Lifestyle

‘If you are in a position of poverty, dignity and choice are taken away’

By Medic Saves

When CJ Bowry was unable to find a charity to take her toddler son’s outgrown shoes in 2013, she decided to set up a one herself.

Fast forward ten years, and her initiative has donated an incredible 4 million pairs to kids in 59 countries across the globe.

Called Sal’s Shoes, the charity collects outgrown footwear and distributes them to children whose families cannot afford to buy new. It has nine branches across the UK – including in London, Salford, Crewe and Milton Keynes – in a bid to make the giving process as similar to shoe-shopping as possible.

Around 13.4 million people were living in poverty in 2020/21, according to the Joseph Rountree Foundation – of these 3.9 million were children. And kids’ feet grow fast; between the ages of five and twelve, children’s feet grow by around a centimetre a year.

‘At the beginning of the school year, my two children needed seven new pairs of shoes, and I realised that can be a source of real strain for families,’ explains CJ. ‘Often, if you are in a position of poverty, dignity and choice are taken away really quickly.

‘All of us remember shoe shopping as a child, everyone remembers their favourite pair. For a family who can’t make those choices but has the opportunity to go into a shop and choose, and try on shoes, as any other child would, that retains that sense of dignity, which is really important.’


A selection of children's canvas shoes.
CJ’s initiative can be found in schools, baby banks and other community organisations. As well as pre-loved shoes, the charity is now collecting new shoes from retailers and manufacturers, meaning children around the country are benefitting from end-of-season pairs, samples and shoes with flaws. In just one week in May they received 5,000 pairs from retailers (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A little girl smiling as she puts on shoes.
The problem of shoe poverty in the UK has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, the charity is working to provide free pre-loved shoes for anyone who needs them. CJ says: ‘For many families, children’s growing feet is a source of stress; especially when they are already having to choose between heating and eating.’ (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A box of used children's shoes.
The charity collects all sorts of shoes in all sizes (as long as they are in good condition) and finds new feet for them amongst the families that are struggling the most. They also pass on surplus adult shoes to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and asylum seeker centres (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A little girls legs in white socks as she tries on black school shoes with a pair of black school socks on the floor.
Compulsory uniform can be a huge burden on parents and smart black school shoes are still a requirement in most primary and secondary schools. Sal’s Shoes has recently launched the school shoes fund so that new trainers, school shoes and wellies can be donated to families that need them (Picture: Nick Johnson)

Shelves of children's shoes.
Last year, the charity donated 90,000 pairs in Britain alone. CJ says: ‘We get an absolute sense of relief from our clients. So many of us take for granted putting on shoes that fit or are right for the weather. It is horrifying that good shoes should be seen as a luxury.’ (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A child has written a note complete with stickers with their donated school plimsolls and donated black school shoes. It reads: 'I hope you enjoy my shoes.'
Shoes are relatively difficult to recycle because of all the different components they are made up of, so every donated pair is a pair kept out of landfill. In the charity’s first year it collected just under 5,000 pairs of shoes (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A woman picks shoes from the shelves at Sal's Shoes.
Families visit the branches following a referral from a school or social worker, and are invited in to choose free pairs. CK wanted to make sure the experience felt like shopping, rather than charity, adding: ‘We want people to have the experience of shopping and choosing, and we invite them to donate the shoes back afterwards.’ (Picture: The Imageworks)

A woman stacks shelves of shoe boxes.
Due to the cost of living crisis and poverty levels increasing exponentially, 90,000 pairs of pre-loved and donated shoes found their feet on children living in Britain in 2022. ‘This is a staggering figure, considering that the majority of these kids are referred by community services such as food banks; social services and schools’, CJ says (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A young boy pulls up his socks as he tries on new school shoes.
Sal’s Shoes also takes new donations from retailers and manufacturers, meaning that pairs that might have ended up in landfill are now going to families that need them. In April, Clarks donated 20,000 pairs which will be sent out to branches around the country (Picture: Nick Johnson)

A portrait of CJ Bowry holding a pair of glittery pink children's trainers.
Charity founder CJ says shoe poverty has increased in response to the cost of living crisis. She adds: ‘So many of us take for granted putting on a pair of shoes that fit, or are right for the weather, or right for usage. It’s just horrifying how for too many of us that is becoming a luxury.’ (Paul Clifton)

To find out where you can donate to help fight shoe poverty, visit: Sal’s Shoes.


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Medic Saves