A Perth community group has been inundated with requests for help from parents struggling to afford school uniforms.
Social Flock Perth, which recently got Scottish Charity status - is responding to a bigger than ever demand with fears some families are “falling through the net” as the cost of living crisis deepens.
The group has so far taken almost 240 applications for help with parents already counting the cost of the new school term - with 100 calls for help coming in just 24 hours.
Founder Rachael Esdale said: “Its sadly not surprising that we are finding there’s such a huge demand right now.
“Families need support this year particularly.
“The cost of living crisis is really starting to bite.
“Even fuel costs are having an impact on families who stay out in rural areas. People really don’t need the headache of kitting kids out for school on top of all the other things.
“Only 79 out of our current 236 applications are in receipt of the School Uniform Funding available from Perth and Kinross Council - this tells us that families are falling through the net when it comes to accessible funding support.”
Perth and Kinross Council Community Investment Fund has supported Social Flock’s School Uniform Project with £7000 funding.
Social Flock gave out 160 uniform packs last year.
That number of requests from all over Perthshire has already been passed in 2022 and the holidays have not even begun.
So far 236 applications have come in to the volunteer team based in Perth.
These are applications to receive a school pack, each of which comprises seven days worth of clothing - three full sets of uniform and two full sets of PE kit - given freely to each child.
Having more uniform to choose from means fewer weekly wash loads which saves families precious money on ever-increasing energy bills.
Online, the Social Flock message to parents is caring.
It reads: “Families can personalise their applications to match their school uniform needs, child’s colour/character preferences for their bags and any sensory needs the child might have.
“We want to make sure everyone can be comfortable, confident and feel individual, autonomous and proud wearing the items in our packs.”
Social Flock has a new collaboration with the Perth branch of Poundland in St John’s Shopping Centre which is allowing customers to donate stationery items which can be turned into full pencil cases to go out with the uniform as a further help to cash-strapped families.
Rachael, a mum herself, founded Social Flock in 2020 originally searching for pre-owned winter clothing to kit out 15 children. That wish list quickly turned into 115 families applying to get the passed-on clothing.
The idea of saving money and helping the environment by stopping unwanted or outgrown items from being binned has been a hit with families.
It became an official Scottish Charity three weeks ago.
A right for appropriate clothing is enshrined in the UN’s Children’s Rights charter.
“We like using the phrase ‘a leg up, not a hand out’ because access to clothing is a human right and our community should have access to high quality clothing which not everyone can maintain in the current cost of living emergency,” said Rachael.
“We have provided 206 of our Clothing Library packs since opening applications in February 2022, roughly 10 packs a week. This project will run alongside providing the School Uniform Packs over summer.”
Rachael’s wish is to widen access to the uniform packs by taking into account not everyone can access the online application form.
So she’s asked if the PA can print a paper copy of the form so families can cut out and apply without needing to access the internet.
We are delighted to help and will issue the form in Tuesday’s PA.
For updates from the group follow Social Flock on Twitter @PerthFlock
