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Dressability
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(limited by guarantee)
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Trustees’ report - continued
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for the year ended 31 March 2026
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Achievements and performance
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Charitable activities
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Over the course of 2025 and 2026. Dressability has continued to strengthen its position as a highly specialised and increasingly essential service, delivering practical, personalised clothing adaptations that support independence, dignity and inclusion. During the year, the charity supported 338 clients, completed 856 clothing alterations, and benefitted from a significant contribution of volunteer time. These figures reflect, not only the ongoing demand for the service, but also the tangible difference that tailored clothing solutions can make in reducing barriers to everyday life. Throughout the year, the charity maintained a strong focus on community engagement and awareness. Dressability attended a wide range of local events, forums and presentations. including care sector meetings, disability-focussed events, sustainability initiatives and carers’ support groups. These sessions provided an opportunity to highlight the often-overlooked challenges surrounding clothing and accessibility, whilst demonstrating how thoughtful, practical adaptations can significantly improve independence, confidence and participation in daily life. Many of these talks and presentations were delivered by a trustee or staff member in their own time, reflecting a high level of personal commitment to the charity’s work. The contribution has been instrumental in extending the charity’s reach, strengthening relationships with local organisations and professionals, and ensuring that more people are aware of the support available. While much of this work is rooted in the local community, Dressability also continues to support clients across the UK through its postal service, ensuring that distance is not a barrier to accessing specialist clothing adaptations. Alongside this outreach, Dressability continued to deliver highly individualised support through its core service. This included adapting garments for people undergoing medical treatment, modifying clothing to accommodate changing physical needs, and responding to unique requests that fall outside traditional alterations.
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Fundraising activities
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Client fees and donations accounted for just over 4% of income during the year, with Dressability’s own fundraising activities contributing a further 3%, and donations approximately 1%. As in previous years, the charity continues to rely primarily on the support of grant-making organisations, which accounted for approximately 73% of total income. Dressability receives no statutory funding. The continued support of grants and trusts is therefore essential, not only to sustain the service, but to ensure it remains accessible and affordable to those who need it most. This funding enables the charity to deliver practical, tailored solutions that have a direct and measurable impact on people’s lives. By supporting greater independence, improving confidence, and reducing reliance on carers, these outcomes extend beyond the individual to families, carers, and the wider community. Without this support, many of the individuals who benefit from Dressability’s services would be unable to access them. As one of only two charities in the UK offering a dedicated clothing adaptation service, and with continued evidence of demand and positive feedback from service users, the Trustees remain confident in the strength of the charity’s position. The five-year business plan, renewed in 2025, sets out a clear strategy to extend reach and impact, and key targets have been achieved during the year.
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Achievements and performancermance (cont)
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During this year, this included creating discreet adaptations to garments to allow access for medical
equipment without the need to undress, helping reduce stress and maintain dignity during treatment. We
also supported a young client by resizing and adapting a duvet cover featuring favourite films and musicals
so it could be used comfortably at home, and undertook careful repairs to a specialist communication aid
used by a child with additional needs, ensuring it could continue to provide support. In another case, we re-
tailored a military coat so it could be worn in remembrance of a loved one, preserving both the garment and
its personal significance.
These examples illustrate the breadth of the charity’s work and the level of care involved in each project.
Each piece of work represents a considered, practical solution that enables individuals to maintain comfort,
dignity and a sense of identity in their day-to-day lives.
A significant development during the year was the reappointment of Sharon Tombs as General Manager on
1 November 2025, having previously been supporting the charity in a fundraising capacity. Sharon’s return
to Manager has been a major positive for Dressability, bringing extensive experience, deep knowledge of
the service, and well-established relationships across the local community and business network. Combined
with her enormous passion for the charity’s work, her leadership continues to be instrumental in maintaining
high standards of delivery and supporting the charity’s development.
In November, the charity was also pleased to welcome the Mayor of Swindon, Cllr Fay Howard, to the
Dressability workshop. The visit provided an opportunity to demonstrate the breadth of the charity’s work,
including its clothing adaptation service and sustainability initiatives. Seeing the service in action and
hearing directly from those involved reinforced the practical and meaningful impact of the charity’s work
within the local community.
Sustainability remains an integral part of Dressability’s approach. Through its de-branding and reuse
initiatives, surplus corporate clothing is repurposed and redistributed to individuals and organisations in
need. This work not only reduces textile waste but also provides essential support to those experiencing
hardship. Partnerships have further extended the reach and impact of this activity.
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