PERSONALISED baby brand My 1st Years has won a national award for its trailblazing partnership with humanitarian charity Goods for Good.
The company, based in Northampton, has been supporting Goods for Good since 2017, providing warehousing and logistics support and donating thousands of pounds of clothing and toys to children living in natural disasters, war and poverty.
The two organisations received the award for Best Emergency Response Project at this year’s Business Charity Awards. Pictured above are My 1st Years co-founder and chief executive Jonny Sitton and Rosalind Bluestone, chief executive of Goods for Good with awards host the comedian Zoe Lyons.
“By working together, we are making a profound difference to the lives of people who most need help, providing life-changing goods that help restore hope and dignity to vulnerable communities,” said Jonny.
The company does this by donating and also accepting donations from other businesses. “We then sort by age and category and ship these much-needed goods to children in need here in the UK and across the globe,” said Jonny. “We are well on our way to supporting an incredible one million children this and every year.”
In 2022, in response to the war in Ukraine, My 1st Years opened its warehouse in Northampton as an Aid Hub to help Goods for Good respond to the rapidly unfolding humanitarian aid crisis.
“When war broke out we were inundated with large volumes of donated goods and urgently needed somewhere to store the donations before they could be delivered to the millions of people fleeing the country,” said the charity’s founder and chief executive Rosalind Bluestone. “The team at My 1st Years offered a lifeline. Their staff then donated hundreds of hours to sort, pack and load the truckloads of goods that were being sent to the areas where refugees were arriving.
“It’s inspiring to work with My 1st Years, a company committed to making a positive impact in the world. We are a small charity and what these guys do for us is absolutely amazing. Winning this award in recognition for our partnership is exciting and motivating – and this is just the start.”
My 1st Years also launched its Child In Need initiative in July last year, making a donation to Goods For Good for every customer order placed. More than £14,5000 has been raised in just ten months, contributing to nearly 5% of the charity’s income.
Jonny added: “By actively engaging with local communities, our partnership with Goods For Good aims to create long-term solutions that reduce economic hardship, improve living conditions, promote self-sufficiency, and break the cycle of poverty.
“We are also making a significant contribution to sustainability by recycling and redistributing large volumes of goods that would otherwise be destined for waste or landfill.
“Put simply, when hearts unite for a common cause, the possibilities for a better tomorrow are limitless.”
