Today, along with former Ipswich Town player Simon Milton, we brought together companies across Ipswich to sort and deliver much-needed coats and winter layers to schools, spreading warmth to young people in our community.
The clothing, donated by clothing company Luke 1977 to Simon Milton’s charity Futurestars, will be distributed to children in primary and secondary schools over the coming weeks. The donations include branded football team puffer jackets, hoodies and sweatshirts.
Staff from local companies, including Suffolk Building Society, Crane Building Services & Utilities and John Grose, joined the Coats for Kids event at the Unity Centre Community Hub in Whitton, helping to sort and organise more than 750 items of clothing. The coats will now be distributed to local schools in the highest areas of deprivation in Ipswich, to support students who need an extra layer of warmth this term.
Claire Staddon shares, “At Emmaus Suffolk, we support families with low-cost meals and wellbeing support hubs, so this collaboration with Simon Milton felt like a perfect opportunity to reach more families struggling financially. It was wonderful to bring companies together and connect with schools where these clothes will make a difference. A huge thanks to Simon for his generosity and support.”
Former Ipswich Town player, Simon Milton, is a club ambassador for ITFC and Director of sport and education charity, Futurestars, which supports young people in Ghana.
Simon Milton shares, “I am delighted to be partnering with Emmaus to distribute the LUKE coats and hoodies to the local schoolchildren in Suffolk schools. These items were part of a larger donation from Luke 1977 Clothing, and we shipped the t-shirts, polo shirts, and shorts to Ghana in 2024. The padded coats and hoodies are far more suitable for the UK climate, and I am delighted to donate them here in Suffolk. Emmaus does an amazing job recycling and reusing donated items, and we are delighted to help a very worthy cause.”
A huge thank you to Simon Milton, and our amazing corporate supporters for making this project happen and for making a difference for families across Ipswich.