A charity is aiming to kit out 600 children from recession-hit families for the new school year.

And Southampton-based Hands of Love Ministry’s Fern Wade said that the need for help had reached record highs — and appealed for more donations to help the charity hit its target before schools go back early next month.

“I would say demand has increased more than 100 percent since the recession started in 2008,” Ms Wade said. “Prices have increased, everything has gone up and that puts even more of a burden on people.

“When I first started 30 years ago, it was with 85 children. But, with a lot of parents out of work, the burden is even greater — I’ve had families call me just now who have no food.

“The situation is terrible with so many single parents out of work. Children have grown, their feet have grown and they need new things.”

Ms Wade said that the charity was looking for clean, used uniforms, socks in all colours, shoes and other school necessities like backpacks, pens and pencils, as well as cash donations.

The charity also helps struggling families with food parcels.

“We’re not necessarily looking for brand-new clothes — we’re looking to recycle. We also need shoes and socks,” Ms Wade said. “We do have corporate sponsors who help us out and donate and different people in the community too — that’s how we survive and I’m very appreciative of that.

“We’re not affiliated with any churches, although we do it because of the love of God and to help our fellow man.”

Ms Wade said that store discount schemes helped to assist struggling families, but that extra assistance was needed for many.

“Everybody is doing something, which is great and helping to alleviate the burden on parents shopping for going back to school,” she said. “I had never heard of recession before, but some poor people have been in recession all their lives and the greatest part of survival is helping each other out.

“We get a lot of people suffering in silence and that’s not good — children are going hungry.”

Ms Wade added that Hands of Love was urgently looking for donations of grocery store vouchers, as well as school uniforms.

Anyone who can help Hands of Love should contact Ms Wade on 333 6789 or on 238 2059. Donations can be made direct to the Hands of Love Ministry, HSBC account 010 434009 011.