Charity Corner: Two clothes charities provide lifeline for Harrogate families

Two charities in Harrogate are working hand in hand to provide people and struggling families with free clothing.

The Harrogate Clothes Bank and The Village provide clothes to a vast range of people in need of their help.

The clothes bank was set up in July 2016 to cover for an unmet social support needs in Harrogate. It started by providing free clothes, bedding, toys and baby equipment to the refugees and asylum seekers arriving into the district.

In 2018 it was expanded to anyone on a low income. Then in 2020, to avoid duplicating what other charities were doing, all its baby toys were donated to Harrogate and Knaresborough Toy Library and baby clothing to The Village.

In 2015, Jess Price set up The Village (previously called Baby Basics) to offer clothing bundles for children up to six. It also puts together starter bundles for new mums and provides nappies, push chairs and other larger items.

The Village and the clothes bank now work together to make sure families in need are cared for.

The charities support those fleeing domestic abuse, asylum seekers or if they are on a low income. People are often referred to the charities by local organisations but can also get in touch directly if they are in need of clothing.

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Both charities say, although it may not be apparent in Harrogate, there is a great demand for services like their’s.

Mike Proctor, co-ordinator of Harrogate Clothes Bank said:

“There are many charity shops in Harrogate offering clothes at low prices, but for some people any cost is unaffordable. This might be due to long-term financial problems or a situation of sudden crisis and critical need when a large number of items are needed suddenly. For example when fleeing domestic violence. On average our service users take 15 to 20 items per visit.”

Since the start of the pandemic the number of families accessing the clothes bank has dropped but Mr Proctor expects levels rise to those similar to pre-pandemic in the coming months.

For Ms Price self referrals to The Village have increased over the pandemic. She said:

“There is definitely a need in and around Harrogate. We’ve seen an increase in self referrals since covid hit. People we give things too often go through redundancy, separation, fleeting domestic abuse, emotional trauma. We cater for many refugee families in the area.”

Harrogate charity hopes to break second hand school clothes stigma

A new Harrogate charity has set up with the ambitious goal of breaking the stigma around second hand school clothes.

The Village Harrogate held its first ever “Uniform Swap Shop” this month where parents can pick up clothes for their children.

As well as taking new clothes, parents can also donate their children’s old school uniforms. The clothes are bundled up in bags and the volunteers all wear protective visors to keep families safe.

Jessica Price, the manager at The Village Harrogate, told the Stray Ferret that the charity has been inundated with requests:

“It was great to meet so many new people and start to build up a real community. The people who turned up were so happy that we had set up. Harrogate is such a lovely place but there are a lot of underlying issues that many people don’t recognise.”

Ms Price added that, in her own experience from raising four children, buying new uniform on a regular basis can add up to a lot of money.

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It comes after the Children’s Society 2020 report on school uniform found that parents were spending three times more than what they expected.

“The Wrong Blazer” report also highlighted how children wearing the wrong uniform can lead to bullying, isolation or exclusion.

The Village Harrogate, formerly known as Baby Basics, also runs a baby bank where new families in need can pick up starter packs. They are filled with nappies, clothes and wipes but the charity also has toys, cots and other equipment available.

Anyone who wants to get in touch with the charity with donations or requests can send an email by clicking here.

The “Uniform Swap Shop” will be held outside West Park United Reformed Church once a month. The organisers have not yet set up the October meeting but will post a date on their Facebook page.