Guest Blog: Fashion & Textile Children's Trust

If you are a parent or carer working for a UK fashion or textile company, the Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust might be able to help you.

About the charity

The Fashion & Textile Children’s Trust is a charity which helps the children of people working for UK fashion and textile companies. This includes people working in retail, manufacture, laundry or distribution for fashion and textile companies. People working for supermarket brands which sell clothing can also apply to the trust.

The trust has funding available now and are keen to reach families who need support for children’s essential items including clothing, school uniform, children’s bedroom furniture and household appliances.

Anna Pangbourne, Chief Executive Officer of FTCT, commented, “We have seen many families tell us they took on more debt during the pandemic and don’t have savings to fall back. Now the cost of living is rising, we are worried there might be many children going without the things they need.

"This is where our grants can make a huge difference, relieving money worries for parents, while making sure children have life’s essentials, such as comfy beds, devices to do their homework and school uniform that fits."

Can you apply?

The FTCT can accept applications from parents and carers who:

• Work or recently worked for a UK fashion or textile company, for at least one year within the last nine years. Find out more about FTCT criteria.

AND

• Have children aged 0-18 years.

• Parents/carers who are out of work can still apply, provided their employment with a UK fashion or textile company was for at least one year within the last nine years.

What can FTCT fund?

The FTCT can fund children’s essential items including:

• Essential clothing, such as seasonal clothing and school uniform and PE kit

• Baby essentials, for example, clothing or equipment

• Children's bedroom furniture, including beds, bedding, clothes storage furniture (chest of drawers)

• Essential white goods, perhaps replacing a broken appliance such as fridge/freezer, washing machine, cooker/oven.

• Specialist items, for children with additional needs, such as sensory toys, adaptive clothing or SEN (special educational need) adapted computers

• Therapy, to support a child's physical health, mental wellbeing and learning needs, e.g. speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, psychotherapy

How to apply

Families thinking of applying to the FTCT should check the charity's website to make sure they meet the criteria of the charity.

Applications can be made online on the FTCT website 

Alison, Olivia and Ben’s Story*

Mum  Alison has two children, Ben (10) and Olivia (7). Alison found out about the FTCT when using the Turn2us Grants Search tool. 

“I run my own handbag design company, while juggling care for my children. Money was so tight even basic items like school uniform were proving hard to afford. The kids were always going to school in old clothes because we couldn’t afford anything new.

“There was definitely an aspect of wanting to keep up appearances and not wanting to admit even to ourselves how bad things had got.  After finding out about FTCT on the Turn2us website, I was so glad to see the trust could help us. 

"To be able to take the kids shopping for new clothes felt amazing. Knowing they could choose what they wanted and we could buy it for them, was such a relief. Olivia is so proud she’s always laying out her new clothes on the bed the night before wearing them to school."

Despite initially being reluctant to take the first step and ask for help, Alison has only one piece of advice for people who find themselves in the same position as her family.

Alison says: “Apply, apply, apply! The charity were so supportive and helpful and it’s brilliant to know  that help is out there.”

Notes

*All names have been changed at the family's request.

Image is a Canva stock photo, licensed and supplied by Fashion & Textile Children's Charity and used with permission.