To ask you to donate, not bin, unwanted school uniform?

[CactusFlowers]

I’m sure most of us (me included) have a pile of stuff to sort through now the holidays have arrived. If you have any unwanted uniform please consider donating it to your local uniform bank to help families in need.

They’ll usually also accept shoes, school bags, lunch boxes etc.

If you’re in need please also contact them to ask for help.

if you can’t find your local bank you could post here and we could help you find it.

[Title edited by MNHQ at poster's request]

What a good post, OP.
I presented some too small school clothes to reception. They were delighted - "Great, they'll be going to the two Ukrainian children that have just started here". It made my day, and my childrens'.

I don’t think so. Would be great if there was.

It's a good idea - I didn't know there were generic uniform banks.

My son's school was great with this - boys who were leaving/who had outgrown uniform donated it to the school, who in turn donated it (or sold it, depending on the parents' financial circumstances - the school staff fortunately knew what was what, without having to ask embarrassing questions) to boys who needed it. It was such good quality that it could easily do for several boys. I bought one new item of uniform in the whole time my DS was at school, and that was a bit of specialist sports kit.

My other DC were mostly given school uniform by friends whose daughters had outgrown them, and I in turn passed my daughters' uniforms on to families with younger girls. This is another way to achieve the same thing.

It would be good if whoever ran school second hand uniform shops had some discretion and could give items to those who need them.

I manage a charity shop and it is almost impossible to sell second hand uniform ... we get brand new school trousers, skirts, generic shirts etc (from a well known high street retailer) and can't sell them even for £1 an item. I know I sound judgmental but here on Mumsnet we all seem willing to put our DC in second hand clothing but in reality this just doesn't seem to happen. I agree with a PP, we need to get away from the mindset that DC need 'brand new' uniform each new school year.

That’s another good solution, if there isn’t a local uniform bank.

I have been advised that primary schools are also always in need of spare pants as they are rarely returned.