Kent charity provide free school uniforms, as cost of back-to-school shop increases
Many families are unable to afford uniform or school shoes
Many children across the South East are unprepared for the school year, as new research says parents knowingly buy school shoes that are too big.
The survey by Start-Rite Shoes, found 6 out of 10 (64%) of parents in the South East admit to buying school shoes ‘slightly too big so their child could grow into them’.
It’s estimated 300,000 parents in the South East are using the old-fashioned “thumb test” - pressing the front of the shoe - to check the fit and worryingly, more than a third (38%) don’t consider the width of their child’s foot at all.
The cost-of-living crisis may also be having an impact -the research found a growing trend in pre-loved school shoes.
This was most common amongst reception-aged children in the South East (64%), compared with an average of 40% across primary school and 28% in secondary school.
The Community Cupboard in Sevenoaks is a local charity aiming to tackle this issue, alongside the growing cost of school uniforms across the board. We spoke to staff member Lynda Harrison about their school uniform project.
Speaking to us she said:
"We're in our fourth year providing school free uniforms, and we try and do it because this cost of uniform is so expensive.
"It's a way of saving families money and providing children and young people with the uniform that they need to go into school.
"It's also a good way of recycling.
"The cost of uniform, particularly the branded items of uniform, is really expensive and there is a big pressure on families to provide that.
"Every child needs to go to school in a set uniform at the moment and until that changes, there is a pressure for financially for families who are already struggling.
She added that for many, it comes on top of daily expenses that are already hard to keep up with:
"A lot of our families are our users here, so they're already struggling with funds for food. But we also with this project offer it out to the wider community as well.
On the difference free school uniform supplies can make to a family's budget Harrison said:
"Huge. It's absolutely huge and we we hear that every day. The families that come up and say 'well I didn't realise you were doing this, but this is a godsend' to them.
" It's making a big difference into people's pockets."
The Community Cupboard aim to run their free uniform project until the beginning of term, with those in need able to visit Monday-Friday (though timings vary).