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Sun, 30 Aug 2026

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 School uniform swap shop 'saves money and tackles second hand clothes stigma'

A free initiative which started with one school four years ago now has more than 200 involved.

* Jon from Cardiff came up with the idea as a result of the cost-of-living crisis, to help parents with the financial burden of paying for school uniforms which can run into hundreds of pounds.
* Figures from the UK government put the average cost of a uniform at about £343 annually for primary school children and £442 for comprehensive pupils.
* Jon's scheme allows families to list their good quality outgrown school clothes and offer them to other families within the school community for free, with a potential to save Welsh families over £50m a year.
* The website has already exchanged 8,000 items and Jon's children Tom and Sion help him with the scheme.
* Almost half of parents said they're worried about the cost of school uniforms, according to research by Save the Children and the Baby Bank Alliance network.
* Elise, a mum of three, has benefited from the scheme and says it's "amazing for saving money" and allows her to find what she needs through the scheme.
* Jon started the scheme at his children's school, Ysgol Treganna in 2022, and still organises the swaps for the school with deputy head Gareth Evans.
* The scheme is not just about easing the financial strain on families, but also about sustainability, with Jon saying it "helps both their pocket and the planet".
* Some schools, including Kingsbury High School in London, are now involved in the scheme, which also takes away the stigma of asking for help with clothing your child.
* In England, from September uniforms will be limited to three items with a school logo, such as a blazer, jumper or sportswear plus a tie for secondary schools.