Somerset-based business, Hippychick, specialists in baby and toddler toys and nursery essentials, extends a helping hand to refugees this Christmas. 

This year the company will support refugee families in Bath & North East Somerset through Julian House in Bath, a charitable organisation which supports vulnerable and at-risk individuals as well as offering a refugee resettlement service. 

Sally Harris, Team Leader of the Refugee Resettlement programme explains how it works.  ‘The local Council commission us to resettle people with ‘refugee’ status through the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme. The scheme exists to enable the resettlement of those who have been identified by the United Nations as being the most vulnerable people fleeing persecution, violence, and life-threatening challenges in their countries of origin. We work mostly with families, many of whom have significant medical conditions and/or who have survived torture. The project supports and empowers families to rebuild their lives, move forwards from trauma, and live happily and independently in the UK. 

We already have a growing community of Afghan and Syrian families who have recently resettled in our region and being able to provide gifts for the children will make them feel part of Christmas.  We are so grateful to Hippychick for reaching out to us this year and we’re sure the families will be endlessly grateful, too’. 

Hippychick has put together selection of gifts for the children in each family ensuring that each is age appropriate and that they offer an educational dimension, designed to nurture healthy development in young children.  Hippychick is also supplying essential baby equipment to three pregnant parents within the families. 

Julia Minchin, Founder and Managing Director at Hippychick is delighted to be able to help.  ‘I along with the rest of the world, was so deeply affected by the recent events in Afghanistan and the desperate scenes of people trying to flee the country.  These are small beginnings but we hope to be able to continue to work with Julian House and extend our gift donations to more families in the coming months as they settle here in the UK.’ 

About Hippychick

Hippychick is a well established family business, founded in 1999 by Julia Minchin. Winners of the highly prestigious Progressive Pre-School Best Distributor Award several years running, Hippychick brings innovative and exciting products to family homes at the same time as providing exceptional customer service. Each product in their nursery range is carefully selected based on design, quality, and whether they will make parents’ lives easier. They have excellent supply lines open to the major retailers as well as providing an exceptional service to 500+ independent shops across the UK and Ireland.

www.hippychick.com