A MAKER of school shoes has taken to online crowdfunding to get its next products off the ground after the coronavirus crisis devastated its plans.

Dorset-based Term Footwear was all set to launch its new Sole Buddy range until the lockdown halted lessons for most pupils.

With schools preparing to reopen to more children from June 1, the company has launched a campaign via the website Kickstarter to raise £10,000 for making and selling its new range.

Co-owner Sharon New said: “We were all ready to go, then schools closed and so did our retailers. Overnight we went from exciting times to nothing.

“We decided quickly to make use of this downtime and appeal directly to our customers to back us, with a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. We have designed the campaign to make the new Sole Buddy range come to life and we hope people will like the shoes and back us.”

The Kickstarter campaign allows parents and relatives to buy the Sole Buddy range at a discount and have them delivered in time for the September term.

People can also donate and have shoes delivered to children need, or to specific children of frontline keyworkers they may know.

Sharon said: “We just want people to go and have a look at the campaign and how awesome our shoes are. We have worked with some of the best designers in the shoe world to create this range and we are so proud and excited for people to see them.

“Kids will always need shoes, especially after their feet have grown in lockdown. These shoes are very special and from only £30 per pair with our early bird offers.”

Term Footwear, based at Parley Green Lane near Bournemouth Airport, was launched in 2016, and its latest range will not happen without successful crowdfunding.

It describes its shoes as “specially designed and correctly fitted to stop damage or any malformation occurring and keep young feet beautiful for life”. It says its aim is to improve the foot health of the nation’s children.

Its crowdfunding campaign can be found by searching for Sole Buddy at kickstarter.com