Hospital workers have been given a helping hand with the coast-of-living crisis with free school uniforms for their children.

Nurses at both Queen’s and King George hospitals have staged two more ‘market places’ events helping 150 of their work colleagues to kit out youngsters for the new school term.

Staff picked up uniforms and classroom stationery equipment like calculators and pencil cases, as well as other clothes, toys, household items and even educational DVDs.

The idea was started back in the school holidays in 2022 by the NHS hospitals trust staff manager Charleen Elton when the cost-of-living crisis began to bight.

“I wanted to create something where staff could pick up items during their shifts,” Charleen explained. “The response has been overwhelming with school uniforms being a significant expense.”

So far, the 10 ‘market places’ events have helped around 1,500 hospital workers since 2022, in partnership with the Smiles London and Essex charity which donates new school uniforms.

The project has expanded since then to include donations of other clothes and household items from staff which are given away at the events. The only cost is a £3 donation to the charity.

The latest event was a big help for mum-of-five nurse Matilda Beattie with her ‘back to school’ bill.

She said: “This time of year is very expensive with five children of school age. I’ve been working here 10 years and this is the first time I’ve come to one of these events — and glad I did.”

Her youngest is five and just starting school and the eldest is 15.

It was also a first visit for Naima Mohammed, a healthcare assistant who joined four months ago.

Naima, who has two children aged six and three, said: “Things are tight with the economy right now, so this really helps.”

The idea has since been shortlisted for the Nursing Times ‘best social responsibility programme’ award for helping hospital staff with the cost-of-living. Winners are being announced on November 28.

Staff can also now find items they need at other times when they’re not on shift, with an internal online ‘marketplace’ that’s been set up.