Furniture poverty is a very real issue in the UK. Only 2% of social rental properties are let as furnished or partly furnished in comparison to 29% of private rented properties. This means that women and children leaving domestic abuse refuges are given completely empty homes - an environment that makes recovery from trauma very challenging.

Meanwhile, 22 million pieces of furniture are discarded in the UK every year. The majority of this is sent direct to landfill, while 110,000 tons of furniture that is thrown away is re-useable in its current condition.

Waltham Forest-based charity Furnishing Futures works in partnership with the interiors industry to repurpose high quality products that might otherwise be sent to landfill. It receives referrals from Waltham Forest VAWG team and other local women's organisations for women and children fleeing domestic abuse and in need of a safe home. The charity then combines social work values with interior design skills to create healing homes for families who have experienced multiple disadvantages and trauma, in particular women and children who are moving on from domestic abuse refuges.

Treebeard has provided unrestricted funding for three years to support Furnishing Future's vital work.