This week we are shouting about a charity that is believed to be the only one of its kind in the whole of the UK.

Dressability, located in Westmead in Swindon, is an independent charity which adapts clothes for individuals with disabilities and limited dexterity.

“We’ve been going for over 20 years now,” said manager Sharon Tombs, “And as far as we know we’re the only charity which offers this service.”

Dressability provides personalised adaptations to clothes to suit an individual’s needs and circumstances.

“We’re all about enabling people’s independence for as long as possible,” said Sharon.

“Older people can sometimes struggle with dressing, but they still want to where the clothes they always have done.

“We make your clothes work for you,” said Sharon.

The charity recently helped a gentleman from West Swindon who had suffered a stroke and was wheelchair bound. He had been in the forces and was invited to a Buckingham Palace garden party.

“But the problem was he couldn’t get a jacket on and off. We opened up the back of his jacket and inserted magnets so that he could look and feel as smart and the same as everyone else, but was able to easily take the jacket off when needed,” said Sharon.

All adaptations to the clothes are invisible.

“We want to give people a sense of pride,” added Sharon.

The charity also provides services for those with disabilities and for amputees, including making dressing-up clothes for children in wheelchairs.

“We don’t deny anybody, we help anybody who contacts us asking for our help,” said Sharon.

Last year the charity helped 267 clients, altered 629 garments and produced over 100 items for community projects, including blankets for rough sleepers.

“We’re only a little charity and we need to raise £80,000 a year to keep going,” said Sharon.

The seamstresses don’t use patterns or guidelines in their alterations, everything is tailored to the specific individual and garment in question.

“Rather than people just keeping on buying new clothes, we want to ensure they can continue wearing the clothes they love,” she added.

Five years ago the charity helped a man who had no arms and one leg, and wasn’t able to use the toilet by himself because of difficulties with his clothes.

“We managed to sort it so that using a metallic stick he was able to undo his zip. He was a reporter in London, and this was the difference between being able to go to work on his own and not being able to have a job,” said Sharon. "These adaptations really can be life changing for a lot of people.”