16th July 2024
This year across the Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon council area we are running a back to school
initiative to help our young people as they go back to school in September. For many across the
country, the cost of going to back to school is sky high. The cost of uniforms, PE kits + all required
stationery is at an all time high and puts so much pressure on families over the summer.
For a lot of the young people on the Aspire Programme, they often have to go without a number of
essentials required for going back to school in September. We want to alleviate the pressures on the
families of the young people on the Aspire programme and help equip them with everything they
need to get back to school in September.
We are asking for your help in this. If you can help us by purchasing items for a school uniform, stationery
or simply want to donate and enable us to purchase the items directly you can do so. Any help
at all with our Back To School Initiative will be greatly appreciated and will go along way in supporting the
hundreds of young people and families will be able support.
There is already some fantastic work that happens in the Belfast area in regard to helping young people
with uniforms and back to school essential's. This is carried out by Redeeming Our Communities (ROC).
This year, any of the young people on the Aspire Programme that is in needed of anything for going back
to school, we will be signposting them to ROC. We will also be supporting ROC with this initiative where we
can.
We appreciate not everyone has the means to go out and shop locally for school uniforms. We also
appreciate you may not be aware of what stationery is relevant for schools in 2024. We have
created wishlists online which you can use. Or alternatively, you can donate directly to this initiative
using the link in the button below. We will then purchase items needed using this donation.
We appreciate not everyone has the means to go out and shop locally for school uniforms. We also appreciate you may not be aware of what stationery is relevant for schools in 2024. We have
created wish lists online which you can use. Or alternatively, you can donate directly to this initiative.
We will then purchase items needed using this donation.
Specific Items:
We need primary school jumpers, secondary school blazers, high school skirts, secondary school P.E items, & shoes (both trainers and school shoes for primary & secondary school).
Primary school jumpers - most primary schools have become a bit more lax about a school crest being on the jumper, but it is always nice for students to have an item that gives them an identity and sense of belonging in the school, so new or lightly used school jumpers would be really helpful.
Blazers - specific to the schools we work in, so lightly used items that can be re-purposed for our students. (see full list of schools below)
Shoes - We are always in need of all types and sizes of shoes - these are from kids aged 10 - 16 years old. This obviously varies in size, but anything is helpful for at least some of the families.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the Back To School Initiative.
Use the button below to get started with your question.
