The Darlington Cares uniform shop is extending its opening hours during two weeks in August to cope with demand before the new school year.
The shop, located on the ground floor of Feethams car park opposite the back of Boyes, will open Monday to Friday 10am–4pm during the weeks of 17 and 24 August. Throughout the rest of August it operates its standard hours of 10am–1pm Monday to Friday. The shop will be closed on Monday 31 August for the bank holiday.
How the uniform shop works
The shop collects donations of unwanted school uniform, has them professionally cleaned, and gives them away free to anyone who needs them. Since it started six years ago, it has provided almost 50,000 items of school uniform to local families and diverted more than 22 tonnes of uniform from landfill.
Volunteers run the service. The council has warned that the shop may be very busy in the run-up to September and asks visitors to be patient. Items are only available if they have been donated, so the specific uniform needed may not always be in stock.
Where to donate uniform
Unwanted uniform can be left at several locations around Darlington:
Uniform Scheme Shop, Feethams – during opening hours. In a Spin Laundry Services, North Road – Monday to Friday 8.30am–12.30pm Saturday. Cockerton Club – donation bin outside the club. Eastbourne Park Community Hub – during opening hours. Firthmoor Community Centre – Monday to Friday 9am–1pm. Dolphin Centre – during opening hours. Lingfield Point, The Beehive – during opening hours.
Jim Garner, the council's cabinet member for stronger communities, said: "The uniform shop is a great service that has been going from strength to strength. The donated items are available to anyone who needs them or who wants to stop preloved clothes going to landfill. The shops is a great asset to the town and links into the council's core principles of addressing inequalities and tackling climate change."
