A community initiative has given hundreds of locals one less cost to worry about.
Over the past almost 12 months around 800 people have used the Clothes Basket, a monthly program that allows people to take donated clothing items for free.
August will mark the program’s first anniversary.
Pastor Kelvin Rowland from the Church of the Nazarene says there are plenty of reasons to celebrate.
“It really has been quite an amazing, eventful journey for us,” he says.
“I’ve gone to other towns even and I talk about the Clothes Basket and they’re like ‘how do we start one of those here?’.
“We do know that some of the clothes that come in here are actually going to help generational families which is really quite wonderful.”
Pastor Kelvin says they’ve been overwhelmed by the community’s support.
“We haven’t had to ask for donations since January this year because people just keep coming by the church and dropping off whatever it is … they’ve gone through a cupboard, or their son’s grown out of everything or mum and dad have downsized their wardrobe.”
However some items often run lower than others.
“One in general is men’s clothing, which we never seem to have enough of,” he says.
“The women’s clothing well and truly outweighs the men’s clothing and for teenage kids between 12 and 17 … we’re always struggling to get those things in.
“So if I could ask anybody for anything that’s what I’d ask for.”
People have also been using the initiative as a chance to refresh their wardrobes in an environmentally-friendly way.
“Some people are coming back in here giving up something they bought 10 years ago so that they can grab something from 1982,” Pastor Kelvin says.
“It’s been very exciting to watch people recycle their clothes rather than have them thrown out.”
Stay up to date with the program here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084297219013
