Ealing Broadway’s popular School Uniform Store is returning to the centre this August to help families find essential items ahead of the new school year.

From Saturday 3rd August to Sunday 18th August (10am-4pm), families will be able to pick up to four items for free, including branded and non-branded core school uniform, sportswear, footwear and school bags, without having to make a donation.

Visitors with unwanted school uniform and sports kit items at home are encouraged to drop them off at the donation point which is already available next to Flying Tiger Copenhagen. The shopping centre has asked that donations are of good quality and laundered, with the national online School Uniform Shop already donating more than 1,000 pieces to the store.

Volunteers, who are supported by charity Mencap, will be helping to manage the shop, including acting as a helping hand for shoppers. The nearly-80-year-old charity supports hundreds of individuals with learning disabilities in the local area, including sourcing opportunities for work experience and routes into employment.

This is the centre’s third pre-loved uniform store, with its successful events last summer and at Easter seeing over 4,000 families benefit from more than 11,300 donated pre-loved school items. The stores have also prevented several tonnes of items from going to landfill, with any damaged items being recycled.

The uniform store comes a month after Library of Things opened at Ealing Broadway, with dozens of household items available to rent.

Andrew Rollings, centre director at Ealing Broadway, added: “We know how valuable our free School Uniform Stores are for parents and children in the community, especially while living costs are still high.

“We really appreciate the local community supporting the initiative and donating hundreds of good quality pre-loved items, not only does this save other families money but it also prevents them going to landfill. We look forward to welcoming families next week and helping them find what they need for the new school year!”

Councillor Josh Blacker, Ealing’s cabinet member for a fairer start recently donated some of his children’s pre-loved items and said: “As a parent of a school-age child I know how expensive kitting them out for the next school year can be. And if you have more than one school-age child then that expense just goes through the roof. The free School Uniform Store is an absolute must visit for families.

“My thanks go to Ealing Broadway for continuing to host the store throughout the year and my thanks also go to all those who donate to allow the store to be fully stocked.”