The Teesside Charity launches school uniform pledge to support local children

The Teesside Charity is calling on businesses and individuals across the region to support its school uniform pledge, with every donation match-funded to double its impact.  

With the start of the school year approaching, the charity is experiencing a high volume of requests for primary and secondary school uniforms as parents and carers prepare for the new term.  

Since January, The Teesside Charity has donated £4,695 in supermarket vouchers to purchase uniforms and £1,500 in vouchers for branded items, including blazers and ties, helping 144 children across the Tees Valley. 

So far this year, referrals for uniforms have increased by 135% compared to the same period in 2025. Demand is expected to increase significantly over the coming weeks and into September, at a time when the cost of providing everything a child needs for school can place considerable pressure on household budgets. 

According to recent government research, the average cost of compulsory school uniform and PE kit can run into hundreds of pounds per child, creating an additional challenge for families already managing rising household costs. 

To help support local families, The Teesside Charity has launched its School Uniform Pledge, asking businesses and individuals who are able to help to make a donation. Every pound donated to the pledge will be match-funded, meaning donations will have twice the impact for local children.  

 The charity would like to thank Pneuma Technology Solutions, Malcolm and Carole Knott, Janet and Russ Barrow and Ian and Adrienne Stark for being amongst the first to contribute towards the match-funding initiative and help get the campaign underway. 

Requests for support are made through schools, carers and other professionals working directly with children and families to ensure assistance reaches those who need it. Every penny donated to the campaign will go directly towards purchasing school uniforms for children across the Tees Valley. 

Diane Smith, charity manager at The Teesside Charity said: “We often say that one of the most challenging places to struggle financially is at school. Children notice what other children are wearing and sadly we know this can make a young person feel different, lack confidence and not participate.

“Referrals come to us through schools, carers and professionals who know the families and understand their circumstances. The support is discreet and practical and its purpose is very simple: to make sure a child can walk through the school gates in September feeling just like everyone else.  

“Thanks to the match-funding support behind this year’s pledge, every pound donated will become two pounds to spend on school uniforms. If businesses and individuals across the Tees Valley can give what they can to the School Uniform Pledge we can take one worry away from local families and make sure children can concentrate on being children and getting the best possible start at school.” 

The reality facing families is reflected in referrals received by the charity. They include working parents struggling to meet additional household bills whilst needing to replace uniforms for more than one child, grandparents who have taken on responsibility for raising grandchildren and face going into debt to cover uniform costs and families who have unexpectedly taken on the care of younger relatives. 

A representative from a Tees Valley school said: “Schools see first-hand the pressure the cost of uniform can put on families. It isn’t always obvious who is struggling, parents and carers can be working and doing everything they can, but the cost of replacing uniform for one or several children at the same time can be extremely difficult to manage. 

“We also see the impact it can have on children. Young people can be very conscious of looking different from their classmates and unfortunately there are occasions when children experience unkind comments because of what they are wearing. Being able to refer a family for discreet support means we can help remove that worry without making a child feel singled out.  

“A new uniform might seem like a relatively small thing, but for a young person starting a new school year, it can make an enormous difference to their confidence and sense of belonging.” 

The Teesside Charity is encouraging local businesses, organisations and individuals to support the pledge with donations of any size. With every pound match-funded, even a small contribution can go twice as far towards helping a local child start the new school year with the uniform they need. 

You can donate to The Teesside Charity Uniform Pledge here.