Alford community project sees huge rise in demand for their school uniform bank
It's thought the rising cost of living is to blame
A community project in Alford which offers free school uniforms says it's seen a major rise in demand as many families struggle with the cost of living.
Significant numbers of parents have been worrying about prices ahead of the new term.
The town's uniform bank takes donations of school clothing and gives them to families in need.
We spoke to Jan Parrott who's coordinator at the Alford project.
It's becoming increasingly busy week on week
She told us: "We've actually had parents come in and cry because we've been able to help them - that's how desperate some people are - mortgage rates have gone up."
"They know that come September they're going to be struggling to equip the children out."
"The demand is definitely there."
"It's becoming increasingly busy week on week, we've given out over 38 thousand items now in the three years since the uniform bank has been up and running."
"This year we've had to move to larger premises because we just couldn't cope with the volume of people coming in."
Families are saying I don't know what we would do without you.
"It has been manic - sometimes on a Friday we have 7 volunteers in and we still have people waiting to be seen in the reception area."
"At the beginning of the summer holidays they were getting equipped getting ready for the children to go back in September."
"They were coming in and just saying - I don't know how we're going to be able to afford it this year."
"Every week we get at least one, two or three families say - I don't know what we would do without you."
"We see on average between fifteen and twenty families a day when we're open and we're only open from nine o clock in the morning until 12 on a Wednesday and Friday."