Old school uniforms help orphans abroad

Old school uniforms from Newtown are helping to make a difference to orphans and children who have been forced into slave labour.

Newtown company Constructiv Clothing has been sending old school uniforms from local schools, donated by children, parents and carers, to countries including India and Uganda for children to wear to school.

The company, based on the Mochdre Industrial Estate, has teamed up with Lightforce International to send unwanted uniforms to some of the most impoverished areas of the world.

“We have started to receive photos of children in India (pictured) who are orphaned or have been rescued from local slate mines where they were forced to work,” said Vaughan Harding, from Constructiv Clothing.

“We also sent a large quantity of old uniforms to projects in Uganda and we are expecting some images from there also soon.

“We are only one of a handful of school wear suppliers in the UK, and it is our understanding the only one in Wales, that cares enough about our planet and clothing going into landfill to come up with an initiative to help both the environment and people less fortunate than ourselves.

“Welshpool and Newtown High Schools’ old uniforms went to India, while Caereinion and Llanfyllin went to Uganda but they can end up in any country after being sorted by our Charity partner, Lightforce International. The Primary School uniforms we collected have also been sent to loads of countries.”

Vaughan added that the company will be launching another project in the spring to collect old uniforms for distribution, and he will be informing the participating schools soon.