As child poverty soars in the UK, with over 13,000 children living in poverty in Northamptonshire – I’m setting up a children’s shoe collection point in her campaign centre which is in a former Northampton boot and shoe factory.

The shoes collected will be donated to a charity set up five years ago by a mum who was unable to find a donation point for her son’s shoes once he had out grown them. The charity, called Sal’s Shoes sent over 1,500,000 pairs to 44 countries worldwide in 6 years.

However, more and more of the donated shoes are being given to children in the UK as schools and teachers have contacted the charity for help.

I read about Sal’s Shoes in a Sky News report. As my campaign centre is in the old Barratt boot and shoe factory, It’s appropriate to set up a collection point for the charity.

Child poverty has been on the rise in Northampton with more families forced into using foodbanks and experiencing holiday hunger. Setting up this donation point is just a small contribution to easing the pressures on them.

If it’s a choice between buying their children new school shoes or buying food at least charities like Sal’s shoes can help alleviate some of that pressure.”

The shoe collection point is in my campaign office in Barratt House, Kingsthorpe Road NN2 6EZ and will be open from 1pm-4pm – Monday to Friday. Contributions of new or good condition used pairs of children’s shoes will be welcome. The collection will be running from now until December 13th 2019.