SECONDHAND SEPTEMBER: Reusing school shoes

Friday 15 September 2023

A Guernsey shoe shop is embracing 'Secondhand September' by collecting donations of children's shoes to be passed on to new owners.

With youngsters' feet often growing quickly, parents may find they're left with good condition school shoes that their own children can no longer wear.

To help avoid good quality shoes being left to gather dust in a cupboard, or be sent to landfill, Sole Mates is hosting a donation box at its shop in the Arcade.

Any children's shoes in good condition left in the box will be donated to Health Connections which will gift the shoes on to parents of children who need them. 

This can include school shoes, other formal shoes and casual shoes too - so long as they are in good condition and in children's sizes. 

Kerry Hulse, Manager of Sole Mates, said it's an idea that came out of wanting to help people.

"Anyone who's got kids know that they may have only worn them for a couple of months so they're still in really good condition. If you're not sure what to do with them rather than bin them then it's a good cause to forward them on to someone who actually needs them."

Mrs Hulse said any children's shoes will be accepted in good condition and she thinks it will be a permanent arrangement between her shop and Health Connections.

"I think it's going to be permanent, and an ongoing partnership so keep coming in!"

Pictured: Secondhand September can be traced back to 2019.

Secondhand September was first launched by Oxfam, in 2019.

As well as being kinder on the pocket, it is aimed at helping to fight the climate crisis by reducing the world's dependence on fabric production by encouraging us to reduce, reuse and recycle clothes and other textiles.

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