DUE to an overwhelming demand for clothes in the wake of the town’s second uniform swap shop, Labour councillors are pledging to expand the swap to cover all children’s clothing.
The brainchild of Councillor Joe Baker (Lab, Greenlands), the swap shops work to bring the Redditch community together in heart-warming events which kit out the children of needy families in time for the new school term.
However, it will not just be uniforms and school shoes on the agenda for the next swap, which is earmarked for sometime during the Easter holidays.
“We have had quite a demand for general purpose clothing,” said Coun Baker.
“We are now looking for all types of children’s clothing and shoes to help families in their time of need.”
Coun Baker said the cause is one very close to his heart as he was brought up in severe poverty.
“My mother relied heavily on jumble sales and my shoes quite often had holes in them so I know what it’s like – I can relate from my personal experience,” he added.
In other news, the swap shop may be set to expand in another direction, with Kingfisher Shopping Centre’s general manager Ken Williams working to secure a unit in the centre which can be used as a second collection point.
The support comes after the centre’s Primark store donated ‘a sizeable sum of money’ towards the cost of shoes and socks during last year’s September swap.
Anyone wanting to make a clothing donation can do so at Annaliz Vintage on the ground floor of the Old County Court, which has hosted the swap on previous occasions.
If you want to make a donation but are unable to travel, please contact Coun Baker on 07891 549333 so he can arrange for a fellow councillor to collect your items.
