Uniform swap will help pupil’s parents
AMUM-OF-FOUR is set to help families in the town save on the cost of school uniforms, with her swap scheme.
Clare Byfield, 42, is holding her first uniform swap in Macclesfield this weekend.
Parents can go to the swap and donate their children’s old uniforms for different sizes.
If they don’t have a uniform they just need to bring non perishable items, such as tinned food, which will be donated to a food bank.
Clare, who is originally from Manchester, came up with the idea in June 2017, when her son was leaving school and needed a pair of new trousers.
After looking for someone to swap with her, she realised she could go even further and help other families do the same, and save much-needed cash.
After being encouraged by friends at Macclesfield Methodist Church, where she works, Clare has decided to do her first swap in the town.
She told the Express that after starting work in the town last year she had the idea to try her scheme out.
Clare said: “I mentioned starting a swap up in Macclesfield, to a few people at work and they said that there were definitely families who could do with it.
“I am just going to see how it goes in Macc.
“If it does as well as it has before then I will do more there.
“I am just hoping for lots of families to come down on the day.”
She added: “Uniforms can be expensive. Blazers alone can be £50 and if you have two or three children at the same school, people can’t afford that.”
Since she started the uniform swaps, Clare has gone on to hold more than 20 events and help more than 170 families.
In December 2017 she was awarded the Be Proud Award for recycling project of the year, after being nominated by parents.
She said: “It was an absolute shock.
“Some of the parents had nominated me, it was brilliant.
“I absolutely love it, it is hard work but I love it.
“I have lost count of the amount of swaps we have done so far, I think about 22 or 23.”
Clare added: “We were at the Wythenshawe Games for a few days and I lost count of how many people donated.”
Macclesfield’s first uniform swap will take place on Sunday, August 19, at Macclesfield Methodist Church, on Westminster Road.
The event will start at 1pm and finish at 4pm.