Beneficiaries are referred to the charity by referral agencies – social services, children’s centres, health teams, as well as food banks and other charities working with those facing poverty, such as the Nottingham Arimathea Trust. People who fit the criteria are given a Sharewear voucher. The ‘depot’ is laid out like a shop and people can choose items and try them on before taking them away. The charity also delivers consignments of clothes to charities such as the YMCA hostels in Mansfield and Nottingham; Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Refugee Forum and the Arches project. “One lady came in looking for a winter coat as she’d been sharing a coat with her husband. When she found something her face just lifted as her self-worth come back.” Florence, 10 years with xxxxx
“We get quite a lot of people coming to us after release from prison. In one case the gentleman had returned home to find that all his clothes had been sold by his ‘friends’! We also support a lot of women who have fled domestic violence and have left their clothes behind. These clothes help people get jobs… accommodation… and enable them to turn their backs on negative networks,” said Louise. The charity also works with the Red Cross to provide clothes for victims of house-fires, as well as those affected by flooding as a partner of the Emergency Response Unit for Central England. Sharewear has attracted the support of celebrities such as Maxine Peake, Julie Hesmondhalgh and Sara Pascoe who have shared photos of themselves on social media wearing the charity’s ‘nothing to wear’ TShirt. 5
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Above: Louise Cooke amongst the donated clothes
The charity launched ‘Manuary’ in the new year to encourage men to clear out their old clobber and help provide the menswear that is so desperately needed. Louise shares some of what she's learnt on her journey: Harness the support of volunteers. They are your lifeblood. Don’t overcomplicate things beyond the need for safeguarding. Don’t duplicate support already available. Could you help an existing organisation? If there’s still a need, work out which charities have allied goals and work in partnership with them. • Don’t become dependent on goodwill with 'in kind' premises. When you have built a reputation, take a leap of faith and lease premises of your own. People are now starting to take us more seriously now that we are not seen as a little project based in a church.
First Taste: bridging the generational divide To find out more visit: sharewearclothingscheme.org
