Forest of Dean school uniform pop-up a ‘godsend’, mum says

A free pop-up school uniform shop has been described as a “godsend” by a mother-of-three.

Chantal, from Coleford in Gloucestershire, said she would spend £200 a year buying uniform when all of her children were at school, but she now gets her daughter’s uniform for free from the Salvation Army pop-up in Broadwell.

Department for Education figures revealed the average cost of a full secondary school uniform and PE kit is more than £400, with some primary school uniforms costing £300.

Lizzie Cox, of the Forest of Dean Salvation Army, said the hub was “discreet” and parents would not be judged.

Both new and pre-loved uniforms are offered to parents at the pop-up.

Chantal said: “My daughter is tall and I can’t always get the clothes to fit her… [Salvation Army] cater for her and it’s free, which is a bonus.”

Aside from the cost of uniform, living in rural areas can make shopping difficult for parents.

“When we have to go to the uniform shop, that’s in Gloucester, so I’ve got to spend to catch the bus because I don’t drive.

“It’s handy to come here because I live across the road so it saves a lot of time and energy,” Chantal added.

Ms Cox, from the Salvation Army, said the shop helped 20 families within days of opening.

“There’s the historical assumption that it may just be for people who claim certain benefits [but] that’s not true here,” she said.

“This is open for everybody. There is no assessment criteria.

“We just really encourage our community who may be struggling, whatever their circumstances, to come and take what they need,” Ms Cox added.

A similar project has been helping parents for several years in Wiltshire, with the Chippenham Uniform Exchange saying it has supported more than 1,600 families.

“We have had families on the verge of tears just walking in the first time seeing how much uniform we’ve got,” said founder of the scheme Jade Ugur.

Pieces of uniform can be taken for free, although a voluntary donation is suggested – which can be as low as 50p for a generic item or £2 for items with logos from local schools.

Ms Ugur added: “People have come to us and said they were dreading how they were going to pay £300 for all that uniform.

“If that’s not easy cash flow for you, it is going to put somebody in debt.”

The exchange has donation bins in Chippenham and is open for parents twice a week, with additional pop-up shops at schools.

The Broadwell shop is open every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 to 14:00 BST.