Focus Project's Pop Up Uniform Shop back in business

A local community organisation is asking for donations of “pre-loved schoolwear” to help families cut the escalating back to school uniform costs.

Speaking to Derry Now, Rachel Carlin who volunteers with the Focus Project Derry, which is based in Creggan’s Ráth Mór Centre, said the group had been running the scheme since 2020.

Rachel added: “At the minute we are collecting donations of pre-loved uniforms. We have a Donation Box outside the EuroSpar in the Ráth Mór Centre. We will take any items of school uniform at all, including shoes, coats and school bags, anything at all.

“We will then run a Pop Up Shop in August, also in Ráth Mór, where people can come and get a uniform to save on back to school costs. It is also good for the environment. We ran the shop last year and it was very successful.

“The Focus Project has also been doing some campaigning and taking part in consultations around this issue of the high cost of school uniforms. In addition, we have linked up with a few groups across the North, who are funded by the same funders as ourselves, in trying to tackle these costs.

“The cost is especially high when it comes to post-primary school uniforms. Primary school uniforms are not as expensive but post-primary schools require items such as crested PE gear.

“The Focus Project is not against uniforms but there is no reason why they can’t be bought at minimal cost by parents and carers,” said Rachel.

Rachel was adamant the high cost of school uniforms was a worry for people.

She said: “It is an extra burden in the middle of this cost-of-living crisis. Everything is going up.

“Luckily enough it is the summer and people don’t have the heat on as much, which means the high cost of energy is not our main focus at the minute. However, in the winter past, we had to constantly help people with their food or heat cost, with vouchers.

“As a community, we are seeing constant cuts, everywhere. They have taken away the Holiday Hunger Payment now as well. Benefits are constantly being affected. Like many other groups we are inundated with requests for help and the food banks are under pressure too.

“I know the community sector is doing really well at covering some of these costs and we have seen breakfast schemes in operation but people are in crisis trying to cover all bases and the uniform grant is paltry.

“The cost of a post-primary school blazer is more than £70 and the Uniform Grant is only £68. It doesn’t make sense,” said Rachel.

According to Rachel, the dates and times of the Focus Project’s Pop Up Uniform Shop will be posted on the group’s Facebook page.

“We have a wee team of volunteers here at the minute helping out and getting things ready. We will also be doing an odd Saturday to cover the people who work from Monday to Friday.”