A WIRRAL mum has launched a scheme aiming to both help lower income families and save the environment – by setting up a coat and warm clothes exchange service.

Angela Hill is the brains behind Wirral's new Coat Exchange – a scheme, it is hoped, will provide families with the option of swapping their child’s outgrown coats, hats and other warm clothes with new ones that fit.

Mum-of-four Angela, from Irby, said the concept could be the first of its type in the country, and is different to free uniform “shops” existing in the area.

That's because this process is more "discreet", as well as being focussed solely on winter clothing and based inside the schools themselves.

Angela explained: "People are quite proud and may not want others to see their needs, but this will be a whole lot more discreet.

"It's also different as people will feel like they are giving charity as well as receiving it."

It all started when she saw a Facebook post believed to be from either the USA or Australia, where a similar scheme was seeing some success.

Angela, 43, liked the idea so much she decided to start it at her own childcare firm, Holistic Children, before attempting to get schools to adopt it.

According to Angela, who has lived in Wirral for 12 years, two schools in the area are already "on board", and donations of coats have already been taken.

As well as helping those with less income, Angela said one of the main drivers behind the idea was the recycling element.

She added: "It's obviously going to have financial benefits for people in terms of coats and winter clothes being expensive parts of the school uniform.

"But I don't want this to be about a 'poorer schools' scheme, I want it to be for everybody so that perfectly good coats aren't being put in the landfill, which is what often happens when coats are given to charities.

"It means perfectly wearable items are wasted.

"My children went to school in Birkenhead a long time ago.

"Then, there was no issue with second-hand uniform – blazers, coats and all sorts were just passed down. It was very normal as these items are very expensive – but that doesn’t seem to happen now – I want to reverse that.

"I would like to try and say to parents 'this is going to save you money, but it's also going to save the environment and your child’s future'.

"Children are the people who are going to be affected by these changes, not us.

"We simply cannot spare all this waste as a planet."

Angela, who hopes the scheme to be up and running in the next few weeks in time for the cold weather to set in, said the response so far to her idea has been "excellent".

She added: "They are saying it's a great idea and lots of people want to get involved and help with donations.

"They especially like the idea of donating to a charity where they know the results are going to stay in their area, and they can visibly see them."

One of the scheme's biggest pleas as well as clothes is hanging racks.

To get involved, call Angela on: 07757 607879.