Call to donate clothing for trans prisoners
Bent Bars is helping to collect gender-affirming items for trans prisoners in Britain, especially for those who do not have money to purchase clothing. If you have new or good-quality second-hand items to share, please donate!
Photo credit: Perry Merrity / Unsplash
1. Commonly requested items include:
Footwear (shoes / boots / trainers) -- sizes 5 and upwards
Vest tops – all sizes
Nighties – all sizes
Pyjamas – all sizes
Long cardigans – sizes 12 upwards
Sports bras – all sizes
Winter outer wear (coats / jackets) – all sizes
Leggings – all sizes (not black)
Dresses – sizes 12 upwards
Skirts – knee length / ankle length sizes 12 upwards
Trousers / jogging pants – sizes 12 upwards (not black)
‘Skinny’ jeans sizes 10-14
Underwear, all styles, including boxers and thongs – all sizes
Tights – all sizes
Make-up (e.g. foundation, concealer, mascara, eyeliner, lipstick)
Toiletries (perfume/cologne, deodorant)
2. Please be aware of the following prison restrictions:
Most male prisons do not allow all-black clothing (you can still send black clothing, but such items will be less widely distributed)
Most male prisons do not allow hooded clothing
High-security prisons do not allow camouflage fabric or combat-style clothing
Toiletries and make-up must be new and in original packaging (i.e. fully sealed /unopened)
Toiletries cannot contain alcohol (e.g. no hand gels that are high alcohol content)
Prisons will not allow clothing that is not deemed ‘modest’ (e.g. low-cut tops, halter tops, tops with spaghetti straps, mini-skirts, etc will not be permitted)
3. Second-hand clothing is fine (except for underwear), but all items should be clean and in excellent quality condition. Clothing should be freshly washed and stain free. Please do not send clothing with rips, tears or holes.
4. You will need to send any items by post. Unfortunately, we are not able to cover postage costs.
If you would like to donate any items, please get in touch: bentbarsproject@gmail.com
We will provide you with details of where you can send the items. Please do not send items directly to us at our PO Box.
Thanks for contributing!
