A GRANT scheme to help fund schools uniform banks in Malvern is being launched by the district council.
The small grants scheme hopes to provide in need families with better access to school clothing as parents and carers continue to cope with the cost-of-living crisis.
Under the scheme, schools wishing to open a uniform bank for the first time can access up to £500 to support set up costs and equipment while already active uniform banks can apply for up to £250 to support further development.
Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) is offering schools in their district an opportunity to hear more about the scheme via an online webinar on July 10 at 12.15pm before applying.
During the webinar, schools and community organisations will hear about how two successful school uniform banks got up and running alongside more details on the scheme.
Natalie McVey, portfolio holder for housing and health at MHDC, said: “We are really pleased to be launching an initiative that brings schools and community groups together to help residents and families deal with cost-of-living pressures.
“School uniforms are a necessity that carry an extra cost that can be unaffordable to some families.
“Giving these grants forms part of our council priority to work with partners to provide cost of living support.
“As well as this, it also forms our priority to support initiatives that promote ‘refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle’”.
There are already a number of schools in the district providing free or donation based uniform bank services, which can be accessible to all children of an associated school or on a referral basis, and the new scheme aims to ease financial pressures for more families.
This scheme comes just after the news that families are still spending hundreds of pounds each year on uniform, despite schools across England being told to review uniform policies and reduce uniform costs from September 2022.
A poll by The Children’s Society involving 2,000 UK parents found those with secondary school children were paying on average £422 per year on uniform, while the average for primary school uniform was £287.
Despite intended reforms, 45 per cent of parents in the West Midlands reported their school’s uniform policies had not been updated.
A further 23 per cent were uncertain whether the policies had been modernised to save tightly-squeezed parents’ cash.
Email [email protected] for more info on the uniform banks small grants scheme and to register for the webinar.
