The Button Box is a children’s clothing project based in Midlothian. We collect children’s clothing donations age 0-16 yrs throughout the year and then hold free community events where all Midlothian families regardless of their circumstances and background are welcome to come along for a ‘cuppa and a chat’ and to collect free clothing for their growing families.

We have now had 3 very successful events where we have welcomed over 200 families and over 400 children over the last few months and managed to re-home over 8tons of children’s clothing!!!
We have our 4th event coming to Mayfield on the 28th of October and I have attached the full information for the event and we would appreciate if you could share this with your staff, pupils and families.
These events would not have been possible without the fantastic support of all our volunteers.  It is the hard work of all our volunteers who help us sort and organise the vast amount of donations that keep on coming.  As well as individual volunteers we have had various groups of volunteers help us throughout the past few months including local Schools and nurseries. We have had children as young as 3yrs old and up to 15yrs helping us sort our donated clothing into age and gender order.
We were delighted when one of the first schools ‘Mauricewood Primary School’ in Penicuik invited us in to share our project at their pupil assembly to develop the idea of ‘Responsible citizens’.  We have also spent time with individual classes and pupil committee groups throughout Midlothian.
When invited into schools we share information on the work we do and how this links with:

* Health and Wellbeing
* Inclusion
* Child Poverty
* The importance of recycling

What was even more fantastic is the schools we have visited can clearly see how the work we are trying to do strongly links with the purposes stated in the Curriculum for excellence which as you know are:

‘Helping children and young people to become:

* Successful learners
* Confident individuals
* Responsible citizens
* Effective contributors

This has meant that the pupils have been able to get involved with the ‘sorting of the clothing donations’ thus making a real difference to our project and supporting their local families and community during their school day, and of course raising awareness of the quality of clothing that all children and families are welcome too.

We would love to have more schools involved with our project and this is where you come in!…

Do you think you could help us make a difference?
Would you like to support a local project?

We would love to come along and share our work with your pupils and staff team.  We would love to have your school supporting us with this important work that is really making a difference to children and families across Midlothian.

For more informaton on the the event please see our website http://thebuttonbox.org.uk.