Berkshire charity's second-hand uniform sale helping parents

Emma Cantrell, CEO of First Days, says the charity is working with local schools to keep costs down

A children's charity has set up a second-hand uniform sale to help parents struggling with costs at the start of the new school year.

The government introduced a new law last year to protect parents in England from unnecessary school uniform costs.

It forced state schools to remove unnecessary branded items from their uniform requirements.

But parents using charity First Days' uniform shop in Wokingham, Berkshire said it has not made a difference.

Emma Needham says uniform costs are a "constant thing" every year

NHS worker Emma Needham has three children and said she struggles each September.

"The price of school uniforms is a headache and a worry for me," she told the BBC.

"It's a constant thing as they're always getting really worn or grim by the end of the year," she explained, adding: "So every year, having to buy more and more is really expensive."

Chenayi Stouta says buying uniforms for her three children was "quite expensive"

Other customers at First Days' second-hand uniform shop said they had similar concerns.

Chenayi Stouta said she also has three children in school and all need five shirts each for the start of the new academic year.

"Having to go to buy three for £30, it's quite expensive," she said.

Annette Medhurst says she is surprised how many items needed to be logoed for her daughter's school

Annette Medhurst, whose daughter is about to start secondary school, said she was "surprised by how many items needed to be logoed and from a specific supplier for the school" and how expensive it would be.

Another mum, Jenny Heath said: "It all mounts up, especially when you need trousers and shirts and all the other bits of logoed uniform as well."

Jenny Heath has also turned to the First Days shop in Wokingham to source second-hand uniforms

First Days is working with local schools to try to keep costs down, said the charity's CEO, Emma Cantrell.

She said: "It's not until you sit down with a school and say 'what is it about having the logo on the PE kit that makes that child better performing?'

"It's very difficult then for the school to come up with a valid answer. It's once you have those conversations that lightbulbs come on."