A Speyside community group which offers new school clothes and warm winter gear to vulnerable children is hoping to extend its reach by setting up its own base.
Moray School Bank is eager to help as many youngsters as possible fit in with their classmates.
The volunteers, who run the fledgling group, argue that, in addition to lending financially struggling families a helping hand, they “give children the opportunity to be equal”.
They believe that sending children to school with improved self-esteem and confidence enhances their ability to learn.
At the moment, chairwoman Debi Weir stockpiles mounds of donated clothing in her Rothes home.
Mrs Weir lives in a former police station – and uses what once were jail cells to store the gear.
She said: “We consider the charity to be like a food bank but for school clothes, yet we need our own storage space where people can pop in to collect clothing or make donations.
“Because it’s in my house, none of our volunteers are able to help out as much as they would like.
“If we are able to secure our own dedicated space, and it could be anywhere in Moray, then we could improve our reach.”
The charity now stands to land a £15,000 cash injection after being shortlisted as part of a fundraising campaign organised by the Scotmid Co-operative chain of grocery stores.
The Community Connect initiative aims to devote the money generated by the sale of single-use carrier bags towards worthy causes.
Mrs Weir added that, if successful, the cash will also be plunged into drives aimed at raising the charity’s profile in Moray.