The other day I had a clear out of my son's wardrobe. In it were a nice selection of clothes that no longer fit him that I put together in a bag for my friends little boy. Also were some items of school uniform. Polo shirts, long sleeve white shirts, some trousers. Uniform is so cheap these days that I just replaced it every term when he was at primary school. I didn't feel that anyone would want second hand uniform, so I just put it in the bin...there was nothing wrong with it - I just enjoyed seeing Joe looking smartly turned out and feeling fresh.
And then I watched Children in Need. The introduction to the section I watched talked about the high percentage of poor children in the UK. I honestly hadn't realised the extent of it. I watched the story of a young boy who lived in appalling accommodation. Yes - it was untidy - but the bathroom and kitchen were outdated and in a terrible state. The boy lived with his Dad and his sister - the mother had walked out on them when the boy was two. Dad had been looking for work, but with two children to look after he struggled to find work and care for the children. There was a television in the house - but it was run on credit that they could barely afford and they had to put money in a meter to run it. Sometimes they ran out of electricity and the house was in darkness. It was very sad.
But the thing that made me saddest was when both children talked about school. He showed us the school blouse he wore - it was one of his sister's old ones and it was obviously a girls one as it had fancy seams - and he got teased at school about it.
I thought of my own son. We live in a nice house and a nice area and although things are probably tighter at the minute than they have ever been, as they are for many people, he has everything he needs - and probably almost everything he wants.
In the last month he has had new golf clubs, new football boots and new trainers.
I have started Christmas shopping for him and he will have most things that are on his list.
Yet this boy sits there getting teased because of wearing his sister's old shirt to school when I have thrown perfectly good shirts away that would fit him and that were in perfectly good condition.
What can we do to help this situation and the situation of others in his position.
I don't like putting clothes in a charity bag anymore because you never know where they end up.
So - how can I get clothes directly to the people who need them.
Some schools collect in old uniform and sell items for 50p to raise money for school funds.
Perhaps we could raise awareness of that through our blogging with the Huffington Post and get more schools to do the same.
Perhaps we could start a recycling project to encourage parents to put school uniform in charity clothing banks specifically for uniform and schools could nominate children for it to be distributed to.
I dont know how it would work and who could help me do it.
But I know it needs to be done - I know it can be done - I know lots of my friends who do exactly the same as me with uniform and it is so sad that we throw things away that not only could help other children but could change their lives and help them fit in...such a simple thing - but it could make such a huge difference - comment here if you can help me.