On the back of an empowering ad campaign readying kids for an epic year back at school, online retailer Very.co.uk is aiming to level the playing field for hundreds of families this summer who might otherwise struggle to afford new uniforms with a celebrity-fronted fun event, open to all.

On the 17th of August, the one-day pop up will be located at the Observation Point on London’s South Bank. Very will give back to the community, with hundreds of uniforms, coats, and backpacks given out to attending families.

Hosted by single parent and former hair stylist to One Direction Lou Teasdale, the pop-up will help kids bring their A* game in September when it comes to their self-confidence in the classroom. Families will be invited to select up to three items from a stocklist of brand-new shirts, trousers, skirts, jumpers, shoes, coats and backpacks to take away for free!

Lou Teasdale commented “Children, especially teenagers, lean on clothing as an expression of who they are – whether that’s to fit in or to stand out – and to boost their self-confidence around their peers. I’m so glad to be part of a campaign that aims to help families give their kids school clothes they can be proud of, whether that’s new products or helping them smarten up pre-loved items. Kids and families have had a difficult two years and it’s both exciting and probably daunting too as they get ready for their first “normal” year back, so anything we can do to boost their confidence is hugely valuable.”

Juliet Uzor, former primary school teacher and winner of 2019’s Great British Sewing Bee, will be on hand to help families refresh and upcycle preloved uniform ahead of the new term.

And for kids who love a challenge, Team GB basketball star and former Love Islander Ovie Soko will be hosting Hot Shots, a basketball competition, giving participants the chance to take home extra prizes.

Ovie Soko said “When I think back to my own school years, yes it was fun and I had some great friends, but it was also quite a turbulent time, in terms of growing up, the pressure to do well and social stresses. Sport was always a great outlet for me, it gave me somewhere to focus my energy and it was something I really excelled in, which was a great confidence boost. I’m looking forward to putting these kids through their paces and hopefully giving away some great prizes too – we’re going to have loads of fun.”

Visitors at the fun family event will be entertained by Heart DJ Dev Griffin and Capital XTRA’s Yinka Bokinni and invited to enjoy complimentary sweet treats.

Alongside the uniform offering, families will also be gifted a book for their child, as part of Very’s partnership with childhood literacy charity Coram Beanstalk.

Carly O’Brien, chief marketing officer at Very, said: “As a brand, we’re focussing on empowering kids to feel great about themselves, and ready and excited to return to the classroom. We know how challenging the costs around uniforms and school supplies can be, so we wanted to help alleviate the pressure on families to make sure that kids feel energised for the school year ahead. As an organisation, we’re committed to helping to reduce uniform poverty, and we will continue to look at ways to support families in the coming years to ensure no children are held back by uniform worries.”

This latest initiative comes on the back of The Very Group’s recent commitment through Radio City Cash for Kids to distribute more than £8,000 worth of school uniforms across communities in the North West to children and young people who need it the most.

According to a 2020 survey by The Children’s Society, parents with children in state schools spent on average £337 a year on uniforms for each secondary school child and £315 per year for each primary school child. The Nuffield Foundation report further revealed that parents and carers reported having to make trade-offs like going without healthy food so their kids had the right clothes for school.

Families are invited to come along to the pop-up between 11:30am and 4:30pm on Tuesday 17th August at the Observation Point, where they can each take three items of schoolwear and a book, as well as bring along preloved schoolwear to be upcycled and refreshed for the new school year.

More information can be found on Very’s Instagram @veryuk or through the hashtag #VeryBacktoSchool.

Event details

Date: Tuesday 17th August

Time: 11:30am-4:30pm; celebrity hosts will be on-site from 12pm-2pm

Location: Observation Point, 56 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PP

Entry: Free entry, no need to book