A charity which supplies school uniforms to Huddersfield families has hit a crisis.
Uniform Exchange, which recycles school uniform and provides it free of charge to families across Kirklees, is running out of stock.
The group relies on the generosity of Kirklees families passing on their outgrown or no longer needed uniform items to make the service work, and recently the donations have become less frequent and in some cases stopped altogether.
Crisis point was reached last month when the charity ran out of royal blue jumpers and this week it was white polo shirts.
Zoe, one of the volunteers who manages the requests is concerned.
“White polo shirts are our staple, most requested item. Especially, if we have run out of the school’s preferred colour, we fall back on these and now there is nothing to give.
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“We are now having time after time to let families down and are not able to provide anything. This is very concerning.”
Now they are making an urgent appeal to families to help the cause.
Already, more than five tonnes of clothing has been prevented from going into landfill. Last year around 500 local families were provided with free school uniform and more than 4,000 items of good uniform have been recycled.
Kate France, the Founder of Uniform Exchange said: “After starting the project in 2011, to help parents’ bridge the gap following the loss of the government voucher scheme, we successfully helped hundreds of children last year with school uniform, coats and shoes.
“We want to continue to offer this service in the foreseeable future to support families across Kirklees.”
She said that the feedback she receives from families makes the hard work worthwhile.
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Comments include: “I just wanted to pass on a big thank you from the family, I took the school uniforms round today and they are very grateful. The boys and mum are really thrilled with what you have supplied, brilliant service.
“Just wanted to thank you for the uniform that you delivered to the centre last week. It all fits great and I could see the huge relief on mum’s face that she was sorted. This is a brilliant service!!!!!”
The charity needs primary and secondary logo uniform items and items such as shoes, coats, trainers, football boots, bags, vests, tights and socks.
Donations can be dropped off at Sure Start children’s centres, Kirklees libraries and other recycling bin drop-off points. To help log on to www.uniform-exchange.org
