Emma Rodden, Lauren McCall and Tracie McGee — one of the SNP nominees to become the party's Holyrood candidate for Renfrewshire South — have teamed up to start a school uniform bank which will provide brand new school clothes for youngsters living in poverty.

Back to School - Johnstone and Villages will be Scotland’s 14th uniform bank and it will be run on a voluntary basis.

Emma said: “There is so much poverty across the country at the moment so the idea is to collect brand new items of clothing to give to children whose families have been affected by poverty whether it’s benefit sanctions or simply low pay.” The uniform bank will work on a referral basis and children can be referred by care professionals, GPs, schools and local family support organisations.

These referrals are completely confidential so no-one ever would be aware the family received assistance.

Cash donations will be accepted, as well as gifts of new clothes, which will allow the organisers to go out and buy exactly what is needed.

Emma said: “They just give us the ages of the children and what is required.

“So it could be school uniform or it could be winter clothing as it’s coming up to the winter now the focus is on warm jackets and shoes.” The group made the decision to only accept new items of clothes and cash donations.

Emma said: “The point of the new clothing is because for these children it could be the only piece of new clothing they actually have.

“It’s about giving them a bit of dignity, a bit of pride and giving them what everybody else has so when they are at school they are only judged on their academic performance not judged on what they are wearing.

“It allows them to fit in with their peers and gives them the chance to be like everyone else.

“We have had a lot of resistance, people get quite angry on social media about the fact we won’t accept second hand, but for that you would have to have laundry facilities as well.” The uniform bank will cover Johnstone, Linwood, Bridge of Weir, Kilbarchan, Howwood, Lochwinnoch and Elderslie and referrals can be made all year round.

The first collection point to be confirmed is Weans World Aftercare in Brewery Street, Johnstone but the group are hoping to expand and have a number of collection points in the area.

Emma said that Renfrewshire Council do provide residents who are struggling with a £55 clothing grant for the year, however, she argues that this may not be enough.

She said: “My wee girl, for example, just broke her school shoes so there might be parents who just simply can’t afford to replace them during the year.

“£55 doesn’t really go a long way when you think you have to buy shoes and jackets and kids grow at an alarming rate so what happens if two months down the line nothing fits them any more?” Emma said that all of the country’s uniform banks stay in close contact and are able to swap the uniforms they have between them if specific items are required.

The group have been working with Johnstone High School teacher, Michael Fulton, who will liaise with the schools and raise awareness of the uniform bank.

Johnstone High School have also agreed to donate some of the proceeds from their dress down day in October.

Tesco in Linwood and E Williams Butchers in Kilbarchan have also donated £50 each and the group have an initial target of £500.

Lauren added: “What we would really like to see is no need for anything like this.

“In this day in age this shouldn’t be an issue. We shouldn’t need to rely on charity for basic things like food and clothing for children.” To donate to Back to School - Johnstone and Villages please visit facebook.com/backtoschooljohnstone or search for BTSB Johnstone on Twitter.