People have been thanked for supporting an initiative helping families in Lichfield cope with the cost of new school uniforms.
The Back to School Bank, supported by Lichfield City Council, distributed more than 275kg of pre-loved items this summer.
Around 120 families benefited from the scheme ahead of the new school year.
Cllr Dave Robertson, leader of Lichfield City Council, said:
“Last year’s Back to School Bank was an experiment that went better than any of us had initially hoped, but this year the whole team was eager to make an even bigger success of it.
“I thought that was going to be a really challenging ask, but when we did the final stock take at the end of last week it was clear that we’d surpassed all expectations yet again.
“Thanks to generous donations from the people of Lichfield, support from the city council, businesses like Tesco Extra and Morrisons as well as community and faith groups around the city, we managed to help out more than twice as many families as last year.
“I’d like to pass on my thanks to everyone who played any part in the scheme, be that donating uniform, helping sort out donations, advertising the collection events or any of the other jobs that got done along the way.”
Cllr Dave Robertson
As well as helping with costs, Cllr Robertson said there had also been environmental benefits by ensuring perfectly good clothes were reused rather than thrown away.
“In the middle of the cost of living and the climate crises this is a great example of what communities can achieve by pulling together and finding ways to make a positive difference by working together.
“I’m certainly proud to have been involved again this year, and I am sure that all the volunteers and councillors who got involved will feel the same.
“None of this would have been possible though, without the partner organisations and most importantly without the hundreds of people who took time out to donate items of uniform that they no longer needed.”
Cllr Dave Robertson
An excellent event. Such a shame the Government can’t find ways to support young people and families better. Great to see the Labour Party showing some much needed compassion.