Pre-loved uniforms save Coventry families £69, says charity

Thousands of families saved money on school uniforms this summer through a charity scheme providing pre-loved and donated clothing for free.

Katie Wilson, CEO of Clothing Coventry, said parents were able to select items they needed and families saved an average of £69 by going to its uniform events that ran across three weeks.

Wilson said the average cost of a school uniform is estimated at £249.58 per child and that "remains a real challenge" for many families, and the charity has helped more than 2,700 children prepare for the new school year.

"Projects like this only happen because people give their time, resources and support - thank you to every volunteer who joined us," she added.

Across the events, the charity distributed 15,005 uniform items, including:

Alongside donated and pre-loved uniforms, it also supplied 4,659 brand-new items to 2,142 children.

A further 60 families received £30 uniform vouchers when the charity was unable to provide a blazer for their child's school.

Wilson said blazers and logoed PE kits were among the most requested items, and despite additional purchases and generous donations, demand outstripped supply in some cases.

"We could have given out probably 600 blazers if we had them, we didn't have enough to help everyone who came.

"The hope is that we can help everyone with a little bit of something" she told BBC CWR.

The programme, now in its fourth year, is supported by Coventry Building Society.

"While we can never guarantee every item, in every size, for every school, we are proud to say that no family who attended our events left empty-handed," Wilson said.

One parent who used the service said getting uniforms for their children had been a major concern.

"As a family with eight children and a very limited income, getting school uniforms for all our children was a big worry for us," they said.

"The support we received made a huge difference and took away a lot of financial stress.

"It helped us make sure our children could go back to school with the uniforms they needed. We are truly grateful to everyone who made this possible."

Clothing Coventry will reopen for school uniform requests on 14 September and said families can access uniform support throughout the year, not just during the summer holidays.

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