A TRUST in Bradford has relaunched its campaign to provide people in the city with free coats as a lifeline amid the current cost-of-living crisis.
The Sandale Community Hub in Buttershaw started Coats 4 Community three years ago and last year it distributed over 300 coats to people across Bradford.
With winters getting colder and energy bills on the rise, more people will be cutting back on turning on the heating and will be bundling up in coats and jumpers.
Andy Walsh, founder and Chief Executive of Sandale Trust said: “We have started collecting in August to get as many coats as we can, normally we don’t start until a little later on.
“With the current cost-of-living crisis, coats are going to be a luxury for people.
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“We’ve had quite a lot of donations so far.”
“We got the idea of Coats 4 Community through our uniform bank, where people donate old uniforms and we put them out for parents to take.
“When we started the coats initiative it was only for children but now it’s for everyone.
“Anyone can come and take a coat off the rack, if they like it, they can keep it or they can try another one.”
This year, Coats 4 Community is hoping to source between 500 and 1,000 coats to meet demands.
The initiative works through donations, all coats are checked to ensure they are suitable for use and washed before being put out.
The Sandale Community Hub opening times can be found on the Trust’s Facebook page.
"If any organisations want to get involved and donate coats, please get in touch and if anyone has any coats they would like to donate, we can collect them, as well as any hats, scarves and gloves," he added.
Organisations such as churches and collect coats on behalf of Coats 4 Community and the trust take them on.
While this is one of their current campaigns, the Sandale Community Hub also runs a uniform bank and a foodbank, to support families in the district.
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