A SOCIAL enterprise in Llandudno has helped keep Conwy children and families warm this Christmas by distributing coats donated by residents.

‘Coats4Kids Conwy’ was the latest initiative planned by Ally Elouise from ‘Prom Ally CIC’, a non-profit organisation which offers free loans of prom dresses to students who could not otherwise afford one.

Running from November 1 until December 18, the scheme saw residents donate more than 100 coats to either Prom Ally’s base at 23 Madoc Street, Llandudno, or to the Wilko store in Mostyn Champneys Retail Park.

Ally, who has run Prom Ally for six years now, then helped pass on the coats to children and families in need across Conwy.

She said: “We contacted all of the schools in Conwy as well as food banks, women’s refuges and social services to ensure they were going to the right people.

“We also ran an open event where we invited anyone who may be struggling financially to come and help themselves to a coat.

“This was an important thing for me to do because I’ve worked as a teaching assistant in a local primary school and I know first-hand that lots of children turn up to school during winter months without a warm coat. No child should be cold during Christmas.

“Overall, we helped lots of children and teenagers around Conwy, and it was very heart-warming seeing them excited to try the coats on!

“Any surplus we had that didn’t get chosen, we donated to local kids’ charities, such as Ty Gobaith in Llandudno and Barnardo’s in Colwyn Bay.

“This was our first year doing Coats4Kids and hopefully we can do it again next year and help even more children.”

Ally is also in the process of raising money to afford the £9,000 in rent needed to keep Prom Ally at its current base.

A GoFundMe page has been set up which has currently raised more than £3,200 from 165 donations.

To make a donation, visit: www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-keep-the-prom-ally-shop-open.