Material girls and boys who fancy updating their wardrobe should follow the three Rs and head to Hale.

“Reduce, reuse and recycle” is the message from Hale Clothing Bank with organisers also offering coffee and cake to people who fancy updating their wardrobe for free.

The bank is a joint venture run by Hale Community Centre and St Mary’s Church that’s open for business from 9am to 11am every Monday at the latter on Alma Lane.

It offers good-quality, second-hand clothes and shoes for free while there is also a small café serving drinks, cakes and pastries.

The initiative is being supported by generous grants from both the Voluntary Action South West Surrey Sparks Fund and Farnham Lions.

Alton Clothes Bank have provided advice, clothes and have assisted with the bank’s Facebook page while the public have come forward with clothes.

A spokesperson for the parish said: “Melissa Salisbury, manager of Hale Community Centre, came to us with the idea and it absolutely fitted in with our priorities of serving both the community and the planet.

“Apparently around 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year which is a massive figure. And we are all feeling the financial pinch, so being able to find good-quality clothes completely free is a real help.

“We are running a small café as research shows that many people are still feeling isolated so we are inviting anyone who comes in to sit down for a drink and maybe make a friend.

“We are absolutely indebted to Sparks, Farnham Lions and Alton Clothes Bank for their support and to those who have responded to our call for clothes and volunteers.”

More volunteers and clothes are welcome, for more details call 07842 761919 or email[email protected]