Hitting the heights to help Stratford's uniform bank

WITH schools about to return this week, two governors have been busy fundraising to help ensure young people have the right uniform as they head back to the classroom.

Staff and governors at Stratford-upon-Avon School support the work of SUA Uniform Bank on an ongoing basis but during August chair of governors Jane Price and colleague Emma Heathcote-James have taken their support to another level.

They have been running and walking 150km and climbing 3,871 flights of stairs – the equivalent of climbing Mount Everest – to raise funds for the uniform bank. And personal experience is just one reason driving Jane on.

On their JustGiving page she said: “Beyond the facts and figures, I would ask everyone to think back to their own childhood.

“Can you remember a time when you didn’t fit in? My family relocated when I was seven and I had the ‘wrong’ clothes for school, the ‘wrong’ dance uniform.

“It was hard enough to fit in as it was, as moving from Newcastle to Southampton I also had the ‘wrong’ accent. I can look back and laugh about it now but at the time it felt devastating.”

Speaking of the current situation, she added: “Every child should have the opportunity to come to school dressed smartly and ready to learn, confident among their peers and proudly representing their school.

“Members of their family should not have to skip meals to afford this. With the increasing hardship many families are facing due to, among other things, Covid-19, the work of the uniform bank is more important than ever.”

The bank has had to change its way of working to respond to the coronavirus pandemic, delivering uniforms to families as parents cannot attend the bank in person.

It has set up a swap page on Facebook so parents can directly share details of uniform they need or uniform they have to pass on. It is also encouraging individuals and businesses to support its existing 'sponsor a uniform' initiative for families facing financial hardship.

A donation of £150 for a secondary pupil or £90 for a primary pupil will cover the cost of a complete uniform, including shoes.

In its first two years of operation, the uniform bank, a registered charity, has helped 509 children and serves 33 schools.

To find the JustGiving page, search for 'SUAS Governors in the Great Uniform Race' on the website.

For more information on the uniform bank, go to: www.suauniformbank.org/