A RELIGIOUS group is setting up a school uniform bank help hard-pushed parents in Penrith.

Influence Church, based at 36-40 Burrowgate, will be holding the event on August 12, between 4pm and 6pm.

Parents can just turn up, and there is no need to book.

It is also putting out an appeal for residents to donate unwanted items of uniform.

Judy Reynolds, the coordinator of the project, said: “This is the first year we are running it in Penrith, it is very popular when we ran it in Richmond.

“A lot of families are in extra need so we’ll be giving it away.

“There is a greater need, there’s so many people unemployed now and there’s not much spare cash and school uniform is so expensive to buy and children, being like they are could lose the school uniform in the first couple of weeks – this is a chance to be less concerned about it.

“It is not means tested, as you would need to be at a foodbank, if they need it they are welcome to it.”

To donate items go to the church between 2pm and 4pm on July 9 and 23 or August 6.

For information about the event, or to donate, go to: facebook.com/storehouse.foodbank