It’s a question you’ve probably answered without thinking.

“What can £10 buy me?”

Maybe it’s your favourite lunch on a workday. A couple of iced coffees. A cinema ticket, if you catch the matinee. A few bits in the summer sales. A treat, a moment, a little something.

But to a child in Manchester or Salford, heading back to school this September, that same £10 could mean the world.

What £10 means to a child supported by Smart Start

At Wood Street Mission, we believe every child deserves to start the school year with dignity, confidence and a sense of belonging. But for families on low incomes, back-to-school season brings more than just new pencil cases and packed lunches, it brings stress, strain and difficult choices.

Thanks to donations from people like you, our Smart Start project can step in where families need it most.

Here’s what £10 could do:

• Provide 4 new school polo shirts – clean, comfortable, and in the right size
• Cover a backpack and water bottle, so a child can carry their things with pride
• Help towards a full school uniform, so they don’t feel different in the playground

It's not about grand gestures. It's about showing up for local families in small, meaningful ways, and proving that community care really does make a difference.

Back to School Support That Goes Further

This summer, while you’re grabbing that extra iced latte or treating yourself to a little sale buy, we’d love for you to pause and ask:

“Could my tenner change a child’s first day back?”

With your support, it absolutely can.

Donate today to help children in Manchester and Salford feel confident, equipped and equal this September.

Every pound brings us closer to a city where no child is left behind because of the cost of a jumper or a backpack.