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Who we have Supported

Testimonials

We are proud to have supported a number of young people and their families to date, by raising funds for our partner charity, Buttle UK. Here are some examples of the feedback we have received as a result of our donations.

I was always so afraid that I would amount to nothing. You saw me, you saw my case and you listened.
Receiving the laptops was such a relief, my children could access and complete their schoolwork without stressing about getting even more behind.
A big thank you! The grant me and my child very kindly received, it has made a big difference to both children and myself.
When I heard Buttle UK was going to support me, I legitimately cried a little bit, because I don't really ever get this help.
The mattress for my daughter was extremely helpful. She is now able to sleep on her own which is great… The dining table and chairs we use daily. We can now have lovely mealtime together and also use it for crafts activities. The outdoor gymnastics bar is great fun and keeps my little one busy and fit during the isolation period.
I am very grateful for the grant we received. I was able to provide educational books for both children… They got Kindles, which helps them with access to books. They both love to read... After moving to our current house, I was not able to buy anything for their rooms. Now they have lovely soft furnishings, a small wardrobe, nice blankets and bed covers.
The bedroom furniture was brilliant for my son to settle in, he really loves his space to play and I love having better equipment in my kitchen to enjoy cooking again.
Getting our house comfortable helped. We moved into a shell and had nothing. Buttle provided us with lots of things we needed, mainly carpets which have made our house a home. The kids now play on the floors.
The grant helped my children want to bring friends home whereas before they were too embarrassed. There was a lot of conflict with never having money to make the house more respectable to have friends round.
I can never put into words how thankful as a family we are, we can finally communicate rather than shout at one and other and my children not only have friends come round but ask to have friends stay over.
I can never put into words how thankful as a family we are, we can finally communicate rather than shout at one and other and my children not only have friends come round but ask to have friends stay over.
We enjoyed our little holiday, me and the children. It took away all the stress l was under and it brought me and my children a lot closer. We had a lot of fun and it plays deep in our hearts as we have never had a holiday like that before and we talk about it a lot.
The grant for the family membership at the gym was hugely beneficial as they now spend time together as a family unit doing family fun activities. They have got to go swimming together and soft play, something which the children only ever got to do before on a very rare occasion previously due to the cost. Mum has also commented how nice it is to see the children with friends in the garden now that they have outdoor garden toys to play with thanks to the grant.
Going out on his go kart with his old friends has helped his confidence a lot. His afterschool club really helps with maintaining good relationships with his class peers.
The guitar lessons have encouraged him to get out of the house and develop his confidence. This has had a huge effect on his mental health and well-being and nothing extra could have been provided!
He got a leading role in the school musical and made new friendships from the musical. I think his friendship circle improved and this contributed to him wanting to attend school more and do well.
Being able to participate in out of school activities has improved confidence and increased the children’s circle of friends. Funding for after school activities has really increased the older boy’s confidence and his ability to make friends. Both boys are really enjoying karate classes, and it has made a big difference to them.
All of it! We are so grateful for what we received. I think the best thing is their membership to the leisure centre...seeing them swimming and laughing and not worrying is just priceless.
Swimming lessons are very supportive! Also, warm clothes at wintertime helped a lot! The children have got finally their own beds. My oldest son is going to attend the trip at school which he is so happy about! Thank you so much!
For the older child who was struggling with anxiety and low school attendance, the opportunity to attend her after school and weekend activity helped her develop in confidence (own abilities and interactions with others) which means that she is attending school regularly and enjoyed her experience. The laptops that were purchased have also helped both girls with their homework and the younger child now looks forward to completing projects as she has the equipment needed.
My son and daughter can use the laptop for homework instead of using my phone. The school uniforms l will not forget as they all look very smart. l wouldn’t be able to afford for all of them.
Receiving the grant to purchase a laptop. As a distant learner I had no other electronic device besides my mobile phone to be able to complete my assignments and work.
The grant allocated to pay for my course fees. I would not have been able to attend college in the first place if not for that.
The tablet and laptop allowed children to complete schoolwork and activities at home and speak to friends and family during lockdown.
I honestly can’t say it was a specific part as it all helped equally to the process of moving home. My son’s items have helped massively through the pandemic and it has helped us connect with school, family and friends. The go kart has been an excellent gift from you. We have been able to get out long walks and have been exploring the woods, it’s been amazing.
I honestly can’t say it was a specific part as it all helped equally to the process of moving home. My son’s items have helped massively through the pandemic and it has helped us connect with school, family and friends. The go kart has been an excellent gift from you. We have been able to get out long walks and have been exploring the woods, it’s been amazing.
