Welcome to The Charity Show Bites, the charity podcast bringing you quick-fire stories, insights and surprises from across the UK third sector.

This time, we’re tackling something every parent knows too well: the back-to-school season. September means new shoes, PE kits and endless stationery lists—but for many families, it also means mounting costs and added pressure. In this Charity Show bonus episode, Tim and Piers uncover the brilliant ways charities, volunteers and councils are stepping up to help.

Here’s what you’ll hear:

• 👕 Uniform swaps – from Huddersfield’s 40,000-item mega project to Tracy Morgan’s living-room initiative that now supports 1,500 families.

• 🏫 Community schemes – how local volunteers and councils are running free exchanges and pop-up shops.

• 💸 Tower Hamlets’ bold pilot – universal uniform payments to help thousands of families, without means testing.

• 🥣 Magic Breakfast – giving over 200,000 pupils a healthy start to the day.

• 📚 Books not screens – charities like The Children’s Book Project and Book Trust helping children build their own libraries.

• 💛 Mental health support – Young Minds’ toolkit easing back-to-school anxiety for pupils, parents and teachers.

We also reflect on the bigger picture: branded uniform costs, hidden family sacrifices, and how the sector keeps finding practical, grassroots solutions.

👉 Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or working in the third sector, this episode shows the difference that charity experts and community champions can make during one of the toughest times of year.

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