Derrick Evans MBE, affectionately known to many as Mr. Motivator, knows firsthand the struggles of facing life without a stable home and the challenges that come with it. Having experienced homelessness and met those challenges with resilience and empathy, Derrick is determined to give back to the community by addressing a vital issue affecting the country's most vulnerable citizens,  children without a bed.

Across the UK, thousands of children are ending their day in conditions most people never imagine. Behind closed doors children are sleeping on cold floors, sharing cramped sofas, or making do with thin piles of blankets because there simply isn’t a bed available. Bed poverty is a daily reality for many across the country. 

Despite its lack of media attention, "bed poverty" is a severe crisis affecting nearly one million children across the UK today. For these children, the concept of a good night's sleep is an unattainable dream.  This lack of a restful sleep affects their ability to concentrate in school, thus perpetuating a cycle of disadvantage.

If you wish to support the work directly, you can do so here:

Donate to Mr. Motivators Bed Bank

Statistics highlight the severity of the issue. According to Barnardo’s No Crib for a Bed Report (2023), 894,000 children slept on a floor or share a bed in the past year, and more than one million parents gave up their own  sleep to let their child use the only bed available in the home. Many families simply cannot afford to repair or replace broken beds, leaving over 336,000 households without even the basic infrastructure for a safe night’s rest. These numbers translate directly into poor wellbeing and lost potential. 

Schools see the impact first. In the Buttle UK Education Report (2025), 81% of children and young people said tiredness was the biggest barrier holding them back in school, and 81% of parents reported exhaustion and hunger were severely affect their children’s ability to learn.

Bed poverty isn’t a problem that stays in the bedroom, it doesn't have boundaries. It affects a child’s health, mood, learning, behaviour and emotional stability, following them into every part of their day.

Without sleep, learning becomes harder. Emotions run higher. Anxiety grows. Overcrowding increases tension and reduces privacy. Parents carry heavy guilt for circumstances they cannot change. Each night spent on the floor compounds the pressures a child faces the next day

It is time for us to collectively address this issue. We call on the public, local authorities and national government bodies to take more note of the hidden crisis, provide immediate funding and support to families in need. 

Every child deserves the safety and security of their own bed. 

We are working towards a vision of a country where no child starts their day on the disadvantaged. We imagine a country where the floor is for play and the sofa is for family, because every child has a safe, proper bed to call their own- giving them the restful sleep and the fair start they deserve

Joining hands in this cause can create a ripple effect, offering hope, comfort, and endless possibilities for countless children who need it the most.

We are calling on the Government to formally recognise bed poverty as a national issue and include it within future child poverty strategy.

Sign this petition to help us ensure that no child goes to bed without the dignity and security of their own bed.

Together, we can put an end to child bed poverty. Your support can make a world of difference.

Say Yeah and sign our petition today!  

If you wish to support the work directly, you can do so here:

Donate to Mr. Motivators Bed Bank