Alnwick charity supports students with school uniform as hardship fund demand grows
A charity has supported 30 Alnwick students with school uniform this summer as demand for their hardship fund grows.
BOOST, who support pupils’ wellbeing at Duchess’s Community High School (DCHS) believe this could be a record-breaking year for their Discretionary Hardship Fund.
The fund provides a helping hand for families with low incomes or when an unexpected change in circumstances puts additional pressure on a family.
Over the past few weeks, BOOST have responded to 30 requests from families looking for support for the cost of new school uniform and equipment.
This support is available throughout the year, not just at the start of the school year, and extends to support other costs associated with taking part fully in school life, such as trips, out-of-classroom experiences, music lessons and additional equipment.
Chair of Trustees Katherine Williams said: "This is BOOST at its very best. Behind every request is a young person and a family, and behind every bit of support is a community that has chosen to invest in them.
"We are incredibly proud of the difference we make through the Discretionary Hardship Fund, and incredibly grateful to everyone whose generosity means we can be there when a family needs a helping hand.”
The fund is made possible by the generosity of people, families, businesses and organisations who support BOOST.
Headteacher of The Duchess's Community High School, James Wilson, said: "We work hard as a school to keep the cost of attending school as manageable as possible and this includes ensuring that most of our uniform is non-branded to keep costs down.
"We also recognise, however, that circumstances can change and that even essential costs can sometimes become difficult for families to meet.
"The support provided through BOOST can make a genuine difference at exactly the point it is needed.
"I would like to thank the volunteers at BOOST for making this possible. I know how hard they work to ensure every individual request is considered and responded to, and to ensure as many students are supported as possible."
To apply to the Discretionary Hardship Fund for help with DCHS uniform costs or other DCHS activities, visit dchs-alnwick.org/hardship.
To find out more about BOOST and how you can support its work, visit boost-dchs.org.