In the New Year 2021 Honours List, Karen Williams, Founder and CEO of The Buddy Bag Foundation, was recognised by Her Majesty the Queen for the honour of OBE for her services to Victims of Domestic Abuse.
Since then, and living with the restrictions of Covid, there was no formal ceremony for Karen to receive the OBE medal until now.
We are delighted that Karen visited Windsor Castle on 9th February 2022 to officially receive her OBE award from HRH Princess Royal.
Karen says, “On receiving the news that I was to be awarded an OBE in the 2021 New Year’s Honours list I was both shocked and surprised, then as it sunk in honoured and extremely grateful.
On 9th February 2022, I received the OBE at Windsor Castle from HRH Princess Royal and it was an absolute honour.
My dream six years ago was to set up a charity that could and would make a real and meaningful difference to children in emergency care.
I will be forever indebted to my parents who taught me that if something is worth achieving then it is worth working for, as well as the importance of focus and positivity.
With the assistance and support of all our volunteers, we have realised this dream.
Thank you to all our volunteers and supporters together we have achieved and are continuing to achieve something truly special.
We have packed over 40,000 Buddy Bags, far exceeding our initial target and look to the future with optimism at the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”
Thank you to all our volunteers and supporters for supplying our “Bags of Love” to children in emergency care together we have achieved and are continuing to achieve something truly special.
~ Karen Williams
Utility Warehouse
Karen says, “Chris Williams and I joined Utility Warehouse back in 2005 to build a business to create more free time to do the things we wanted to do. One of our goals was to found a charity where 100% of all donations would go directly to the cause. The Buddy Bag Foundation was created to make a difference to children who find themselves in emergency care escaping domestic violence.”
After 7 years the BBF has raised over £900,000 and helped over 41,000 children, supplying 325 women’s refuges all over the UK with bags of love.
“None of this would have happened without our Utility Warehouse business which has given us the time and the money to support it or without the help and the support of all of our partners“, says Karen.
“Today I received an OBE in recognition of the achievements of the Buddy Bag Foundation and on behalf of everyone who has supported the foundation along our incredible journey.”
To find out more about how The Buddy Bag Foundation began and to read more of Karen’s story in this article here.
How you can help
There are lots of ways you can help us make a difference to children in emergency care. To find out more see how you can Get Involved.