When she is at school, I know she is safe and I am able to focus my attention on her brother who needs support. It has also strengthened our relationship because when she comes back home from school, we miss each other so spend more time talking as opposed to before.
Adaliya is performing really well at school. Her Head of Year… has encouraged her to apply to become a School Prefect.
She absolutely loves it, is flourishing, has made great friends, doing incredibly well academically. She’s having the opportunity of learning an instrument, additional languages, and has made firm friends. All her reports, both academically and pastorally, are excellent. She’s really thriving.
Elijah* has the space away from the ongoing police investigation and recovery of his sister. Being away from this has given him the chance to enjoy his childhood and not worry about the home situation. He has become a much more independent learner and can organise his time much better. Elijah has cemented his friendships at school and is making the most of all of the boarders’ activities which has really helped with his confidence. He was picked to be the house captain due to the positive attributes he was showing.
He’s the happiest and most confident he’s ever been and goes from strength to strength with each term. His self-esteem and confidence is growing because he feels so safe there, which is enabling him to focus on his education and friendships, which also makes him happier when he’s at home.
Chris is much kinder to his brother now he doesn’t see him very often. He is becoming more thoughtful and aware of other people’s needs… developing into a mature and responsible young man.
As Josh has grown, so have we all. We have all gotten to know each other better, which allows for the situation to be more fluid. We do enjoy doing things together, and especially at present try to do something together as much as we can. Josh’s friendships have developed further with a few select peers, who I believe are all a good example. This has led to sleepovers occurring at our house, and also away at friends’ houses locally.
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Case Studies

Historically, Billington Foundation have encouraged fundraising by staff and stakeholders in support of a national charity – Buttle UK.
Buttle UK make grants to children and families in need, through their Chances for Children campaign, which is designed to deliver specific help in crisis situations.
Below are some examples from the team at Buttle UK of how the money Billington Foundation employees have helped to support families in need.

Samantha
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Samantha is the oldest of four children. Her mother has suffered a lot of mental health problems and they have always struggled financially. Samantha used to do a lot of household duties; cleaning, cooking and getting the other children to school. She was under a lot of pressure and often missed school to help out her mum. However, at 16 her mother asked her to leave as otherwise it would impact the benefits the family was able to claim. Not completing her education meant Samantha has struggled to get work and has been sofa-surfing with friends to get by. She came to her local youth-centre because she couldn’t find work. They are now working on helping her with housing and to build up her mathematics and English skills so she can find a job and look at further training. With your support, our Chances for Children Grant are funding the items Samantha needs to pursue her goals. You have funded a laptop and bus pass so that Samantha can get to classes and complete her homework. You have also funded new clothing and toiletries for Samantha, so she shows up to job interviews appropriately dressed. Samantha was also struggling with her lack of social life, so you have funded a gym membership and clothing for Samantha so she can get out and do something to improve her well-being and also meet some new people. Samantha (EBS Liverpool)
Callum
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Callum (19) was made homeless by his parents at 16 years old due to family breakdown. He spent months sofa surfing with friends before being referred to an agency for support. This agency has provided supported accommodation and independent living skills training, and a key worker has been working with him over the last two years. Callum has had no contact or support from any family members since he was 16. He was keen to pursue a career in teaching and had been working hard in college to do an access course to university. Callum was awarded a laptop and clothes for college, as well as a bike to enable him to travel to college without the expense of public transport. To support his wellbeing and overall health, Callum was also awarded a leisure centre membership. A few months after receiving this grant, Callum’s key worker contacted Buttle UK to say that Callum had been awarded independent accommodation, but that this accommodation was not furnished to meet his needs. With the remaining funds, we were able to provide Callum with a bed, white goods and other items to help make his new house a home. Callum
Kyle and Alina
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Kyle (age 16) and Alina (age 14) have had a difficult time since fleeing domestic abuse with their mother Kayla. The change of schools did not go well with Kyle, and a local gang started harassing him. He has had to do alternative education and cannot go out and about in the neighbourhood. This has been very isolating. Alina has also struggled with the disruption to her school, as she has learning difficulties and needs access to specialist educational support. Despite the challenges, Kayla has tried to support both her children as best she can, but with little income and the strain of all the moves things have been hard. Kyle has managed to complete his secondary school education and is starting a mechanics training programme shortly. Thanks to your donation, our Chances for Children grants have been able to help this family continue to move forward. You provided new clothing for both Kyle and Alina to help with their confidence. You funded new school equipment and school supplies for both children to help them progress with their studies. You also provided a laptop so they can continue to progress with their education. Finally, you funded a gym membership for Kyle to better support his wellbeing and mental health. Kyle and Alina (EBS Liverpool)
