St Catherine’s PS hosts uniform recycling event

AS the new school term fast approaches, one of the biggest concerns for parents is the uniform or, to be precise, the price of the various items.

Getting your child kitted out for term time can be an expensive business, even more so if there’s more than one school-goer in the family.

With that in mind, St Catherine’s PS in Strabane recently held a ‘recycling event’ in the senior school, where parents could search through ‘previously-loved’ items.

St Catherine’s PS principal, Bridget Wilders, said, “St Catherine’s has been collecting uniforms for quite a while and we have striven to ensure all families get sorted every year for all pupils, be it part of the new intake or current students who need new stuff through year-on-year wear and tear or the inevitable growth spurt rendering current items too small.

“Over the years, St Catherine’s has initiated uniform savings clubs and, more recently, uniform collection banks in the foyer of each school site where families can donate any pieces of uniform they no longer need and which may find a use in another home.

“This is our way of reducing waste and contributing to the environment, as well as decreasing the financial burden placed yearly on parents.”

She continued, “Schools now can be great hubs, central points for collecting pre-loved uniforms and passing them on to others who in turn can love, value and get the use out of them too.

“Once we get the uniform items in, the staff categorise them in accordance to size and, at the event, we were delighted to welcome families to take home any items which would be of use, all free of charge.”

Ms Wilders revealed that this charitable endeavour doesn’t stop once the school year starts.

“Our facility operates all year round because you never know when someone is going to need a vital uniform item.

“If anyone needs a uniform at any time of year I would strongly advise that they check with us first as we may have that essential piece you need in the perfect size.

“We want to help our families as much as we can and sharing our uniforms is certainly one way to do this in these financially burdensome times,” she added.