Matalan’s Confidence Caravan arrives in Swindon on Sunday 30 August to give families a chance to personalise their children’s school uniforms with confidence-boosting messages.
The innovation comes as the new school year is about to begin.
New Childline data reveals that 1,531 counselling sessions between April 2025 and March 2026 mentioned returning to school or college, with 39% primarily focused on children’s mental and emotional health
The Confidence Caravan forms part of Matalan’s ongoing partnership with the NSPCC, helping families prepare children emotionally and practically for the return to school.
Aisha Jakhura, Head of Brand at Matalan, said: “Going back to school can be a really exciting time for children, but we know it can also bring feelings of nervousness and uncertainty - particularly when they’re starting somewhere new or facing a big change.
“We wanted to create the Confidence Caravan as a simple way for parents and loved ones to give children a little boost of encouragement that they can carry with them throughout the school day.
"A small message like ‘Believe in yourself’ or ‘We’re always behind you’ can be a meaningful reminder that they are loved, supported and never alone.
“Through our ongoing partnership with the NSPCC, we’re proud to be helping families look beyond the practical preparations for a new school year and think about how they can support their children’s confidence and emotional wellbeing too.”
The Confidence Caravan will be at Matalan Greenbridge Retail & Leisure Park from 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sunday 30 August.
Parents and loved ones can choose from a selection of confidence-boosting messages, including “You’re braver than you know”, “Believe in yourself”, “Always be yourself” and “We’re always behind you”.
The messages are applied as soft labels to the uniform by professional seamstresses, creating a small but meaningful reminder that children can carry with them throughout the school day.
As part of the initiative, families attending the Confidence Caravan will also have the opportunity to mark the back-to-school milestone through a dedicated photo opportunity, capturing a memorable moment as children prepare for the new school year.
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