calling the power of mumsnet!

[starlover]

My cousin has just been given a council flat after living in a halfway house with her DP and baby for ages.
They are living on benefits at the mo as her DP has cancer (amongst other reasons)

The council basically are giving them an empty shell, not even any carpet!

Does anyone know of any charities, or other organisations where they may be able to get carpet relatively cheaply?

Burnbake trust here
dont know about where you are
also apply to local churches
where my MUm worked they ahd a fund that epopel NEVER applied to

oooh, we're in west sussex. will see if i can find anything out from churches for a start

yes go to BIg town ones and aske them - esp Baptist one
aslo they may put an ad in t heir newletter for things, if she writes a letter then follows it up wiht a phone call

ring hte burnbake trust anyway
they had my mums old dining table adn think they are quite picky

Salvation Army may have a furniture place - there's one in Croydon.

will look them up! thanks

also ask at oyur local council cocila services or cab for info
pester power is the name of the game
My mum gave her old ( but not old iygwim) to a woman in a similar situation - spread hte word around

Or go to a local carpet shop and see if you can secure a deal

all good ideas! keep em coming! lol

Sign up to your local Freecycle site and keep an eye on the message board. Always masses of furniture given away on our local one.

You can post requests as well, but they normally like you to donate something first.

thatnks saintgeorge, have signed up

gumtree.com has loads of freebies try them/ or like everyone else has said ask churches

she can apply to the dss for a grant, if not eligible for a grant, she can apply for a budgeting loan, which they will deduct at a miniscule amount from her benefit each week.

also, round here, social services refer people on low incomes to charities, like sofa and emmaus, sofa will sell cheap furniture carpets etc for next to nothing, usually a donation and emmaus sell elctrical goods, is thetre anything like that where they are?

oooh thank you for all the help! will be doing some research on all suggestions!

WI can often help, they furnished a house for a Mum who came to us at HomeStart via the refuge. Also, the if you have a HomeStart give them a bell as they are a good way of getting both on your feet with a baby if you've had a run of bad luck (friendshiop on order, you might say) and can refer you to a furniture scheme even if you don't want support, HomeStart has a website.

I think a lot of the furniture places take income support aperwork / housing benefit as proof of entitlement, theyc ertainly used to.

SORRY- WRVS, not WI, though I suspect the WI would do a treat, they can be great!

Message withdrawn

sure start might be able to help

What job do/did they do? Have they ever worked in any kind of trade or industry where they'd be eligible for support from an occupational benevolent fund?

This website lists them all and can tell them if they're eligible for support

dawn has never worked. i think andy was training as a plumber. he's only 20

How about their parents? Worth a try - often OBFs will consider one off grants for family members of people who meet the eligibility.

thanks all.. some really fab links. just been on the homestart website but it isn't working on my pc totally... but will try and get in touch with them..

lots of things for me to be working on here!

Where are they? Are they in W Sussex too?

oh that's worth knowing HM... thanks!