Lancashire uniform hub will provide new and pre-loved items
published on 2 Aug 2024
School uniform hub to launch in Lancashire as families face financial pressure ahead of new school year
A school uniform hub will take place in Clitheroe during the school holidays in a bid to ease the financial pressures faced by many families ahead of the new academic year.
The Salvation Army in Clitheroe will hold a school uniform hub open day on Friday, August 9, from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on a drop-in basis, at its church and community centre on Lowergate, Clitheroe. New and pre-loved school uniform items will be available covering all ages, and all seasons, as demand for help increases with more people than ever struggling to make ends meet.
Anyone can access the uniform hub, with all items available free of charge thanks to clothing donations from local schools, businesses and members of the Clitheroe community and with more people than ever being pushed into poverty, The Salvation Army is expecting demand to be high.
Brenda Wise, church leader of The Salvation Army in Clitheroe said: “Times are still tough for many of the people who live within our community. People perceive Clitheroe to be wealthy, but it also has a lot of hardworking people living here, on the lowest of incomes who are struggling to provide for their families. The costs of new school uniforms can push some budgets to the brink and when families have more than one child to provide for, uniform costs can climb into hundreds of pounds, an amount that many simply don’t have.
“Our school uniform hub provides a helping hand to people around us who need it. A weight off their shoulders and a welcome relief. We hope to ease that financial burden for the families who might struggle to buy uniforms as well as provide food and keep on top of household bills. People are welcome to take what they need, and we encourage others to leave what they no longer use, meaning that the uniform hub also ensures that clothes in good condition don’t go into landfill. We wouldn’t be able to run it without the generous and kind donations from the community, and this is a key example of people helping others.”
The uniform hub is a cost-effective alternative to buying new school uniforms and will offer the basics of shirts, polo tops, trousers and skirts, but also carries extras such as sportswear, blazers and jumpers as well as some branded items for schools in the area. Donations of pre-loved and new school uniforms are welcome, accommodating all schools within Clitheroe, and can be donated at the charity shop within the community centre.
For people who can’t attend the open day, they can call The Salvation Army direct on 07709 352 383 to request uniform items. Emails can also be sent to clitheroe@salvationarmy.org.uk.
