How unwanted coats are changing lives this winter

It is a simple mission: ensure everyone in London is wrapped up warm for winter.

This year, WrapUp London will collect and distribute about 20,000 unwanted or outgrown coats and gift them to homeless charities, women’s refuges and family centres.

A few will also go to schools in less affluent areas in the capital as “some children turn up in the middle of winter with nothing warm to wear”, says Jon Meech, chief executive of HandsOn London, which runs the campaign.

They were told the scheme wouldn’t work 16 years ago – no-one would part with a high-value item like a coat.

But the first collection in 2011 gathered 2,700 garments and now, WrapUp London is one of the largest volunteering events in the capital.

The mood is jovial inside the Old Oaks Community Centre in East Acton, as I am welcomed with friendly smiles.

This community event is called Winter Health Matters, run by Family Champions, a group of peer support volunteers from the local area.

Rails of coats line the room, with a very popular table in the centre, laden with children’s jackets.

People have been invited to come here via local networks, food banks, housing associations and other outreach organisations to browse, try on and take home a coat for free.

All the coats have been donated – dropped off at one of the more than 80 collection points across London, including schools, trains stations, even fire stations – since the start of December.

Each coat is checked, bagged and catalogued at the central hub in Wembley before being distributed to events such as this.

“We like to think of it [a coat] as a gift,” says Mr Meech.

“The reason we distribute through other charities is the fact they’re more in touch on the ground, they will know who they’re working with.”

Saida Abdulkader, a Family Champions volunteer, says many of those who attend have financial difficulties, such as not being able to pay their rent or buy foods and clothes.

“Those are the things we try to help them with. And we are just so happy to be able to serve them.”

The community event also enables access to other services, with health workers, benefits advisers and social care representatives on hand to help.

Mr Meech says: “Somebody has saved their self-esteem by going in for a coat and a cup of tea but are actually coming out in many occasions with a support package in place.”

I met Joanne, very pleased with her cosy new fleece-lined coat, who took up the offer of a health check while she was here.

She says: “It’s a lovely event. Everyone’s so friendly – it’s good to have a chat.”

Her friend, Dennis, wearing his new jacket, agreed, saying it was “nice to see people and to go round and get information, pick up things as well – nice winter coat with the cold weather coming up”.

Since the campaign launched in 2011, WrapUps have been started in 134 other places in the UK – and overseas, such as in Berlin in Germany.

Mr Meech says: “Hardly a week goes past when somebody isn’t emailing or phoning up and saying ‘Is it possible to do a Wrap Up in our town or community?’”

And each year thousands of volunteers come to help out, bringing a little comfort to people in the run up to Christmas.