Glasgow charities and volunteers have created initiatives to help families save a little cash this summer by providing free school uniforms for the new term.
After a tough year of covid restrictions and job losses - many more people are looking for ways to save money as the city gradually returns to normal.
We have compiled a list of school clothing banks in Glasgow and the surrounding areas to help ease the stress of forking out money for an expensive new school kit.
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Kindness Homeless Street Team
The Kindness Homeless Street Team has a new campaign called “Kindness Kit your Kid Out”.
The charity will provide all the essentials needed, including a new uniform bundle, a school bag, and a lunch box for your child going back to school.
The campaign could not have come at a better time after a 2020 report by the Children’s Society found that families in the UK spend on average £337 each year on school clothes.
Any families who have school-aged children can access a kit by sending them an e-mail.
Laura McSorley, a volunteer with Kindness Homeless Street Team, said: “Kindness may have started off providing food and support for the homeless people of Glasgow, but we are now so much more.”
If you would like a uniform bundle, you can send them an e-mail in confidence, including the details of what gender, age, clothes size, and school colours you need at:Kindnessglasgow@yahoo.com.
You can collect the clothes from their unit on 417-419 London Road, G40 1AG.
Pre Loved Uniforms
The non-profit charity has teamed up with three secondary schools, including Whitehill Alexandra Parade and Golfhill Secondary, to participate in a ‘Uniform Exchange’ project to allow parents to bring their child’s old school clothes and swap them for recycled uniforms.
The clothes are free and are non-referral, which means any families can access them.
Donna Henderson, the founder of Pre Loved Uniforms, said: “I think that it's important that families can access school uniforms for free as we see the cost of living is getting more expensive and not everyone is entitled to the school uniform grant and with cop26 approaching, we are all doing our own wee bit to make Glasgow greener.”
So, if you want to save money, reduce, recycle and reuse, the collection will be at Whitehill Secondary School Playground on July 31 between 12.30 to 2.30 pm.
School clothing bank
North Lanarkshire Councillor Norah Mooney will be running a clothing bank for people who live in Thorniewood, Bothwell, Uddingston, and Bellshill. Everyone is welcome and no referrals are needed.
Councillor Norah Mooney, said: “We do not ask about personal circumstances or ask for proof of benefits, as we know there is the working poor, where every penny goes out on bills, and they are sometimes worse off than those who do not work.”
The clothing bank open weekend will be on July 24 in Uddingston, and the exact location will be decided closer to the time. If you would like any more information, please contact Norah Mooney on her e-mail at: mooney@northlan.gov.uk
The following school clothing banks are done through a referral system.
Support agencies such as Social Work Departments, Family Resource Centres, Citizens Advice, youth groups, outreach workers, and charities such as Barnardo’s and Women’s Aid can refer you.
You can also be referred by the school your child/children attend. All referrals are entirely anonymous, and the forms are completed and sent through to them through agencies who will collect and distribute the clothes to you.
Back to School Bank Glasgow South
The clothes bank helps families who live in the South Side to get their kids kitted out for the new term.
A spokeswoman for the charity said: “Covid has changed nothing as pupils still need a uniform to attend school, and referrals are still being made.
"We firmly agree with uniforms being worn to school as it takes away the competition with designer items of clothing.
"We very much work anonymously with referrals made by 3rd parties to us which they collect and distribute to parents.”
Back to School Bank
The voluntary organisation set up by Sandra Douglas in 2015 provides children living in Glasgow and East Renfrewshire with brand new uniforms.
If you are in need of some support to provide school clothes this year, you can contact one of the organisations mentioned above and ask them if they can refer you.
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