Mum-of-two sets up school uniform exchange to bring “huge” costs down for parents

As children return to school, a Caerphilly mum has taken it upon herself to set up a uniform exchange scheme to help bring “huge” costs down for parents.

With the cost of living crisis in full-swing, mum-of-two Lisa Watkins has a range of donated branded uniform for primary and comprehensive schools across Caerphilly town and the surrounding areas.

Speaking to BBC Wales, Lisa said: “There’s just a huge range. We’ve got things which are normal uniform, PE kit, we’ve got some trainers, shoes, the branded items, non-branded items.

“Some things are brand new with tags still on, so there’s some really good quality items here that have still got a lot of life in them and can help, potentially, a lot of families.”

Lisa, who has a child in primary school and another child in comprehensive school, continued: “The cost, ongoing, on uniforms, has been huge. Not just the initial starting out with the uniform, but you fast forward a couple of weeks into term and they lose items of uniform and then you’re forced to go back and buy things from the logo suppliers.

“As a parent myself, I’ve always tried to buy the logo products because I don’t want my children to not fit in and to not have the same as everyone else. However, if everyone can use these kind of schemes, use second-hand, pre-loved uniforms, then that would remove the stigma for everyone.

“Everyone should have the choice to shop around and to not be forced into spending £300 on a uniform for each year. The cost is just astronomical.”

According to the BBC, one solution to ease the costs of uniforms suggested by Wales’ Education Minister, Jeremy Miles, is to scrap school badges on uniforms or provide free logos that can be ironed onto uniforms.

But Eithne Hughes, from the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, told said it would be too little too late. She said: “Saying now, just at the beginning of term that there may well be a change, doesn’t actually really help parents very much, people have already purchased those school uniforms.

“Child poverty in Wales has been a stubborn problem for this government for some considerable period of time time and we need to look beyond stick-on logos in order to try and support those families who most need it.”