The Cowshed Charity

The Cowshed offers free, high-quality clothing, bedding, curtains, baby equipment, school uniforms, toiletries, and other essential items to individuals of all backgrounds undergoing a personal crisis. We aim to meet the immediate material needs of these individuals, ensuring that they have access to essential items during difficult times. The idea is that our clients feel they are receiving a gift to assist them in a time of crisis rather than items that are over worn, marked or damaged. We have centres in both Hurst and Reading, and most of our support is delivered directly to clients across Berkshire. We also offer in person prom outfit  and bra fittings. 

We also run a community arts and crafts group at both our locations. Craft at The Cowshed was set up primarily to recycle items that are unsuitable for passing on to our referrals such as bedding, unusable clothing or damaged curtains. Such items are repurposed into the bags we use to provide our referrals in. We have a number of volunteers producing referral bags, but as we typically use 4-5 bags per referral, we need quite a lot! Our busy team also make other items to be sold at craft fairs to help support the main charity. As well as being a community focal point and recycling items that would otherwise end up in landfill the group are also helping to pass on sewing skills to anyone that wants to learn.