A clever program that refashions discarded police uniforms into new colorful clothing for children in need is calling out for people to join its Uniforms 4 Kids sewing group in Baulkham Hills.
The pilot program at Learning in the Hills is working with The Hills Police Area Command to repurpose old uniforms. The program so far has resulted in 25 new garments and 35 specially designed trauma bears since February.
Leonie Paterson, on the project’s volunteer coordinators said it is an enjoyable project that has enabled some volunteers to unleash their creativity.
“Our small team is very talented. Our brief is to make the clothes nice and bright and use 50% police uniform in the design. We have made dresses, skirts, shirts, skorts, shorts and bags.
“ Children’s clothes are nice to make and the upcycling aspect is great, “ said Leonie.
“We meet for two hours on a Tuesday afternoon but it goes longer. It is social as well as helping the community.”
The charity was founded in Queensland eight years ago by Yvonne Pattinson, a keen sewer, who wanted to do something with all the material she had collected over the years. She made some clothes which were donated to an orphanage in Asia.
It was her daughter, Debbie Platz, a serving police officer, who suggested that old police uniforms could be used, rather than shredded, to make clothes for children in Australia and so Uniforms 4 Kids was born in 2018.
So far the charity has prevented thousands of items of uniforms going to landfill and donated over 53,000 items to children who have a need including library bags, pencil cases and hats as well as clothing.
When the Hills pilot program was launched in February this year Anne Macdonald, Director and Operations Coordinator at Uniforms 4 Kids said: “Uniforms 4 Kids are so excited to welcome Hills Community Aid to our volunteer family. “
“The children who receive these items love them, for most children they have never had a “new item” of clothing,” she said.
“When they know that it was made from the uniforms of police who are giving them to them, they feel very special. The hugs the police get from children and the smiles on the children’s faces says everything.”
“We do not sell any of the clothes.” She said the refashioned clothes are donated to domestic violence shelters, migrant shelters, community centres, charities helping communities in time of disasters and children’s hospitals. “They go to children who need them.”
Sessions to create new garments will be held on Tuesdays, 1pm to 3pm at Learning in the Hills, Turner Building, 4 Balcombe Heights Estate, 92, Seven Hills Road, Baulkham Hills.
For more information about Uniforms 4 Kids or other Learning in The Hills courses, scan the QR code or call 9639 7918 to register
