The cost of living crisis has left some children having to go to school without underwear, a North Yorkshire charity has said.
The relevation shows how the Clothing Bank has become a criticial resource for people in need across the region, offering discreet and confidential support.
Established in 2020 and run by Sally Parker and Susan Bell, it provides vulnerable people with clothing and other essential items that they may not be able to afford themselves.
The foundation now has over 120 locations across the UK and is supported by a network of volunteers. Since it began, it’s operated from Susan’s back garden in Knottingley.
Last June, Sally and Susan won The Environmental Hero Award at the YorkMix Hero Awards. In anticipation of this year’s celebrations, we caught up with Sally.
Nominations for the YorkMix Hero Awards 2025 were launched on Monday. The event, supported by Yorkshire Profiles, will see members of the community gather together to commemorate local heroes.
Sally believes that their award win significantly increased awareness of the charity across York and North Yorkshire, and provided a lot more exposure.
“It was a really good night, we didn’t expect to win an award! I think we were still sitting at the table when they announced us, and we were like, ‘oh, it’s us!’
“But it was lovely, and nice to meet all the other organisations, and hear so much positive stuff that’s happening. It’s great for networking,” she told YorkMix.
Sally feels that the event as a whole provided a much-needed local platform. “It was what’s been missing in the UK, a positive channel to recognise what goes on in the local communities.”
Reflecting on the win, she shared, “It was humbling and a bit surreal really.
“We didn’t see the win as giving me and Susan recognition, we saw it as giving the Clothing Bank community that supports us and all the little cogs that make it work recognition. We couldn’t do it without them.”
Collaboration with schools
As demand for the service grows, the Clothing Bank continues to collaborate with more schools, who have been reaching out to the charity for support.
“So schools have been coming to us and it’s just highlighted that some kids are going to school without underwear, so that’s what we’ve been providing,” Sally explained.
She emphasised that it’s a lot more common than people think, and the situation is getting worse.
An exciting development that has come since the awards has been the charity’s new green donation bins, where people can drop off clothes for the Clothing Bank team to manage.
“We’ve had the main one for about half a year now, and then the other ones have just arrived at the beginning of this month,” Sally said.
The bins are located locally in a loop, close to the charity’s base in Knottingley.
“So we’ve got one at Selby, one at South Wilford Legion Centre, Byram and Sutton Social Club, Knottingley rugby club, Burton Salmon. And we’ve got one further afield that somebody did in the memory of their dad, and they’re manning that for us,” she added.
The Clothing Bank team helped over 9,000 people last year. They’ve also been busy running appeals such as their pyjama appeal, which provided over 1,600 pyjamas and new outfits during Christmas.
If you’d like to know more on the Clothing Bank, check out their Facebook page and website.
If you’d like to put forward someone you know for a YorkMix Hero Award, click here.