School Uniform
We want every child to feel comfortable and happy at school, and wear their uniform with pride and self-confidence.
The financial pressure of providing school uniform places a huge burden and stress on families and can often lead to ill fitting, worn, unclean or incorrect uniform. Bullying, isolation, or even exclusion can result from wearing the wrong uniform, negatively impacting children’s mental health.
The Child Poverty Action Group estimates that average annual costs can be around £352 for a primary school child and £481 for a secondary school child
End Child Poverty has released data which estimates 20% of children in the borough of Bromley are living in poverty (2021/22): that’s 6 children in a classroom of 30 whose families are unlikely to be able to afford all the uniform items needed.
A report published by Centre for young lives in 2024 revealed troubling stories of children sharing shoes, missing school because they can’t afford PE kits and poverty being the driver for absence in the education system
WHAT WE DO
At Bromley Brighter Beginnings we recognise that having correct, smart, and well-fitting school uniform plays an important role in children’s wellbeing. We aim to ensure children are properly kitted out for school and give families the sense of pride and dignity they deserve.
We have been providing families across the borough with both preloved and new school uniform for the last ten years. In 2024 we received 217 referrals for school uniform and we expect that number to increase in 2025.
We aim provide children with:
- Shorts, trousers, dresses or skirt
- polo tops & shirts
- School blazer cardigans & jumpers
- PE Kit
- New school shoe
- voucher socks & tie
How you can help
Clothing Donations
We would love your donations of both preloved and new generic uniform for primary school children ages from 3 to 13 years.
We cannot accept any school logo branded or secondary uniform due to the sheer amount of school logos across the borough.
All preloved donations must be in excellent, like-new condition. We want these children to feel proud as they start a new school year. Our rule of thumb: If you would give it as a gift to your best friend’s child then it’s in good enough condition for us!
Please only donate items on the School Uniform Wishlist to ensure we have stock of the items we need most.
School Uniform Wishlist
We will gratefully receive donations of the following items:
School Uniform Clothing
Non-logo primary uniform ages 3-13
NEW ONLY age 3-13 (unless otherwise stated)
- White long sleeve shirts (boys and girls)
-
White short sleeve shirts (boys and girls)
-
White short sleeve blouses (girls)
-
White polo tops – Unisex
-
White polo tops – Girls
- White plain t-shirt
NEW OR PRELOVED age 3-13 (unless otherwise stated)
- V neck jumpers (red, green, blue, navy, grey)
- Sweater jumper (red, green, blue, navy, black, grey)
- Cardigan (red, green, blue, navy, grey)
- Unisex PE shorts (black or navy) – no girls cycling shorts please
-
Unisex Jogging bottoms (black or navy)
-
Grey trousers – Boys only – standard fit – Age 6-13
-
Grey Skirts
Items we are NOT in need of:
-
Grey shorts
-
Grey Pinafore
-
School coats
-
Socks
-
Black trousers
-
Black shorts
-
Black skirts
-
Stationary, bags, water bottles or lunchboxes
JustGiving Donations
If you’d like to make a monetary donation for School Uniform you can do so via JustGiving – School Uniform. This enables us to purchase school logo branded and secondary school uniform which is bought new.
Want to become a regular supporter? You can set up your monthly donation here.
Donation Locations
For details of drop-off locations throughout the borough, please use the contacts below (either using Facebook message or email):
| Area | Postcode | Contact | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bromley | Sophie | BR1 | sophie@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk |
| Beckenham | Miriam | BR3 | Miriam@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk |
| Petts Wood | Kathryn Clarke | BR5 | kathrynclarke@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk |
| Petts Wood | Kym | BR5 | Kym@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk |
Donation Guidelines
- Contact your closest volunteer for drop-off location (see table of contacts).
- Please always contact volunteer before dropping off donations.
- Donations must be dropped between 9am – 6pm.
- Please only drop off items which are included on the School Uniform Wishlist.
- All donations must be clean and have no stains/marks, pulls, bobbles or holes.
- Please be aware that there may be times when volunteers are unavailable.
- If you do not get a reply from the volunteer contact amy@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk for an alternative drop-off location.
Deliver Direct
Alternatively you can order new items directly to BBB using this address:
Bromley Brighter Beginnings, Safe Store, Mentmore House, Cray Avenue, Orpington, BR5 3QT
Please note this is a shared storage facility so please include ‘Bromley Brighter Beginnings’ so we will receive these items.
For large deliveries please also contact amy@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk so we confirm delivery.
We are so grateful for any support you can offer. It will allow us to help as many young people as we can to access appropriate school uniform and make them feel great about going back to school.
Other ways you can help
Fundraising
- Nominate BBB as your charity of the year at your child’s school.
- Run school fundraising events such as non school uniform day or design your own uniform competition.
- Run your own fundraising event such as a coffee morning or bake sale.
- Choose BBB as your selected charity on your next run or bike race.
- Support BBB as a business by naming us your charity of the year or publicising us to your employees.
Want more fundraising inspiration? We have over 50 ideas for you, just click here.
For fundraising support email jenny@bromleybrighterbeginnings.org.uk.
Share our mission
Sharing our mission is vital to our success. Especially if a financial contribution is not possible for you, you can still help raise awareness and it costs nothing!
- Save like and share our social media posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
- Share our leaflet with your local community – be it family, friends, neighbours, school groups, sports groups, local businesses – share away and ask them to share it too. Let’s spread the word throughout Bromley and beyond. Download the pdf below:
The difference you make!
Need our support?
School uniform requests must come via a referral: this could be any community professional supporting a family e.g. social workers, health visitors, teachers, refuge workers and charity professionals. We cannot accept self referrals. Professionals can register as a referrer here.
Whilst we accept referrals for school uniform all year round, our new school year School Uniform Referrals for September 2025 will open on 23rd June 2025.
The deadline for uniform to be guaranteed in time for the start of the new school year is 14th August 2025.
To find out more use these links: Referrals and School Uniform Referral Form.
“A massive thank you to everyone who has helped turn around every single bit of uniform and equipment, at very short notice, for the boy who is starting at Coopers on Weds. I delivered about 90% of it tonight and the mum broke down and sobbed in her hallway. I cannot imagine the amount of stress she has been under, knowing that she may not have been able to send her son to school. So thank you, thank you, thank you for relieving that stress.”
Bromley Brighter Beginnings, Family Liaison Volunteer