Do you have unwanted items of school uniform? Donate them!

With the new school term on the horizon, families are being offered a helping hand to get hold of uniform.

Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Cares are working together to set up a school uniform exchange service which will run into September.

Do you have any unwanted school uniform items you could donate? We are appealing for any donations including blazers, polo shirts, jumpers, trousers and more.

People will be able to donate items of uniform they no longer need, which will then be professionally laundered before being made available for collection.

Families will be able to request uniform online and a socially-distanced collection will be arranged.

Councillor Jonathan Dulston, Darlington Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Stronger Communities, said: “Darlington Borough Council is determined to help those families in need get their children prepared for school. We know that this year particularly thanks to the coronavirus, more families than normal will be struggling. At least with this scheme this will hopefully be one less thing for people to worry about.

Angela Howey, chair of Darlington Cares, said: “Getting children back to school is hugely important and getting the uniforms they need can be a real struggle for families. Darlington Cares is delighted to provide support to this worthwhile initiative.”

Please bring all donations in a plastic bag, tied at the top. Donation points will be located at:

Crown Street Library (Monday to Saturday)
In A Spin Laundry Services, North Road (Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm)
Firthmoor Community Centre (Monday to Friday, 9am-1pm)
Mount Pleasant Primary School (Tuesdays, 11.30am-1.30pm)
Corporation Road Community Primary School (Wednesdays, 12.30-2.30pm)
Cockerton Club (Monday to Friday, 10.30am-2.30pm)
BHP Law, Faverdale (Monday to Friday, 9am-4pm)
Cornmill Centre (Monday 17 and Friday 21 August, 10am-2pm)
Red Hall Primary School (Thursdays, 11.30am-1.30pm)
Lovely Laundry Darlington, West Auckland Road (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-1pm)
The Railway Athletic, Brinkburn Road (Saturday and Sunday 2-11pm, Friday and Tuesday 6-11pm)
Office of Peter Gibson MP, Duke Street (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm).

Anyone who is in need of school uniform can request it at www.darlington.gov.uk/schooluniform