Darlington Summer Essentials school clothes drive launched

The entirely voluntary service is located in a unit in Feethams Leisure Car Park - having recently moved from Queen Street Shopping Centre to the larger spot last month.

Each year, volunteers give away thousands of pieces of second-hand uniform - everything from shirts, jumpers, skirts, and trousers free of charge to anyone who needs it. 

Darlington Cares runner Chelsea Johnson, 31. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

In December 2023, The Northern Echo first supported Darlington Cares by launching the Coats for Christmas campaign which led to an influx of coats, gloves, hats, and scarves being donated to help those in need.

Now, this is your chance to donate items of clothing you may no longer need or is now too small for your child to wear as we hope to support the service ahead of the next academic year.

The scheme relies entirely on donations - and see a huge spike in demand before school starts back each September.

Here's a list of some of the items in no particular order that the service is urgently in need of:

• Summer dresses and pinafores
• Sun hats and caps
• Thin coats and waterproofs
• Book bags, backpacks, pencil cases and stationery
• Polo shirts and plain coloured shirts
• Shoes
• Ties

The service also accepts other pieces of uniform including blazers, trousers, shirts and jumpers from all schools across Darlington.

Chelsea Johnson, from Darlington Cares, told The Northern Echo she is hopeful the campaign will lead to an influx in donations - especially for items that are desperately needed.

She said: "We're excited for this - and really hoping it will bring in some donations. We really will take anything and everything people have. They just need to bring it down to us.

Darlington Cares volunteers Lynn Sharkey and Elizabeth Cooper. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

"I think it's also a great thing for the environment too - if you look around, all of these clothes would have gone in the bin."

Gavin Foster, The Northern Echo editor said: "This is a great opportunity for the community to come together for good - and not only save clothes from landfill but give them a new lease of life.

"I urge everyone to get involved and give what they can to Darlington Cares. The more donations they get, the better position they will be to help out families across town before school starts."

Recommended:

• Darlington Cares moves to space in Feethams Car Park

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Here's an interactive map of where exactly you can donate uniform to Darlington Cares:

You can donate to any of these drop-off points:

• Darlington Cares centre at the Feethams Car Park
• The Dolphin Centre
• In a Spin, North Road
• Cockerton Club
• Eastbourne Park Community Hub
• Firthmoor Community Centre

This campaign also comes months after The Northern Echo called on politicians to take action on child poverty in the Northern Echo Manifesto.

This was following the latest reports from the North East Child Poverty Commission which reveals the region still has alarmingly high levels.

One in three babies, children and young people across the North East are growing up in poverty - and the area has experienced one of the steepest increases in child poverty rates over much of the last decade.

The region has tens of thousands of children who qualify for free school meals, Universal Credit, the lowest wages of anywhere in the UK, the highest proportion of children living in workless households and the country's highest rates of food insecurity.