Vanessa Opie, Barbara Scott-Hill, Mark Phipps, Vicpiervy Chan, William Gardner
A NEW second-hand clothes shop at Hampton Hill School in Tawa could mean improved safety lighting for parents, pupils and the community, says the school’s principal.
Louise Bray-Burns, who is heading up the idea, says money raised from selling the clothes will be used to put lights along the school’s internal pathways, which are also a public walk-way.
The idea involves parents donating good quality clothes and shoes that their children have grown out of and putting the money raised towards projects, including the lighting.
“It’s all just about helping people out,” says Ms Bray-Burns.
“Because this is a real walk-though for the community and at night it’s pitch black on that path, we’re pushing hard to raise funds.”
Parents of students at the school are keen to get involved in the clothes shop project.
Parent helper, Barbara Scott-Hill says the school would sell the clothing from fifty cents to one dollar.
In addition, parents would benefit by being able to buy low-cost clothing for their children.
“Instead of giving it away to charity, which is nice, let’s give it to our own community and our own school,” says Mrs Scott-Hill.
“I’ve already got two other parents who have signed up to help me run it.”
Mrs Scott-Hill and her husband are also trying to obtain grants for the school to help obtain the lighting.
In addition, the organisers of the scheme believe there are plenty of other ways the money could be used: one idea is to get curtains in the classrooms.
Ms Bray-Burns says this is important as it would serve as a form of protection for the children.
“If something major happened in the school, it would be good to have rooms with curtains on them so that we can close them and keep the kids inside and out of sight.”
The principal says they hope to keep the shop running long term.