Wigan mum launches scheme for school uniform donations

Gemma came up with the idea for Uniform Reclaim Wigan when she offered some items her six-year-old son Jacob, who goes to Mab’s Cross Primary School in Swinley, no longer needed.

She received a message from someone thanking her because she could not afford shoes for the new term for her son.

That got Gemma thinking that the idea could be expanded to run at a bigger scale and she now has donations for a number of primary and secondary schools in the borough.

Gemma, 28, said: “I thought I would see how it went but I cannot tell you how many donations I have had just in the first few days. I’m completely snowed under.

“A lot of people have said this is needed and has been for a while. They’ve had bags of spare uniform and not known where to take it, so it’s brilliant that it is now being passed on.

“I do think the cost of school uniform is a problem, especially at high schools. You see the kids walking around and they look great but they’ve got a set of uniform, spares, PE kit and so on.

“It must be very difficult for parents who’ve got two or three children and have to buy both primary and high school uniforms. You could be talking hundreds of pounds.

“With coronavirus people are becoming unemployed or have been furloughed and the last thing they need is to be worrying about is clothing their kids for school now they can finally go back.”

The Covid-19 pandemic means Gemma also has to go through an elaborate process of quarantining the donated uniforms when they arrive for 72 hours, wash them, place them into sealed bags and then leave them for another three days.

Her efforts are all the more impressive as she is running Uniform Reclaim Wigan alongside her full-time job as a brand manager for a beauty company.

She now has uniform available for several Wigan primary schools as well as kit for Shevington and Standish high schools and Runshaw College.

She is keen to make sure that those who could benefit from Uniform Reclaim Wigan are not embarrassed or concerned about seeking help.

She said: “The main thing I need is for people who need uniforms to come forward now. They can speak to me anonymously and there’s no judgement, I don’t ask any questions about their situation.

“You don’t have to earn under a certain amount to qualify, it’s nothing like that. It’s just school uniforms being passed on to other people.”

Gemma has set up the scheme with the help of her mum Deborah Bowden and her friends Emily Stephen and Mikaela Carter, who have pitched in to assist with ironing, sewing, collecting donations and setting up the Facebook page.

To find out more, visit www.uniformreclaimwigan.com