Omagh Uniform Exchange in the News
More than 1,000 families benefit from uniform scheme
More than 1,000 families benefit from uniform schemeClose
A County Tyrone uniform exchange scheme says it has helped more than 1,000 families during the pandemic.
The Omagh Uniform Exchange covers the area between Castlederg and Ballygawley.
Cathy McNamee from the scheme said that they had in stock "upwards of 30 uniforms" from different schools, all to be exchanged for free.
She said uniform costs had "crippled" some families financially impacted by the pandemic and the exchange was set up with that in mind.
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Northern Ireland Published 7 April 2021
UTV - April 2021
A cross community uniform exchange programme in Omagh is helping families in need across Co. Tyrone.
The centre takes in donations of uniforms to help parents and guardians who may be struggling to pay for their children's uniforms.
The project is the brainchild of Cathy McNamee and Dawn Little - they have both seen the need for scheme since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic.
"I think the pandemic certainly has contributed to the financial strain for people," Dawn told UTV.
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"There is not that disposable income that would've been readily available if people were working."
"One thing this project has shown me is there's a huge amount of need - a hidden need," Cathy added.
"There's a lots of families who don't access benefits but whose income has been struck."
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"There's no hierarchy of need here. It's simply if you need an item of uniform, come to us," Cathy said.
"I think there's been a lot of parents under a lot of stress really in different ways," she said.
I think really any help we can give them, any support we can give them, I know they appreciate it.
Cathy McNamee
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"I certainly think it's the right thing to do and we've got to keep doing the right thing at this time to help one another get through this pandemic," Cathy added.
Over the past year, the project has helped over one thousand families.
"I think there's been a lot of parents under a lot of stress really in different ways," Father Eugene Hasson from Drumragh Parish told UTV.
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"I think really any help we can give them, any support we can give them, I know they appreciate it and I certainly think it's the right thing to do.
"We've got to keep doing the right thing at this time to help one another get through this pandemic.
For Dawn, the project is more than just helping families in need.
I've been born and bred in Omagh. Omagh is my community
Dawn Little
"To work with everybody in all parts of the community is lovely - building friendships, having a bit of fun, having a bit of craic - that's what it's all about for us."
Increase in demand for uniform exchange
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13 July 2022
By Thomas Maher
- 13 July 2022
1 minute read
MANY local parents are under increasing pressure with steep price rises for basic essentials like food, heating and electricity. And families are having to spend hundreds of pounds they don’t have to kit out their children for school.
Even with the help of grants, some working families are still struggling.
For some of the poorest in society, this can mean a choice between heating their homes or buying their child’s school blazer.
That is where Omagh Uniform Exchange comes in. It enables parents to get quality second-hand uniforms, which in some cases are barely-worn, for free.
Omagh’s exchange carries uniforms for 64 local schools from Ballygawley to Castlederg, both primary and post-primary. They have all sorts of items from school bags, trousers, shoes and basic uniform essentials.
One of the volunteers at the exchange Cathy McNamee told the Tyrone Herald about some of the services the exchange provides.
Cathy said, “We carry 64 uniforms from different schools throughout the local area. We can provide anything a child might need when they’re at school. This includes shoes, blazers, sports uniforms, trousers, bags, shirts and skirts.”
She said the exchange had seen a massive rise in demand this year due to price increases and asked for more help and donations.
If you have unused school uniforms at home and can donate them you can do so by getting in contact with the group’s Facebook page.
The group also has a JustGiving page that people can donate money to, this is to pay for essential items like clothes rails and hangers.
