A CHARITY which helps families afford school uniforms is to get a free spot in Blackburn’s Mall next month.

With school uniform grants from Blackburn with Darwen borough council scrapped in the latest round of budget cuts, Shadsworth-based Mum’s The Word is expecting even higher demand than usual for their services. Lancashire County Council scrapped the subsidy in 2006.

The Mall Blackburn has given the charity, run by two mothers, a prime site for the summer holidays from July 19 for six weeks.

With school uniforms often costing families up to £200, the charity offers a full range of school clothing from infant school pants at 50p to senior blazers with logos from £12, half the price of a new one.

Co-founder Rachel Rhodes said: “We are a service for everyone. Parents this year face tough economic times and we offer them a wider choice of uniforms to help them balance their family budgets.”