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Original poster

School Uniform Bank

48 replies

Nevertime · 10/12/2021 13:48

I wanted to tell you about this initiative that has grown in my town in the last couple of years. We're a town of 100,000 people with high deprivation and social problems.

A group of parents set up this school uniform bank and collect used uniform and other school items for all the local schools. They even do Chridtmas jumpers and fancy dress!

A local Church gives them storage space and a base to open from (one Saturday per month) and there are drop of points at other churches around the town. Everything is free.

They've given out more than 10,000 items. That's 10,000 items saved from landfil and which parents didn't need to buy.

Just in case anyone has the time/inclination to do something similar. Their FB posts sometimes make me cry. Smile

OP posts:
OnceuponaRainbow18 · 10/12/2021 13:50

Is this in Bristol?

batmanladybird · 10/12/2021 13:52

This should be everywhere
School uniform is such a waste

KingsHeathen · 10/12/2021 13:54

I agree with @batmanladybird
I'd go further and say there should be one colour of uniforms nationally, as they have in Japan, so that they're easily sourceable, and can be passed on regardless which school someone attends.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Clothing General education
InTheLabyrinth · 10/12/2021 13:55

This operates out of the storeroom of the corner shop in our town. Not with such great opening hours, but with a massive drive in August and for winter coats too.

Original poster
Nevertime · 10/12/2021 14:02

@OnceuponaRainbow18

Is this in Bristol?
No, we're in the SE.

I agree it should be widespread (perhaps it is?) but it needs someone to step up and do it.

OP posts:
Kite22 · 10/12/2021 14:51

We've had this running in our City for some years.
It is brilliant.
Wish it had been around when mine were still at school.
Really appreciate the volunteers that run it and the Building trustees who have offered the space.

BlowDryRat · 10/12/2021 14:53

We also have this in our town. It's a charity and operates out of a shop in the town centre. Really great idea.

EnglishGirlApproximately · 10/12/2021 22:56

This is a great idea. We have a school FB page where uniform gets passed on our sold but something like thos would be much better. Also for things like PE kit, fancy dress, children in need stuff etc that they grow out of so quickly - its all so wasteful and unnecessary that are swap shop type of system would be so much better.

MargaretThursday · 10/12/2021 23:33

The concern I have with things like this is ime what happens is the middle class people who could afford to buy their own tend to use it, and the people who struggle see it as a stigma, and avoid it.

We've been looking to try and set up similar, but trying to avoid the above happening, and have been looking into different ways of doing it. Would you say that's happened round you, and if not have you put in ways to combat it?

Chakraleaf · 10/12/2021 23:35

@MargaretThursday

The concern I have with things like this is ime what happens is the middle class people who could afford to buy their own tend to use it, and the people who struggle see it as a stigma, and avoid it.

We've been looking to try and set up similar, but trying to avoid the above happening, and have been looking into different ways of doing it. Would you say that's happened round you, and if not have you put in ways to combat it?

This is exactly what happened at ours
piglet81 · 10/12/2021 23:38

I give our outgrown uniform directly to school - they distribute things discreetly to families who need it.

RobertSmithsLipstick · 10/12/2021 23:39

My boy's junior school did it, but made such a song and dance out of it, plus set up boxes or used uniforms next to the reception/entrance, that I was too embarrassed to use it.
Ordinarily I'm a real bargain hunter, but it was badly thought out, I think.

MichelleScarn · 10/12/2021 23:42

I do what piglet does. @MargaretThursday that's a little bit sad though, as it sounds like you want to to stop the people who use this initiative from using it, so people who don't want to use it, will hopefully use it?

bluetowers · 10/12/2021 23:51

All unnamed uniform goes to our school one. It's washed and sold on once a month for £1 an item

MargaretThursday · 11/12/2021 00:01

@MichelleScarn

It's not about stopping the people who want to use it so much as reaching the people who need to use it.

Kite22 · 11/12/2021 00:05

The concern I have with things like this is ime what happens is the middle class people who could afford to buy their own tend to use it, and the people who struggle see it as a stigma, and avoid it.

It annoys me a bit when I see this claimed on threads about this. One thing is that you don't know other people's financial circumstances. Some people just don't like the idea of second hand, and that has nothing to do with their "class" Hmm Another is that surely it is just better for the environment that uniform gets reused, whoever is using it. Thirdly - my dcs' Junior school used to do 2nd hand sales about once every half term, and they were there in the playground at pick up time for everyone to have full and equal access to (well, unless you can't do pick up). If people choose to decide there is a stigma to saving money, then that is their issue, and more fool them.

We've been looking to try and set up similar, but trying to avoid the above happening, and have been looking into different ways of doing it. Would you say that's happened round you, and if not have you put in ways to combat it?
The fact that the uniform is not at school, and is in a local place for all schools, means that no-one from the school would know you had been there, presumably makes it more "usable" to anyone who had a hang up about buying 2nd hand.

MichelleScarn · 11/12/2021 00:06

Apologies if that's not what you meant, was the phrase have you put in ways to combat it? which made me think you're trying to actively stop people using it.

Chakraleaf · 11/12/2021 07:44

I'm going to try and restart ours, any tips?

Belledan1 · 11/12/2021 07:51

The one by us is connected to the local food bank (not the trussell one) and they can assess it there who is actually in need.

Cornishmumofone · 11/12/2021 08:00

@KingsHeathen Japanese schools do not all have on colour of uniform.

sashh · 11/12/2021 08:12

@MargaretThursday

The concern I have with things like this is ime what happens is the middle class people who could afford to buy their own tend to use it, and the people who struggle see it as a stigma, and avoid it.

We've been looking to try and set up similar, but trying to avoid the above happening, and have been looking into different ways of doing it. Would you say that's happened round you, and if not have you put in ways to combat it?

Could you use some form or voucher scheme? Sell vouchers for items of clothing but distribute vouchers to those in need for free?

I know there could be problems with that but I've only had one coffee today so I'm not fully functioning.

DelphiniumBlue · 11/12/2021 08:13

What a great idea.
Lots of school used to run their own second-hand uniform banks, in the days when woollen blazers and gaberdine macs were the norm, and massively expensive to buy new, but lasted forever. I don't recall there being a stigma about it, either.
I think one of the issues now is space - in the schools I know every spare nook and cranny have been turned into classrooms and learning areas, there just isn't the space to store anything, so it's great that other organisations have seen the need and stepped up.
I'm still not convinced about the benefits of uniform though, lots of countries manage to educate their children perfectly well without it.

ponkydonkey · 11/12/2021 08:21

There's one locally to us too... it's fantastic

Our primary has a school uniform sale about 3 times a year

My eldest is at college now... and I recently bought one of his old sweatshirts back for his younger brother 7 years later 🤣 it's been through 3 other kids

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 11/12/2021 08:29

There's a Facebook uniform swap page in my town, it's great.
A bit short sighted to want to stop who you perceive as middle class people using it though because they are also the people who are donating some of the clothes, to a stranger I might appear unworthy of this charity /not in enough need but I really can't afford £40 skirts and blazers and donate more than I take.

gogohm · 11/12/2021 08:30

We had one at my kids school 15 years ago, it's not a new idea. I gave all the outgrown uniform once they left

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