FREE school uniforms are on offer to struggling families in Coventry.
Clothing Coventry, a charity dedicated to addressing clothing poverty in the city, has opened its summer pop-up shop to help over 1,000 students receive new school uniform ahead of September.
Clothing Coventry collects and recycles used school uniforms, while also buying new items when monetary donations are given.
The charity’s efforts have been boosted by a £20,000 donation from Coventry Building Society, which will be used to replenish the supply of high-demand items such as secondary school blazers and school shoes.
Katie Wilson, Director of Clothing Coventry, said: “The cost of compulsory school uniform can be well over £100, which is a crippling amount to a family already in poverty. We’ve seen children missing school because they haven’t got the right clothing, and parents crying because they can’t afford items of uniform.
“This donation from Coventry Building Society will go a long way to help families across our city, and it couldn’t have come at a better time because demand for uniform has soared in recent years. We still need donations of second hand uniform, and we’re grateful for anything people can give.
“The uniform bank is only part of what Clothing Coventry does. We support up to 500 people a month with clothes and shoe parcels, and we work with partner charities to distribute clothes onto rails in food banks, food hubs, homeless accommodations, hotels with refugees, family centres and many more locations city wide. We always need donations of good quality clothes and shoes, and at the minute we particularly need children’s clothes.”
Anna Cuskin, Community Manager at Coventry Building Society, said the company wanted to do something to help families feeling the pressure.
She added: “Having access to the right school uniform can make a huge difference to a child’s confidence and sense of belonging. When children feel comfortable and included, it helps them focus on learning and getting the most out of their education.”
Clothing Coventry’s pop-up shop at Queens Road Baptist Church is open on weekdays until August 29. Booking is required. Donations are welcome, and can also be made at Coventry Building Society branches throughout August.
Visit https://clothingcoventry.org for more information.
