First founded in 2020, The Clothing Bank is a grassroots community-led charity that’s dedicated to tackling clothing poverty across the country – it needs your help!
Across the UK, rapidly rising living costs have led to not only an increased rate of food poverty, but also clothing poverty, wherein families and individuals are unable to source essential clothing for their everyday needs. According to Just Fair, approximately 5.5 million adults currently go without essential clothes, and, according to Poverty and Social Exclusion, 1 million children lack at least one basic clothing necessity (necessary clothing items are generally classed as essentials including all-weather shoes, warm coats, and clothing required for work or school).
To counteract these tragic rising rates and make life easier for those who are struggling, The Clothing Bank collects unwanted clothing (kindly provided by a proactive community of donors and volunteers) and redistributes it to those who need it the most. The charity works in tandem with organisations such as Saint George’s Crypt in Leeds, with a wide range of sponsors including Polonia Yorkshire FC, Drax, Hillside Childcare, Wild Child and Specsavers.
The Clothing Bank’s important mission is even more crucial this month, as more children and teens head back into schools and colleges – the charity is aiming to provide a warm winter coat for every child in need for this coming winter (around 5,000 are currently required), and they’ve been inundated with requests from new school leavers desperate to secure suitable clothing for upcoming college courses.
Donations are welcome via Collection Bins and Donation Drop Off Points, of which there are more than 100 in Yorkshire alone; these include multiple locations in York, and volunteers stationed in Bishopthorpe, Copmanthorpe, Clifton Moor, Fulford and Heworth; Drop Off Point locations in the wider area include Pocklington, Pickering, Whitby, Sherburn in Elmet, Stillingfleet and Selby; Selby’s Micklegate Car Park is also the closest location where York residents can find a Collection Bin, which is open for donations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you’re thinking of donating some pre-loved clothing via a Drop Off Point, remember to ring ahead to arrange a suitable time to meet up with your local volunteer!
Visit www.theclothingbank.org.uk/ find out more, get in touch with your local volunteer, sign up as a volunteer, sign up as a sponsor, make a donation to The Clothing Bank, or find your nearest Collection Bin. Every donation and sponsorship helps, no matter how small!
Are you a local organisation or registered charity that needs our help? Get in touch with Your Local Link via email at info@yourlocallink.co.uk!
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