Merseyway Uniform Shop raises over £1,300 for local charity and sees 3,000 items given a second life

Merseyway Shopping Centre’s Pop-up Uniform Shop has raised £1,322 for local charity, Emmie’s Kitchen, after 3,000 secondhand school uniform items were donated and sold to families across Stockport this summer.

Returning for its fifth year, the popular community recycling initiative once again proved that one family’s outgrown school uniform can make a difference to another – helping families save money and reduce clothing waste while raising vital funds for a local cause.

The initiative saw an incredible response from the Stockport community, with more than 3,000 items donated, alongside support from Reloved Uniform 4 All – a community project in Stockport that collects, washes and redistributes pre-loved school uniforms.

From shirts and trousers to blazers, PE kits, school shoes and bags, every item was available to purchase for just 50p, helping local families prepare for the new school year without the usual back-to-school price tag.

Behind the scenes, the success of the shop was also made possible thanks to an incredible 187 hours of volunteering. Members of the Merseyway team and Stockport Council’s Neighbourhood Team dedicated their own time at the uniform shop throughout its opening week in August to sort, organise, stock and run the initiative, ensuring the doors stayed open and the community could make the most of the scheme.

The initiative has now become a firm back-to-school tradition in Stockport, with thousands of items given a second life over the past five years and thousands of pounds raised for local good causes.

Victoria Nichol, Centre Manager at Merseyway, said,

“It has been fantastic to see the Stockport community come together once again to make this year’s Uniform Shop such a success. Raising £1,322 for Emmie’s Kitchen while selling more than 3,000 pre-loved items is an incredible achievement, and we couldn’t have done it without the generosity of local families and the support of Reloved Uniform 4 All.

“We also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who gave up their own time to make the shop happen. The 187 hours volunteered by the Merseyway and Stockport Council Neighbourhood teams demonstrate just how much community spirit sits behind this initiative.

“Five years in, the Uniform Shop has become much more than somewhere to pick up an affordable school jumper or pair of trousers. It’s about people helping people, giving perfectly good uniforms a second life and making sure families can access school essentials at a price that works for them. We’re incredibly proud of what the community has achieved together.”

The funds raised will support Emmie’s Kitchen, a charity based in Manchester that provides free hot meals, snack bags and wellbeing support to parents and carers staying with their poorly children at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

The success of this year’s school uniform shop at Merseyway also highlights the growing demand for sustainable and affordable ways to prepare for the new school year, while keeping wearable clothing out of landfill.