Parents across Smethwick and neighbouring areas will benefit from a community led school uniform swap shop which is launching next week at the Dorothy Parkes Centre.

Staff, volunteers and a local laundrette have been busy washing over 250 items, including sweatshirts, blazers, skirts and shoes which have been donated by the local community since a donation box arrived at the Centre on 19th July.

The Centre will host the first two collection days on Tuesday 13th August (from 2pm to 4pm) and Friday 16th August (from 12pm to 2pm) with the local community invited to attend and take what items they need.

The Dorothy Parkes Centre, on Church Road in Smethwick, is a community centre which helps to address local challenges around health inequality, elderly isolation, low educational attainment and significant unemployment by providing, or hosting, a wide range of activities. Robert Bruce, Chief Executive Officer at Dorothy Parkes Centre, said:

“This latest initiative we have launched aims to help the many parents in the area who may struggle with the increasing costs of school uniforms. 

“The summer holidays can bring many financial challenges for parents regarding entertaining their children, going on holiday and then purchasing new school uniforms. 

“We are also aware of an increasing issue around food poverty during the school holidays. We are in the heart of a residential area and are based near ten schools so hopefully this will have a positive impact.”

If anybody would like more information about the swap shop, they can contact the Centre on 0121 558 2998.