THE school uniform swap shop day has proved an overwhelming success with organisers calling a halt just two-and-a-half hours after opening.
The event, organised by Redditch Labour Party and promoted by borough Mayor Councillor Joe Baker, saw up to 200 parents desperate to get their children kitted out for the start of the new term.
“At one point it was like a Black Friday event, you couldn’t move for people,” said Coun Baker.
“It was the busiest one we have had to date and I’d like to thanks the Redditch Standard for publicising it so well.
“We were inundated with quality clothing and we even had one person in Tamworth who’d seen the story online parcelling up some clothes and sending them to us.”
He added that people were still bringing school clothes in on the day – Wednesday, August 31.
“We shifted over 100 pairs of shoes, 200 pairs of socks, we’d received donations of £300 and at one stage I had to go out and re-stock things were going so quickly,” said the Mayor.
“For myself I think this shows that people are really feeling the pinch with all the cuts that are being made and when the Government talks about things getting better I personally don’t believe it.
“The proof is in the number of people coming in and openly saying they are struggling and these aren’t people on benefits but ordinary working families.
“We have a high level of need in Redditch but at the same time we have in turn been shown overwhelming support from people in the community who want to help and that has been wonderful.”
