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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Glasgow school uniform charity to close amid funding crisis

This news post is over 1 year old
 

Glasgow’s Pre Loved Uniforms began in 2017 but will shut its doors in January.

A charity providing preloved school uniforms for pupils in Glasgow has announced financial pressures will force it to close early next year just months after launching a crowdfunder to protect its work. 

Glasgow's Pre Loved Uniforms, which operates two banks of clothing in the city, will close its door in January, a statement posted on social media confirms. 

A fundraiser, which asked for members of the public to donate as little as £1 to help the charity survive, was opened in August and shared by the charity as recently as November 9. 

However, the crowdfunder has now been removed from crowdfunder.co.uk, as services now wind down.

Writing on Twitter, the organisation said that they were heartbroken to make the announcement. 

They wrote: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce that in January 2023 the charity will cease.

We are No longer taking donations or accepting requests.

For anyone who has followed the journey from the very beginning in February 2017 at Balornock Primary knows how much time and effort I have put into this. 

https://twitter.com/BankUniform/status/1595714120157904899?s=20&t=LtIzA1CYVYj--O8tvwM2kg

“As other schools heard about the service we began to expand throughout the city. Today there's 31 schools with a rail of uniform, free laundered and in good condition available to everyone. I wanted all families to save money on school uniforms and save the environment at the same time. 

“I met so many amazing people and will always remember our conversations, we shared laughs and tears. I am absolutely broken hearted and only wish those in power and funders could see the importance of a child going to school in a uniform.”

Glasgow's Pre Loved Uniforms began in 2017, and was originally known as Balornock Uniform Bank, before becoming North Glasgow Uniform Bank and finally turning to its current name as expansion across the city looked to meet demand. 

After being formed by Donna Henderson, the organisation became a registered charity in 2020. 

Ms Henderson said in a statement on Facebook that she could not have done the work of growing the uniform banks across Glasgow without her husband, children, charity trustees and volunteers. 

She added: “This financial year we have struggled to find funding and and with costs rising we have struggled financially.

“Many of the schools are going to continue the service for their families which means so much to me as the need is now much greater than ever.”