All Saints Primary School opens pre-loved uniform shop

All Saints Church of England Primary School PTA received the money from the Hampshire County Council Waste Prevention Community Grant Fund.

The shop was set up by parent volunteers with support from the school and its ethos is to save-reduce-reuse-recycle. Families from the school community can donate preloved uniforms, school bags, coats and shoes which are washed, stored and re-sold for a fraction of the cost of buying a new uniform.

Since the shop’s inception, the school has saved more than 150kg of school uniforms from going to waste and has supported families with cost savings of more than £1,000.

Using the grant fund, the PTA has been able to purchase storage and shelving for clothes and cover the cost of laundry detergent. So far, the shop has made nearly £400, with hopes that it should remain a self-sustaining service for years to come.

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Alongside volunteer-led sales, The PTA has also recognised the need for the shop to be open all year round, for when holes appear in knees and children have growth spurts. The shop also has a pair of popular initiatives. New families with 4-year-olds are able to buy everything they need in the summer before their children start in September, while special £3 Fill a Bag sales have been arranged to come soon after a successful trial run.

Lead volunteer Deniz said: “I am so proud to be part of this wonderful project and very grateful for the grant from Hampshire County Council. We have seen the difference that our Preloved Uniform Shop has made to families and we are teaching our children about the importance of waste prevention!”

Meanwhile, the headteacher of All Saints Church of England Primary School, Mrs Jane Hall said: “This is a wonderful initiative that supports both our children and families, as well as thinking about the environment. As always, our super PTA run it with dedication and enthusiasm, and we are delighted with the impact it has had and will continue to have in the future. Huge thanks to all involved.”

Not to be outdone, the children at All Saints have also been getting in on the act, helping to organise and display clothes at sales, running the tills and, of course, donating their pre-loved uniform.