A charity is to double the number of children and schools that it helps with uniforms, shoes and PE kits by the end of the year.
Pelican Parcels plans to expand its School Uniform Project from 12 schools last year to 24 by the end of 2026, with demand increasing from families, schools and referral partners across Brighton and Hove.
The project includes not just uniforms, shoes and PE kits but stationery and age-appropriate books too.
Last year, the charity gifted more than 3,400 school uniform items to 520 children, helping them to start the school year with the essentials that they needed to feel confident alongside their peers.
The children’s charity is now calling on local residents, schools, community groups and businesses to donate good-quality school uniform items or make financial contributions so that it can meet demand from new school partners before the new school year begins.
One volunteer, Jane Fendley, a former primary school head, said: “During the 14 years I worked as a head teacher at a local school, we had families having to make decisions such as: do we pay for basics? Do we pay for fuel? Do we pay for food? Or do I try to get this uniform in?
“I could see there was a weight lifted from their shoulders after learning about the support from Pelican Parcels.”
The average cost of a primary school uniform has been estimated to be about £340, with household budgets remaining under pressure and many families struggling to afford essential items.
Pelican Parcels is asking families to donate clean, good-quality, unbranded school uniform items for children aged 4 to 11.
The charity is particularly seeking
- white or sky-blue polo shirts
- black or grey trousers and shorts
- black or grey skirts and pinafores
- gingham dresses
- school jumpers and cardigans
- black or navy PE shorts or jogging bottoms
- white PE T-shirts
- grey or black socks
- grey or black tights
The charity added: “Financial donations are also urgently needed and help the charity respond to rising local demand, reach more schools and ensure more children can start the school year with everything they need.
“Pelican Parcels also supports families with children aged 0 to 16 with everyday essentials such as clothing, baby items, beds, toys, books and toiletries.
Donations can be dropped off at the Pelican Warehouse, Units 1-2 Manor Industrial Estate, Newtown Road, Hove, BN3 7BA, from 10am to 2pm from Monday to Thursday and from 10am to 12 noon on the last Saturday of every month.
To make a financial donation or to find out more, click here.
The charity is urging residents, schools, community groups and local businesses to get involved and help to ensure no child starts the school year without the essentials they need.
They could benefit from linking up with Smarter Uniforms, some duplication of work going on there!
A lot of these charities are partially funded from Government, means more Government money to multiple administrators doing the same job, just like in Government and Councils. Too many involved with not enough product, even Housing Associations are converting to charities, reduces tax liabilities on their organisations.
Sometimes; often it’s drawing from the same pool of resources. That includes people and time, arguably the most scarce resource of them all.
True, getting these organisations to join forces means some the overpaid top jobs would vanish, and that’s where the real challenge is,
Certainly an issue in the top performing mega charities, Brighton College, for example. For a lot of the local charities in Brighton, very little in the way of paid positions.
Smarter Uniforms and Pelicans Parcels do completely different things and for different reasons: the first is mission led around recycling and reuse, the second, Pelican Parcels, mission is to support children and families living in poverty. However the two organisations do collaborate where possible and help each other.
Indeed, where the work aligns, in this case the provision of low-cost uniforms, it still makes sense to collaborate. Many hands, light work; sum of our parts, etc!