Free school uniform scheme in Wirral holds another collection day

Dec 12 2012 by Linda Foo Guest, Birkenhead News

A SCHOOL uniform swap scheme was such a success it will be repeated in the New Year.

Grandmother Sheila Fowler set up Free Uniforms for Schools (Fuss) so parents can exchange unwanted school clothes.

The Fuss initiative sees items which no longer fit being dropped off at school, collected and laundered ready to be distributed to other families.

Sheila launched the project in July and a collection week was held in August for parents in time for the Autumn term.

The recycling scheme was so successful, the gran-of-four has started the recycling scheme again.

And Sheila has managed to get Asda onboard by allowing uniforms to be dropped off at the Arrowe Park store in Woodchurch Road, Birkenhead.

With 25 secondary schools in Wirral, she hopes this will allow more uniforms to be dropped off.

Sheila, from Hoylake, said: “The scheme was a great success in summer and we helped 124 families with uniforms for local schools.

“Some schools didn’t take part and parents still came looking for garments. Now it is fantastic to have Asda supporting us, hopefully we will receive more variety of uniforms so we can cater for all schoolchildren.

“There will a main drop box in the Asda Arrowe Park store, and hopefully there will be more drop offs in the other Wirral stores.”

Helping Sheila is her daughter Kate Fowler, who is a teacher at a Cheshire school and her daughter attends West Kirby grammar school.

Together they have planned another collection day on Wednesday, January 2 for parents to obtain any garments required for the next school term in the new year.

Sheila added: “Although we had collections over one week in August, people continued to ask for uniforms.

“We had some items left over which we gave to a charity who shipped some off to a school in Ethiopia.

“But we hung on to the main items such as blazers, and some schools have continued to collect uniforms.

“So we have a load of items collected again which need a good home, and that is why we are holding another collection in January.

“We may continue to hold more events at the end of each term if it the demand continues.”

Uniforms can be picked up on Wednesday, January 2 between 10am-1.30pm and 5pm-7pm at St Luke’s Methodist Church Hall on Market Street, Hoylake.

School items can be dropped off at school or Asda ‘s Arrowe Park store.