Manchester-based pub group helps struggling families with school uniform costs

Pub goers across the North West have responded `magnificently` to a call out from the Joseph Holt brewery to help parents struggling to afford school uniforms for their families.

The Manchester-based, 173-year-old hospitality business recently launched a project calling on customers and others within their local communities to donate unwanted items of school wear to help those in need. The Schoolwear Association has found the average cost of compulsory school uniform and sportswear items is £101.19 per pupil. This means for families with more than one child, the amount spent on uniforms can add up to several hundred pounds.

In response, the big-hearted pub group has established collection points within all 127 of their hostelries. Items of perfectly good school wear can be dropped off at any Joseph Holt pub where they will be organised according to size and school and listed on the individual local pub`s Facebook page. Some pubs are also working with local charities to help distribute items.

“Every year, families may well dispose of uniform which may well still be in good condition but which their children will have grown out of,” says Paul Longmire, head of marketing at Joseph Holt. “It made us all think that with so much need at the moment, we could help bring together donated items and ensure they go to those in need.”

“We have been calling out for any aspect of school uniform and kit, so long as it is in good condition. And the response from customers and members of the public has been magnificent. What`s more, recycling uniform will save landfill space and reduces greenhouse gases – so there is an environmental benefit too.”

Manager at the Bricklayer`s Arms in Salford, Danielle McIntosh, says her pub has been inundated with donations.

“Our customers have been fantastic and responded to the call out by bringing in loads of pieces of uniform. They really have come up trumps. We`re carrying on collecting until the end of August to make sure we get as much as we can to go to families who need the help.”

“This again shows how pubs are so central to the community and work to reach out to those in need,” adds Paul Longmire. “We`re sure there will be a generous response from our big-hearted customers and from the community beyond so that we can do something to help struggling families with the cost of providing uniform.”

Those who would benefit from the pubs’ second-hand uniform collection just need to direct message pubs individual Facebook pages and requests will be put aside for collection. Any items left over will be donated to the schools directly.