What began as a one-day Peterborough school uniform swap last July has since grown into a permanent fixture on Bridge Street, backed by the city council and two major co-operative retailers. More than 600 people queued outside a former burger bar on Bridge Street for the original pop-up, picking up free second-hand blazers, coats and prom dresses and prompting organisers to make the arrangement last.
Peterborough School Uniform Swap Gets a Permanent Home
The Peterborough City Council initiative, known as the Second Chance School Uniform Shop, is a collaboration between the council, Central Co-op and the Co-op Group, with the Co-op Group having funded the original shop set-up. Following the success of the July 2025 pop-up, a permanent shop opened at Roots and Rise in Queensgate in November 2025, before relocating to Units 1 and 2 in St Peter’s Arcade in August 2026.
The current shop sits between Argo Lounge and Middletons Steakhouse and Grill on Bridge Street, with a sign placed on the street when the shop is open. It is free to use: parents can donate items or take what they need, with no transaction required.
For Hannah, 30, whose eldest daughter starts secondary school in September, branded uniforms ‘really hit a hole in the budget.’ She said: ‘I put money aside even before they finish the previous school year, because I’m thinking of the costs coming out of summer. This is a great way to give back to the community.’
Victoria, 33, said her five-year-old had ‘shot up’ in size and needed summer dresses for the new term. ‘She’s five but she’s in six and seven-to-eight stuff so we need summer dresses,’ she said. Victoria described herself as ‘quite savvy’ about attending free events during the school holidays to keep costs down. ‘I’d probably be more stressed if these things weren’t here though,’ she added.
Donation Boxes in 50 Schools Across the City
The infrastructure behind the scheme has expanded beyond the shop itself. The council’s Recycling Education Team has placed uniform donation boxes in 50 secondary and primary schools across Peterborough. Schools without a box can request one directly from the council.
Roland Burt, a local artist and community volunteer who previously ran a uniform project at a unit in Queensgate Shopping Centre, had been pushing for exactly this kind of year-round provision. ‘My mum recalled me crying as to why I couldn’t go to school one day, and it was because I didn’t have a school uniform,’ he said. ‘Parents make a lot of sacrifices.’
Cristina Fernandez-Hierro from Peterborough City Council framed the scheme in environmental as well as financial terms. ‘Supermarkets and shops are selling too much and there’s much more that can be shared,’ she said, adding that reusing clothing helps the environment and that participants feel ’empowered’ rather than reliant on charity.
Chris Wiggin, the council’s member for the environment, confirmed the authority is taking donations of uniform that no longer fits. ‘We’re looking at our options going forward of how we keep this as a year round option,’ he said.
The BBC reported on a separate pop-up free uniform and prom dress stall in Peterborough on 13 July 2026, underscoring that demand for this kind of provision extends well beyond the back-to-school rush. With donation boxes now in place across Peterborough’s schools and a permanent shop open on Bridge Street, the question for the council is whether that supply of donated stock can keep pace with the queues.
