In a move that will surprise absolutely no one who has ever priced a school blazer, a charity has been handed £100,000 to help Surrey families buy school essentials - because apparently, the 'free' education system still requires a second mortgage for a logoed jumper.

Stripey Stork, a charity that clearly has its priorities straight, will use the cash to expand its School Days scheme, which provides essential school items to families who are, as the charity's chief executive Nicola Dawes so delicately put it, 'one lost PE kit away from financial ruin.' Dawes warned that without this support, families in need would 'simply go without essential school items or be forced into debt' - because nothing says 'back to school' like a choice between a maths set and paying the electricity bill.

The money comes from the government's £7.1m Crisis and Resilience Fund, a scheme that gives local authorities multi-year funding to help low-income households. It's almost as if the government is acknowledging that the cost of living crisis is, in fact, a thing. The funding will allow Stripey Stork to support around 8,500 children over the next 12 months, up from the 7,503 children from 4,116 families they helped last year. That's a lot of kids, and a lot of pencil cases.

Councillor Mark Nuti, SCC's cabinet member for health and communities, said the money will help the charity 'reach even more families across Surrey with practical support at a time when it is needed most.' Because, as we all know, there's no time like the start of the school year to realize you can't afford the uniform that the school insists on, despite the new law that's supposed to limit branded items. Yes, from September, parents in England will have to buy fewer branded items, but costs 'remain high' - so the real savings might just be a few quid on logos, not the £150 some parents say they don't have.

If you're in Surrey and need help, or just want to marvel at the bureaucratic gymnastics, the BBC wants to hear from you. They're on Facebook, X, Instagram, and you can even WhatsApp them at 08081 002250. Because nothing says 'community support' like a media outlet asking you to share your financial woes for the sake of a story.