Chippenham Uniform Exchange is a new, not-for-profit community interest organisation helping the town’s families with the cost of school uniform. “Our aim is to create a single unified scheme for reusing preloved items of school uniform in Chippenham, Wiltshire,” explained project manager and mum of three, Jade Uğur (pictured above with Rachel Neville, Headteacher at Frogwell Primary School).
“We enable Chippenham families to dispose of outgrown school uniform ethically for the benefit of the community instead of throwing it away into landfill. Families can pass on to us any items of school uniform no longer needed which can then be accessed at very low cost through pop-up shops or provided for free to families who find themselves in financial hardship.
“The scheme is available to all families with school-aged children in the Parish of Chippenham.”
Jade explained that she had the idea for Chippenham Uniform Exchange during the Summer holidays in 2022 after watching a TV feature about recycling school uniform. “After much research, I registered Chippenham Uniform Exchange as a Community Interest Company with Companies House, and then obtained funding from Chippenham Borough Lands Charity to get started ready to launch the scheme to families in January 2023.”
Chippenham Uniform Exchange operates from Jubilee Building, 32 Market Place, Chippenham, SN15 3HP for storage and organisation. Families can access uniform at very low cost from our the exchange’s pop-up shops, with dates and locations advertised on its website and Facebook pages.
“Families can also request uniform directly at any time using the ‘uniform request form’ available on our website and emailing this to email hidden; JavaScript is required,” added Jade. “Uniform is provided for free with a suggested (not compulsory) donation, which includes £2 for logo items, coats and shoes, and 50p all other items.
“We accept request forms from families directly as well as from support organisations working with families. Families can choose to collect the requested items from their child’s school or from Jubilee Building.