Staff and students of NWRC are being asked to donate items of warm winter clothing, which others can then take away for free. The Cosy Hugs project is an initiative by students at the DIAL centre on campus at the college.

Project Director Sean Curran, said: “The response has been absolutely phenomenal. We’ve had multiple donations. Bags upon bags in boxes have been donated and our young people are picking them up at various spots throughout the college.”

The project aims to help households affected by the cost Cost of Living crisis. Students are free to take whatever clothing they may need, for themselves or other people. The clothes themselves are similarly donated by students.

The project has also been immensely helpful and popular with the students taking part. It has proven beneficial to them in ways beyond the clothing itself. “They’re working together as teams. It’s great for their own benefits, their own attitudes. It’s all changed because they can see it’s not just them who feel they have an issue around the cost of living.”

Sean also credits the success of the project to the enthusiasm and initiative of students. The project has been so successful that it is being moved to a more prominent part of the college, in the Tower Building. The Cosy Hugs project is planning to continue in to the future.

Clothing at Cosy Hugs includes coats and winter jackets, as well as items like pyjamas. The aim of the project is to be as inclusive and barrier free as possible. There is no age limit, so clothing for children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly are all available.

“With the current crisis that we all face, you’re going to feel the pinch, no matter your income,” added Sean.

Cosy Hugs are available for donation or in the Tower Building and at the DIAL Centre during the college’s opening hours.