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With the prices rising, many parents have struggled to find the extra cash to buy uniform this year – however one charity has been helping parents across Kirklees.

The Kirklees Uniform Exchange has been helping families save money on uniform as well as stopping thousands of items of clothing ending up in landfill.

Motivated by the BBC 2011 documentary Poor Kids, the charity was set up by a group of Huddersfield mums who wanted to help the community and has since provided hundreds of struggling families with uniform.

Founder Kate France said: “We have seen an increase in parents requesting uniforms right across the board and over the last three years we have seen a 200 per cent increase in requests for help.

Many families across Kiklees have struggled to purchase uniform this year.

“Donations are coming in from all schools, but more awareness needs to be made around donating uniforms so we can help more people.

“We aim to encourage the people of Kirklees to recycle and donate old school uniform items rather than putting them in the bin.

“By recycling old school uniform we can bridge the gap and help families send their children to school in proper uniform reducing the risk of bullying.

“We will collect unwanted uniforms, and get them to the children who want them the most, free of charge.”

Kind-hearted teen, Bertie Grills, has also been helping to provide uniform to struggling families after teaming up with the charity.

Bertie, who is a junior soldier at Mirfield Salvation Army, has also worked with the Mirfield Free Grammar School Council, which he sits on, and teachers to bring donation boxes to the School.

Salvation Army community mission facilitator Sheena Grills, who is Bertie’s mum, said: “We have received a large number of school uniform requests over the summer holidays.

“We have also received many donations from the local community to increase our stock levels and meet the demand.

“However, this is an ongoing project to support not only families suffering from financial hardship during the cost of living rise, but also those with an environmental conscience preventing uniform being sent to landfill.”

Uniform donations can be made at the Mirfield Salvation Army on Huddersfield Road, the Forget Me Not Charity shop on Station Road, Mirfield Library and Mirfield Free Grammar.

Cost of living: Kirklees Uniform Exchange gives a helping hand to struggling parents

For more information, visit https://www.uniform-exchange.org/