Children’s disability charity reach finals for prestigious retail award
Newlife charity, which has stores selling brand new stock around the UK, has been shortlisted as a finalist for a prestigious retail award for an initiative which saw items of school uniforms sold for just £1.
Newlife The Charity for Disabled Children has been named as a finalist in the Drapers Conscious Fashion Awards 2026. The leading UK publication for retail news and analysis launched their Sustainable Fashion Awards in 2020 and has since expanded their scope to recognise and reward all aspects of sustainable, ethical and circular fashion – and the shortlisted companies represent the best of the best in responsible business transforming fashion retail for a force for good.
Newlife made the list of finalists in the Best Community or Charity Initiative category for supporting local communities by providing brand-new donated school uniform essentials from retailers including Matalan, Sainsburys and George at ASDA at just £1 per item - and a multibuy offer of buy five, get the sixth free.
The initiative ran from 11 August to 6 September 2025 in all Newlife's stores, including the one in Market Drayton, and helped 1,856 children be fully equipped for school at minimal cost, easing back-to-school financial pressures for families - at a time when a Parentkind survey revealed 47% of parents were worried about uniform costs, and 29% had forgone food or heating to pay for them.
The uniform sale also raised £11,139 in revenue for Newlife to support children with disabilities by providing essential equipment such as wheelchairs, buggies, car seats, and beds, as well as offering families access to the free Nurse Helpline. Newlife also provides loan of emergency equipment when a child’s medical condition is unstable and has a Play Therapy Pods service which loans specialist sensory toys to families for 12 weeks, bringing the joy of play to all children with disabilities.
Carole Simpson, Director of Retail and Sustainability, said: “We were able to make a measurable social impact by providing affordable school uniforms, raising funds for essential equipment for children with disabilities, and helping children directly. The money raised could fund over 1,100 calls to the Newlife Nurse Helpline (£10 per call) or approximately 37 Play Therapy Pods (£300 per pod), supporting children and families in practical ways.
“This initiative was also able to transform potential waste into community value by using brand-new uniform items donated by high street retailers, preventing them from going to landfill.
“We currently work with more than 100 High Street retailers by providing an alternative to sending items to landfill or recycling, ensuring stock which is of a saleable quality reaches a new audience of customers and remains in the sustainable fashion loop, rather than going to waste, while also promoting circular fashion and making a positive social impact by contributing to a charitable cause."
