Inside the vital West Dunbartonshire school uniform bank

Glasgow Times

25-06-2025

Run by the charity West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare (WDCF), the uniform bank lends a helping hand to families who are affected by poverty or have fallen on hard times.
From full uniforms, jackets, bags, shoes and PE kits to stationery, underwear and lunch bags, the uniform bank is a vital lifeline, helping kids feel confident in their new school wear and giving parents and guardians one less thing to worry about.
(Image: Clair Coyle, charity manager with West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, pictured by Colin Mearns.) Clair Coyle, manager of WDCF, said: 'Parents always tell us how grateful they are that this service is available because if it weren't, they wouldn't be able to buy everything that their child needed for school.
'Since starting 10 years ago, I'd say we've helped about 2,000 children.'
She continued: 'There are some parents who before knowing this service was available, couldn't even afford to get their children a new pair of shoes for starting school.
'This uniform bank is the difference between a child being confident and getting stuck into their learning and not. We love doing the uniform bank, especially when we know that the impact can be immense.'
(Image: Clair Coyle, charity manager with West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare, pictured by Colin Mearns.) (Image: Clair Coyle pictured by Colin Mearns.) READ NEXT: Second petition launched to save 'vital' Glasgow bus route
The charity set up the uniform bank with the intention of making it more of a recycling project.
However, after applying for a range of grants and funding, the charity decided to hand out brand-new uniforms to West Dunbartonshire families and use any pre-loved uniforms as extras.
Clair said: 'We began to apply for grants so we could buy new uniform items rather than giving children just pre-owned clothes.
'We got new items donated to us as well. We take in pre-owned uniform donations as well, but we tend to give them out as a second or a third option for families.'
(Image: Clair Coyle with staff member Jamie Chisholm, pictured by Colin Mearns.) Clair revealed that as times have got tougher for most in the aftermath of Covid-19 and the current cost of living crisis, the uniform bank has seen an increase in families needing help over the last few years. Particularly those who have children in high school.
Clair said: 'Recently, it seems to be more high school children who are needing uniform support because their clothes are bigger, so it is more expensive.
'Over the last few years, it has become more difficult for families and there isn't as much spare cash for replacing clothing or uniforms. So, this is a service which we see as being very much needed.'
(Image: Clair Coyle pictured by Colin Mearns.) The charity has seen a big uptake in all its services in recent years, which include delivering emergency food parcels, a baby clothes bank and providing emergency vouchers for gas and electricity top-up meters.
Clair said: 'We're very much aware of the hardships that households and families are facing. Things are very difficult. Even trying to keep the gas and electricity on is a massive struggle for a lot of households. We help with that as well through our fuel poverty project.
'It's really good to know that we're making a difference and the difference it can make for a child is enormous.'
And this charity is making sure that they will always be there when they are needed.
Clair said: 'As long as there's a need, then we hope to be here to be able to help.'
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The charity provides uniforms for the back-to-school rush, as well as throughout the year for kids who may have damaged their clothes or grown out of them.
For more information on the charity, visit westdunbartonshirecommunityfoodshare.co.uk