Ella
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Ella (aged 17) has a tense relationship with her mother. After a final explosive argument almost became physical, her mother kicked her out of the family home. Ella was able to move in with her boyfriend's family, but it has been difficult to share a small single room. The chaos has caused Ella's mental health condition to become more severe again. Ella also does not have any real income of her own. She is working to re-sit her GCSEs and continue with a business degree, but she feels like she lacks many essential items to support her with this. Thanks to your donation, our Chances for Children grants are helping Ella move towards a brighter future. You provided some bathroom supplies and bedroom storage to help her stay organised in the small house. For school, you funded a laptop and bag to help with her studies. Ella knows being active really helps her mental health. So, you provided a bike and bike equipment along with a gym pass and gym clothing. Finally, Ella was forced to leave a lot of her clothing behind, and new clothing you funded will really help boost her confidence. Ella (EPC Newbury)
Sky
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Sky (aged 19) lost their father at a young age and their mother has had a lot of struggles with mental health that have led to some abusive relationships. Some of their mother's partners were also physically and emotionally abusive towards Sky. Eventually Sky decided it wasn't safe and healthy to stay. They were also concerned that coming out as non-binary has put them at additional risk of bullying and abuse. Local youth services recognised how vulnerable Sky was and are helping them secure a tenancy and get back to education. They have found Sky a flat and have helped them re-enrol at art and design school. However, with only basic income, Sky has been struggling to get properly ready for the next phase of their life. Thanks to your support, our Chances for Children grant, can support Sky to pursue their dreams. You funded a laptop, bag, camera and other studio equipment for Sky's course. You also provided them with a desk for home to help with study. You funded new clothing to help with Sky's confidence and sense of self. Finally, Sky felt working out would help their mental health, so you provided a gym membership and clothing. Sky (Kitchen Newport)
Martin
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Martin, aged 1, has already had a hard start in life. He was immediately taken from the care of his mother when he was born as his father is in jail, and his mother was deemed unfit to care for him. Instead, Martin has been placed in the special guardianship with his aunt. She already had a four-year-old boy and another baby on the way, but she was not going to let Martin disappear from the family. She has welcomed him with open arms but adding another baby to the already stretched household hasn’t been easy. Martin’s aunt has been struggling to get a house set-up to provide for all the children. With our Chances for Children grants we felt that we could make it easier for Martin and his aunt. You have provided some soft furnishes and carpeting for the house so that he can play around on the floor. You have also helped purchase educational toys for Martin, which he uses regularly in the play sessions he does with his aunt and the care worker to help strengthen their bond and support his development. Finally, you helped provide a washing machine, so that Martin’s aunt can easily stay on top of all the laundry that three children under the age of five inevitably produce. Martin (EPC Chester)
Ethan and Anne
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Ethan has been through a lot for an 8-year-old boy. Ethan’s father was very controlling and abusive, barely letting them out of the house, and threatening his mother constantly. This left Ethan very isolated, and he struggled to make friends. In the past year, his mother Anne decided she wanted a better life for her child and left her husband. It has been hard and the first time they left, Ethan’s father tried to kidnap Anne to take her back. The police have intervened, and they are now safely relocated to a new home, but it has been a very scary time for Ethan. Ethan and Anne now have a new home. However, they are both struggling to recover from the trauma they have experienced. With our Chances for Children grant we wanted to help Ethan feel safe and secure in his new home. You have provided a new bed and bedding, so he has a safe space to call his own. You have also helped buy new clothes and shoes for school to boost his confidence. Ethan’s mum also asked for help buying a washing machine, as going to the launderette was a struggle. It was also very important to help Ethan overcome his isolation. He is very keen on football, so you have paid for him to join the football club for the year. You have also helped ensure he can afford to join in with school trips so he can participate in activities with his classmates and feel more ‘normal’. Ethan (EPC Newbury)
Gavin and Ainsley
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Gavin, aged 10 and Ainsley, aged 5 have had their lives turned upside down. Their mother’s partner was violent and abusive. When she tried to leave, he showed up and purposefully hit her with his car. He has now been arrested, but the two children and mother had to move into their grandparents’ flat as she recovered. The local Women’s Aid has been supporting Caroline and they are now ready to move into a new home. The new property is not furnished, however, and many of their old household goods are damaged. As Caroline is still recovering from her injury, they don’t have a lot of funds available to set-up a new home and get settled in the community. Our Chances for Children Grants are helping fill that gap so Gavin and Ainsley can move forward. You have provided a wardrobe and soft-furnishings for Gavin’s and Ainsley’s bedrooms so they have a space of their own. You paid for a cooker and fridge freezer to cook nutritious meals. You also helped supply a washing machine as travel to the laundrette would be expensive and a real challenge. Gavin and Ainsley have also moved schools, so you helped fund new uniforms for them both. Finally, after such a hard time we wanted Gavin and Ainsley to be able to have some fun again with their mother and meet new people in the community. You provided funds so they can go to their local cinema and join the local bowling club - their two favourite family activities. Gavin (TSC Scunthorpe)
