Huddersfield charity Uniform Exchange has been awarded the top honour any voluntary group can receive.

The charity is to receive the King’s Award for Voluntary Service – the equivalent of an MBE – for the outstanding work done by its volunteers to provide free secondhand school uniform to anyone who needs it throughout Kirklees.

The charity, based in Lockwood, is one of just 281 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups receiving the prestigious award this year with the news released on King Charles’ 76th birthday.

Uniform Exchange provides free school uniform for families struggling to afford it, especially in the most deprived areas across Kirklees and several are classed as being in the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England.

The charity encourages thousands of people across Kirklees to donate school uniform through dozens of collection points which volunteers collect, clean, mend where necessary and redistribute to families in need or anyone who wants secondhand uniform.

Demand on the charity is soaring and it’s on course to help around 10,000 children this year, giving them 100,000 items of school uniform. All the uniform is reused or recycled and the charity’s work keeps around 50 tonnes of school uniform from needlessly going into landfill in Kirklees each year.

Volunteers also run the charity’s fundraising shop on its Burbeary Road site which is simply called The Charity Shop.

It’s managed by volunteer Danni Jones, who said: “I love volunteering and helping people and this is a real community charity which is why people love it. We have such a loyal customer base in the shop as we keep prices incredibly low.

“We also keep some free school uniform in the shop and one lady burst into tears when we gave some to her she was so overwhelmed by the charity’s generosity.”

 

 

Uniform Exchange has a team of more than 30 dedicated volunteers, including its founder and project director Kate France, boosted by contributions from 14 local companies which saw close to 300 people helping in 2023.

In total they gave 10,227 hours of their time, equivalent to 1,278 full working days.

Kate said: “I see the hard work all our volunteers do day in and day out to help thousands of families struggling financially across Kirklees.

“They do it with a smile, a determination and a passion to ensure that every child receives what they need to fully integrate into school which is such a critical foundation in their lives.

“This award is for our volunteers, a testament to all the countless hours they put in to help others and a fantastic recognition that their work is truly appreciated. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you to each and every one of them, past and present, on behalf of all the thousands of families they’ve helped.

“They make a real, tangible difference to the quality of people’s lives and that’s what community charities are all about, selflessly helping others.”

Kate added: “Uniform Exchange is the only way people can get free school uniform in Kirklees which is why we are such a vital frontline service. It’s a wonderful community effort with thousands of people taking the time and trouble to donate school uniform to our charity each year so I regard them as honorary volunteers too.”

 

 

Uniform Exchange volunteer Deborah Rawcliffe said: “I wanted to support a service that helps others and school uniform is so desperately needed by people struggling to afford it. The cost of buying a full set of school uniform is ridiculous and simply unaffordable for people in dire straits who really need the help Uniform Exchange can provide.”

One junior school in Huddersfield said: “The positive impact that providing uniform has, not just from a financial perspective but also on the self-esteem, confidence, sense of belonging and general emotional and mental wellbeing of all of Uniform Exchange’s beneficiaries – children, carers and parents – is immeasurable. “

A disabled single mum from Huddersfield with four children added: “Following separation, divorce and my resulting reliance on the benefits system I couldn’t afford new uniform and the high school didn’t have any secondhand uniform.

“Uniform Exchange has provided all of the uniform my family needed from then onwards and relieved the most awful worry and financial burden from me.

“I don’t think it can really be appreciated until you’re in that situation just how much anxiety and cost is centred around keeping growing children provided with uniform which are the clothes they wear for the majority of the time, all year long.

“The fact I no longer had to buy that uniform meant my family budget stretched further and I had more in my bank account to put the heating on in winter and buy decent food for the children. I should think Uniform Exchange’s work has saved me at least £5,000 over the last decade which to a low-income family like mine is a massive amount of money.”

 

 

Uniform Exchange will formally receive the stunning crystal award and certificate from the Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Ed Anderson CBE, at a later date and two Uniform Exchange volunteers will be invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace next summer.

The King’s Award for Voluntary Service was created in 2002 to celebrate the late Queen’s Golden Jubilee.

Nominations for the 2025 award are now open and for more information go to https://kavs.dcms.gov.uk/

For more information on Uniform Exchange or to order free school uniform go to https://www.uniform-exchange.org/

Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.

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