Cool for School: Help Us Get Children Classroom-Ready
Schools out for summer, but uniform preparation for the new school year is already underway.
Can you help get Shropshire children back to school ready and put a spring in their step when they walk through the school gates this September?
About the campaign:
Our Cool for School campaign is an ongoing service we offer throughout the year, but demand significantly increases during the summer months and before the beginning of the new school year. Since launching our campaign in 2023, we have supported 535 children with school uniform.
Our aim is to help provide children in primary and secondary schools with the necessary items to fit in with their peers, removing one of the potential barriers they face in attending school. The average cost of a full school uniform for a child attending Secondary School in Shropshire is as much as £290 and for Primary School it can cost up to £130. We want to minimize this cost by supplying non-branded essential uniform items.
Throughout the year, we accept donations and are incredibly grateful for donations of new and gently worn uniform items for Primary and Secondary children. However, whilst some items are well-stocked, we face shortages in a lot of sizes and styles, which is why we’re fundraising this summer to provide as many uniforms as possible to those families requiring a helping hand.
Why support our campaign?
Providing students with clean uniforms and a way to keep their belongings neat and safe can significantly boost their self-esteem. They’re less likely to feel embarrassed or out of place among their peers, which can also help increase their confidence. This newfound confidence has the potential to translate into more active participation in class and extracurricular school activities.
Providing school bags removes the concern and worry about damaged or lost books and supplies, which enables students to focus more intently on their learning. This feeling of organisation has the potential to reduce their stress levels, creating a smoother transition between subjects and activities at school.
Ways to donate:
Donating items – If you’re looking to donate items, we’re particularly in need of the following items:
- White shirts and blouses, for children aged 11 years upwards
- White and light blue polo shirts for children aged 4 – 12 years
- Red cardigans and jumpers for children aged 4 – 13 years
- Boy’s black trousers for children aged 5 – 16 years
- School bags in good condition suitable for both primary and secondary children
Our donation boxes are in Shrewsbury and Oswestry Morrison’s stores and Shrewsbury Tesco Extra, look out for the Little Stars logo at the end of the till points. We also have one at our Little Stars Charity shop on the ground floor of The Darwin Centre in The Collective, or you can donate during our opening hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10 – 2pm.
Monetary donations – If you’re able to support by making a financial contribution to our Cool for School campaign, this will go straight towards purchasing essential uniform items for a child in need. Whether it’s shirts, polo tops, PE T-Shirts, a cardigan or jumper, it will make a significant impact on the child and relieve the pressure, so many families face at this time of year.
