COULD this be the UK's first uniform bank?

Instead of collecting tinned foods and packet essentials, workers at Sandale Community Hub in Reevy Road West are collecting school uniforms to give out free to families in need in the Buttershaw area.

Marie Doherty from The Hub said the idea came from conversations with parents struggling to clothe their children for class.

Fliers asking for donations of uniforms from jumpers to shirts, skirts, trousers, shoes, ties and blazers have been put through doors in the area and been left at local shops and meeting points in the hope of building up supplies.

Ms Doherty said: "If we are the first Uniform Bank in the country then more should follow.

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"Communities need us. We've heard on the news about the financial strain buying uniform puts on families who are already trying to eek out what little money they have. Schools are getting their on uniform regulations so the pressure is on even more.

"Even families who are on Jobseekers and get an allowance from the Government to put towards uniform costs are lucky if it manages to cover buying a blazer of jumper. It's expensive kit and if there are more than one child in the family it's worse on the purse."

Donations are starting to come in to the Hub now for Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College, Grange Upper School, Home Farm Primary, Farfield Primary, Reevy Hill Primary Schools and Woodside Academy.

"Those are the ones we're starting off with but we'd be happy to take for the wider community if it fills a need and I know it will," Ms Doherty said.

The Uniform Bank will be open at The Hub, Mondays to Fridays 9am to 5pm.

Anyone wanting to make a donation can either just turn up at The Hub during its open hours or telephone 01274 270170 to make arrangements for it to be picked-up.

"We do have a van so we can pick-up donations if people can't get themselves to us. Donations are starting to come in now and we've made a special space for it in the charity shop that we also run in The Hub," said Ms Doherty.

Uniform donated still needs to be in good, re-wearable condition. Anyone in need of it will first have to show proof of address and need first before they can benefit from the scheme.

"Each case would be judged individually on its own merit to make sure our stocks go exactly where they are needed," she added.