Elland business donates mattresses to charity who help provide beds for children in poverty

The Odd Company is a mattress manufacturer based on Rosebury Street in Elland and have donated 10 specially made mattresses to Zarach, which was set up in 2018 to help support children living in poverty.

The charity is distributing the mattresses to families in need around Calderdale this week.

Andrew Seed, managing director of The Odd Company, said: "Getting a quality night’s sleep is essential for the development of young minds and supporting mental and physical health.

"Unfortunately, across West Yorkshire and rest of the UK thousands of children are forced to share a bed or sleep on the sofa or floor. This has a devastating effect on a child’s ability to learn and engage in the classroom.

"This problem is only going to intensify in the coming months with the continued squeeze on household incomes due to increases in the cost of living.

"Although a bed alone cannot break the poverty cycle it is an important first step in ensuring children receive the level of education they deserve.

"Quality sleep is a basic need which every child is entitled to, tackling bed poverty contributes to ensuring our children have an equal chance in life."

Andrew was shown a video of Zarach founder Bex Wilson being interviewed, and was inspired to offer his help.

"Her story and the work Zarach were doing really struck a chord with me and I felt that as the owner of a mattress manufacturer there must be something The Odd Company could do the help Zarach achieve its goal of giving 'every head a bed'," he said.

"I’m a strong believer that business can be used as a force for good and should look to make a positive difference in its locality where it can. I got in touch with the charity and was introduced to Russel Davis who manages the Calderdale Zarach hub out of the Project Colt Mill in Elland town centre.

"We then developed a fully sprung mattress especially for Zarach which is ideally suited for use by children and young adults.

"Each mattresses contains layers of recycled cotton fillings, uses felt tuft washers and is upholstered in a durable and breathable mattress cover.

"The Odd Company have initially donated 10 mattresses to Zarach for distribution around the local area by Russell and his team in the coming weeks."

Russell Davis, from the Calderdale Calderdale Zarach hub, said: "Colt Enterprise has been operating in Elland and Calderdale since 2003.

"In partnership with Project Colt, we support people to live lives free from drug and alcohol use as well as providing local people with good quality beds and furniture – particularly those in crisis.

"As such, there is a strong overlap between what we do and what Zarach aims to achieve.

"As we already have the infrastructure in place to deliver beds, it made sense to become the distribution hub for Zarach here in Calderdale.

"Through this process we were put in touch with Andrew from the Odd Company, who does business just up the road from us.

"This worked out brilliantly and through this three-way partnership we can now serve the needs of children across Calderdale."