Meagan
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Meagan, aged 11, used to be a very outgoing girl. However, a few years ago her father started getting extremely violent. Meagan used to try and hide away from it all, but she witnessed a lot, and it really scared her. A few months ago, Meagan’s mum, Caroline, made the brave decision to leave, and now she and Meagan are setting up on their own. They have moved away and are starting in a new home, but Meagan is struggling. The new home is not properly furnished, but more than that, Meagan’s self-confidence is really low, and she often clings to her mother. Our Chances for Children grants are supporting Meagan to rediscover the outgoing child she used to be. You have helped decorate Meagan’s room with curtains, a carpet and storage for her clothes. Caroline also was not able to afford a fridge for the unfurnished flat, so you have helped supply one for them. However, what we really wanted was to help Meagan to make new friends and regain her confidence. She used to play a lot of sports in the past, so you have helped Meagan join her local football and tennis clubs so she can once again pursue the activities she enjoys and engage socially with other children in her area. Meagan (BFS)
Emma, Jack, Victor and Grace
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Emma (25) and her three children Jack (7), Victor (5) and Grace (3) have been known to social services since 2016. Emma was the victim of domestic abuse over seven years by the two fathers of her children. Emma experienced financial abuse, coercive control, physical abuse and sexual abuse. These experiences led to Emma experiencing mental health issues, which have impacted her capacity to meet the children’s emotional and physical needs. The children have been on the Child Protection Register under the categories of domestic abuse, parental mental health, neglect and non-engaging families. Emma has already made progress, and is now fully engaging with the social worker, and the family have just moved from temporary accommodation into a new home. However, the abuse and neglect have had a negative impact on the children; the two eldest children have been most negatively affected and can display challenging behaviour. Although the family did receive support from the local authority welfare scheme (white goods, beds and carpeting) the home environment remains sparsely equipped. The children have few belongings after fleeing from their home, income is low, and the family is in debt. The children received toys, books, games, as well as a trampoline and swing set to enable them to play in the garden. They received school uniform so that the children could go to school without standing out from peers, and two tablet computers so that the eldest children could complete educational activities online. Additional clothes and shoes were provided so children could feel comfortable at home and out in the community. The children were provided with bedding and bedroom storage furniture so that they could feel at home, and a vacuum cleaner, toaster, kettle and microwave were provided to help mum be able to provide daily care for the children. Jack, Victor and Grace
Tammy and Ben
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Tammy (aged 3) and Ben (9 months old) fled to a refuge last autumn with their mother Diane. Diane made the brave choice to escape from the physical, emotional and financial abuse of her partner. He initially tracked her down and assaulted her, so the family has had to cut off all ties to escape. It has been very difficult to care for two small children with no network of support. Tammy has been acting out, and not having a proper play space and nursery for her has been hard. Recently the family has been awarded a new flat by social services. Diane hopes this will be a fresh start, but with low income and a whole flat to furnish it is hard to provide the essentials. Thanks to your donation, our Chances for Children grant, have given this young family a fresh start. For their kitchen you provided a stove top, a fridge freezer and children's utensils so they can enjoy healthy meals together. For the children's rooms, you have provided beds, bedroom storage, a baby gate and furnishings so the children have a proper nursery to sleep and play in. Finally, you supplied them new clothes, toys and games so they can play and grow together. Tammy and Ben (TSC Scunthorpe)
Cameron
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Cameron (aged 4) has had a very unsettled year. He and his mother Georgina fled from the abuse committed by his father. They had to move several times to find a safe home. This has meant Cameron hasn't been able to attend reception, and he is behind in his development. This is especially noticeable when it comes to his language skills, which makes it hard for him to play with other children. Cameron was also recently diagnosed with type one diabetes. Georgina wants to give Cameron the best start in life, but her finances have been stretched thin by multiple moves, having to survive on her own, and the debt run up in her name by the perpetrator. Thanks to your donation, our Chances for Children grants have been able to help Cameron grow and develop. You provided carpeting, soft furnishing and decorations for Cameron's nursery to give him a lovely place to play. You also provided a budget for new clothing as Cameron is constantly growing. However, the biggest concern was supporting Cameron's development, so you funded educational toys and books for Georgina and Cameron to enjoy together. You also funded several months of musical play therapy to support Cameron to play with other children his age and develop his language skills. Cameron (BFS Wellingborough)
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