A famous shoe manufacturer has partnered with a charity to deliver free footwear to school children for the upcoming school term.

IntoUniversity – a national organisation which provides support through local centres to enable pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to aspire to further and higher education – has partnered with Clarks, at Bicester Village.

The pair have partnered for a second season to offer young aspirational students of the Blackbird Leys Centre in Oxford a complimentary pair of trainers or shoes of their choice to help them with their school kit for the autumn and winter term.

The students also shared their smiles at Bicester Village’s Smiley pop-up, which stocks a range of Smiley products where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the village’s Do Good charity partners, which IntoUniversity is one of.

Over 25 students from IntoUniversity came to Bicester Village on August 16 and 17 to collect their new pair of shoes.

A spokesperson from Clarks boutique at Bicester Village said: “It’s a pleasure to be collaborating with IntoUniversity and Do Good to help encourage these young students as they explore their options for the future.

“We’re really happy to be able to make a difference.”

IntoUniversity is a national education charity which runs local learning centres that are inclusive of all academic abilities, and helps young people to achieve their chosen aspirations through a combination of academic support, mentoring and aspiration-raising workshops.

Read more: A new post office is opening in Bicester

The charity currently runs 35 centres in 18 towns and cities across the UK and has a strong track record of improving outcomes for young people in England.

In 2020, 71% of IntoUniversity students secured a university place compared with 26% of school leavers from similar backgrounds.

Bicester Village’s Do Good charity partners include Brides do Good, a charity that aims to end child marriage and unlock brighter futures for women and girls, one wedding dress at a time.

They also include Smart Works, who provide clothing and coaching for unemployed women to give them the confidence they need to reach their full potential, and World Connect, a charity that invests directly in local communities in the global south to deliver sustainable impact and growth.

The Bicester Village Shopping Collection’s Do Good mission unites all of its villages around one cause: the empowerment of women and children.

Through this it has partnered with ten charities, each one doing its part to give countless women and children around the world a brighter future.

Bicester Village first opened its doors in 1995.

 

Read more from this author

This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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