World Book Day: Yorkshire charity sets up uniform exchange for struggling families

The Well Project in West Yorkshire, which has seen a rise in demand of working parents becoming reliant on its food bank in Normanton, said the Christmas jumper days and World Book Day put additional strain on families who don’t want their children to be bullied.

The Well Project, which is a community project supporting hundreds of people each week through offering activities, exercise, financial support and a Trussell Trust food bank, is managed by Michelle Newton.

Michelle said: “Families are struggling to afford school uniforms and food let alone a costume for a day.

“We’ve set up a uniform exchange and we also sell and giveaway cheap costumes which people donate.”

Michelle added demand has soared for uniforms, clothes and food but donations are down.

“We’re working with everyone now, working families, those on benefits, everyone is struggling.”

A community centre in West Yorkshire St George’s Young Lives Consortium have advertised their free Walk-In-Wardrobe of World Book Day costumes which is another one of several initiatives across the region.

Social enterprise Empath Action CIC opened their community costume emporium in January which is open every Monday and Tuesday all year round for a range of special days, events and shows.

“Community costume emporiums such as ours not only reduce waste but they save people money too and help to enable everyone to access costumes,” said Steven Busfield, co-director of Empath Action CIC.