A NEW initiative to help families manage the cost of school uniforms has been set up in Wigton.

Alan Pitcher has set up a Facebook group through which people can offer school uniform that they no longer need, and through which other families in need of school uniform can obtain it, with no money changing hands.

Those with clean, serviceable school uniform (for schools in the Wigton area) which they no longer need can drop it off at Mr Pitcher’s residence, where it will be stored.

Anyone in need of school uniform can then contact Alan to see if he has what they need and, if he has it, collect it from him, completely free of charge and with no questions asked.

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Mr Pitcher said: "It's especially hard for those with, say, four kids, it could cost them £200 each holiday. So I just thought: why not set up a school uniform bank. 

"It's only just started and I’m getting uniform getting dropped off already. It’s here to help families kit their children out, hopefully saving some money and avoiding sending perfectly good uniform to landfill."

The Facebook group now has over 180 members, with at least 400 others showing an interest.

Mr Pitcher is now seeking a larger storage space from which the uniform bank can operate, but currently the drop off/collection point form uniform is Ellerburn, Cuddy Lonning, Wigton, CA7 0AA.