about Big Blue Cuddle is that the lines are not your typical ‘high-street’ brands, yet the price point is decent and on top of it all – you’re giving back. From vintage fabric to organic materials, Big Blue Cuddle features a beautiful range of clothing for children. It’s a win-win situation all round – less waste is sent to the landfill, since brands now have an outlet to sell their excess stock, charities benefit and to top it off you’re buying a great product. What an excellent idea!
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