‘Every school should have second-hand uniform stall’
A MUM who set up a second-hand uniform stall at her daughter’s school is hoping to see the idea expanded across the island.
Alison Hamer started off collecting uniforms at her daughter’s school, La Houguette, about 18 months ago and said the idea proved really popular.
‘My little one was starting school and I went to all the charity shops and they said “we don’t do school uniforms”,’ she said.
The idea was started by another parent at the school who was not able to take it any further, so Miss Hamer took it on and since then she said it had spiralled.
She now collects items in a bin at the school and sells them on Facebook or by having pop-up shops, for instance at Little Bears and Torteval Pre-School.
One of her friends managed to kit out her child for a total of £12 by buying ‘pre-loved’ items, with Miss Hamer selling jumpers for £2 with items like polo shirts on offer for a donation, and she said that buying one new could cost £15.
Money raised goes to La Houguette’s parent-teacher association and she is hoping that other schools will come on board and set up their own stores to raise funds for their own PTAs.
Since starting at the school, she has raised between £200 and £300 for its PTA.
A lot of schools have generic items as part of their uniforms, such as white polo shirts and blue and white gingham skirts across La Mare de Carteret Primary, St Martin’s and La Houguette.
‘My dream is for second-hand, or pre-loved, school uniforms to be the first choice,’ said Miss Hamer. ‘I’d like there to be a group of parents who are passionate about saving money and raising funds.’
Among her hopes is for there to be regular bring-and-buy sales where perhaps a stall from each school could be set up, or for each school to host its own.
Even if an item is somewhat the worse for wear she said it can still be used – one parent took to making bunting out of cut-up and dyed white polo shirts and even pressed some into service as bandages.
