Families in Suffolk are struggling to buy school uniforms due to the rising cost of living
Beccles Parish has been collecting school uniforms and PE kits to give to those who need help
The cost of living crisis means families are struggling to pay for things like school uniforms.
A church in Beccles has set up a school uniform bank where people can go and take any school uniform or PE kits, they need, for free.
We spoke to the Reverend Canon, Rich Henderson. The Rector of Beckles and Worlingham North Cove Barmby in North Suffolk, who has helped with the school uniform banks.
He told us about the Uniform bank.
"We've had a team of about 20 involved in the Uniform Bank, in helping and we know we've reached over 100 families now, in giving support.
"We've been providing uniforms for around 10 local schools in this area.
"And when we've gotten uniform for schools that are further afield, we make a contact and get that uniform to somebody closer because we've had uniforms from a much wider area to."
He told us they have been running the food bank for 3 years and this has been the busiest it has ever been.
"We're just seeing an increased need with the cost of living crisis. People are just struggling on a day-to-day basis.
"And we've now started to say we're not helping people out week to week, we're helping a lot of people concentrate on getting through the day-to-day.
"From one day to the next, people are just really struggling and uniforms are part of that.
"If we can help provide a uniform, it means they may have a bit of cash to do other things and spend on other things that they need.
"The cost of living has been the impact that's made the difference on all of our projects. Really we've seen an increase in demand for everything that we deliver."
We asked what kind of reaction he has seen to the people coming to the uniform bank and being able to get what they were looking for.
"They're all so thankful, really grateful, and they expressed their gratitude in all sorts of ways. But we've had people in tears.
"There was one woman who came in, who had got three children.
"Two were going up to high school where they need even more uniform and she just burst into tears when we managed to kit her out with everything that she needed for her children.
"It was just an emotional time for her knowing that, she got what she needed for the family and it was tears of joy and relief, I think."
Rich Henderson told us he isn't surprised by the increase in demand for the uniform bank.
"It's not surprised me because I'm experiencing it myself with higher bills. We're all experiencing it in different ways.
"And and cost of living has an impact on everybody at the moment.
"We just want to try and do what we can as a church, as a parish.
"We've got try and do what we can to help people and meet their needs.
"If we can't do it, then we find a way of supporting them.
"But the thing that I'm noticing is it's impacting everybody, to a lesser or greater degree, and we just try and do what we can in our community and in our context."