St Mirren Women back bed firm's bid to provide children in need with place to sleep

St Mirren Women and Girls Academy is encouraging Buddies to support a charity drive that aims to supply children in need with beds and mattresses.

The club has lent its assistance to Elite Contract Furniture, who in their 70th year of trading are seeking to provide 70 youngsters with a place to sleep.

The Thornliebank-based business sponsors the club and so in return St Mirren are keen to help them with what is undoubtedly a fantastic initiative.

Saints head coach Kate Cooper said: “St Mirren Women and Girls Academy are proud to support Elite Contract Furniture in their recent campaign to highlight bed poverty in Scotland.

“The number of children who don’t have a bed to sleep in each night is staggering and it is something many of us take for granted. So for Greg and his staff to undertake this initiative is extremely worthwhile and will support so many children in our community.

“Elite Contract Furniture has been a local business in our community for 70 years and this initiative further highlights that they are a company that recognises the part they can play in not only providing local employment, but they are willing to help local children and families during some of the most challenging economic times we have faced.

“Hopefully we can reach the target Greg and his team have set. We want to reach as many people as possible to support and help buy the 70 beds.”

A Barnardo’s UK survey in 2023 found as many as six per cent of children said they were sleeping on the floor due to not having a bed of their own in the past 12 months.

Each bed costs £100 and Elite Contract Furniture will cover the logistics, delivery and installation.

They say that donations do not have to be for the full whole £100, and will welcome any amount, which for those who wish to do so, can be sent via the JustGiving page the firm has set up.

At the time of writing, Elite Contract Furniture had already managed to provide five children with beds and mattresses as a result of kind-hearted donors.

The firm was originally based in the Gorbals, Glasgow before moving to Hillington in 2018, and then onto its current Thornliebank home in 2023.

It was set up by Hungarian migrant Fred Weiss in 1954 who moved to Glasgow as a teenager in 1939.

Juliette Farrell, marketing manager at Elite Contract Furniture said: “As a way of honouring our founder, the grandfather of the family, we wanted to help the local community with our beds. We are trying to raise seven thousand pounds, so that we can donate 70 beds to 70 children in need across Glasgow.”

“We’ve managed to get manufacturing costs down, so for £100, you can donate a mattress and a bed for a child in Glasgow who needs one.

“We’re working with the St Mirren Women and Girls Academy and they’re supporting us by spreading the word, and we’re also working with Cash for Kids Glasgow to help find appropriate families, to make sure the beds go to those with the greatest need.

“We’re asking businesses if they can donate any amount towards the campaign to help children in Glasgow.”

Those wishing to support the charity drive can do so via the following link: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/elite-70-beds

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