Uniform aid at schools
A SCHOOL uniform ‘bank’ is helping hundreds of families across Glasgow.
The bank was set up last year to help those struggling to afford school uniforms for their children.
A clothes rail is left in the schools that take part – at least six so far – and parents can help themselves to donated items of clothing.
PRE-LOVED school uniforms are helping families who need a hand across communities in the North East of Glasgow.
For the Balornock Uniform Bank has been a huge hit since it was launched last year by volunteer Donna Henderson.
Donna, 43, wanted to make a difference in her community and with her own three boys attending Balornock Primary School, she decided to set up a uniform bank.
She said: “I kept thinking of different things I could do as part of my volunteer work and nothing I came up with seemed right.
“I then thought about a uniform bank and how that could work.”
She added: “I spoke to the headteacher at Balornock Primary School about the idea and she said she would support me in anyway she could.”
The uniform bank works by allowing families to have access to school clothes in a totally anonymous setting.
A clothes rail is left within the schools which are part of the scheme filled with donated uniform. Parents who need items of clothing are then encouraged to take the pieces of uniform at their leisure.
Donna, who stays in Balornock, said: “There is still such a stigma for people who can’t afford to go out and buy a new school uniform.
“That is the reason why I have the rails in the school.”
She added: “The uniform bank, however, is also about encouraging everyone to look out for the environment.
“I am trying to focus on the recycling aspect because if uniforms are donated, you don’t have as much clothes to put in landfill sites.”
Most schools in the G21 area are participating in the uniform bank scheme.
The main schools which have rails in their premises include Balornock Primary School, St Stephen’s Primary School and St Kevin’s Primary School in Sighthill; Royston Primary School; St Martha’s Primary School in Balornock and St Roch’s Secondary School in Royston.
Donna, however, who operates the uniform bank out of a unit in Springburn Park, takes donations from any school in the area not on the list and will make sure they are given to a good home.
She also also set up donation drop-off points at different venues in the area, including BCDC in Barmulloch, Royston Youth Action, Spire View Housing Association and KATS in Sighthill.
Donna said: “It is a great feeling when I get wee messages from parents saying things like the blazer looks great on them and thanking me. I never thought for a minute the uniform bank would grow this big.”
There is still such a stigma for people who can’t afford to go out and buy a new school uniform