Shoe Aid is a national charity based here in the UK who source and supply free footwear through a collection and distribution network, so no child or adult need go without shoes
Thousands of men, women or children are wearing footwear that is neither suitable nor fit for purpose. And at least 10,000 homeless people have no shoes or shoes that are falling to pieces.
The Problem is Serious – Over 2 million shoes are thrown into landfill every week. On average, one pair of shoes takes upwards of 1000 years to biodegrade (man-made fibres and textiles. Shoe Aid is helping to avoid an environmental disaster for shoe manufacturers and distributors; in the same way, supermarkets are currently getting blamed for food waste”.
Shoe aid is tackling the problem, by educating on the importance of recycling and repurposing footwear. At the same time distributing tens of thousands of pairs of shoes to over 15 countries around the world. “Shoe Aid is reducing the number of shoes being thrown away into landfill by increasing shoe donations through supporters of the charity with collection points”.
There is global footwear poverty with significant implications 1.5 billion people worldwide without shoes of which 300 million are children. 70 million of those children are unable to access suitable education footwear because shoes are required as part of the school uniform.
We have a manifesto:
We believe that it is wrong that millions of unwanted shoes end up in landfill, almost 2 million every week. Which is as much an environmental disaster as it is a tragic waste.
Wrong that tens of thousands of people wear unsuitable or no shoes, causing damage to foot health, academic potential and self-esteem, not just now, but later in life.
Wrong that over 10,000 homeless people living on the streets may not have access to warm sturdy shoes. As a result, trench foot still exists on the streets of the UK.
This is why Shoe Aid is STEPPING UP to footwear poverty, help us make a DIFFERENCE and change LIVES.
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