This Friday everyone will be encouraged to showcase their very best festive knitwear for the 10th annual Christmas Jumper Day. Dec 10

The shops are filled with colourful woollen delights - scratchy sequins and battery operated lights are often included - but you don't have to splash the cash to take part in the charitable trend.

Across Kent, schools and workplaces will encourage everyone to get involved, bringing Christmas cheer and valuable donations to charity.

ATIK Nightclub in Dartford has even organised a visit from the Grinch for clubbers wearing a festive knit as they raise money for the Willow Ward at Darent Valley Hospital.

However, Hubbub, an environmental charity, found that Christmas jumpers can be "particularly problematic" with a high proportion of acrylic often included within the wool.

This high level of plastic means that when these jumpers end up in landfill, often after only being worn once, the sparkles and flashing lights will sit amid the rubbish for hundreds of years.

Plastic is not biodegradable - an average plastic bottle takes approximately 450 years to completely decompose.

Christmas Jumper Day is a fundraiser for Save the Children with everyone encouraged to wear their favourite jumper and donate £2 to the charity.

By buying second-hand this year, you can double your donation efforts by taking part in the annual festivities, as well as saving the planet.

If you really don't want to spend money on a festive jumper, you can always wear your show-stopper from last year - don't be afraid to wear your classic Christmas jumper over and over again.

Alternatively, if you've never been a fan of the classic outlandish prints, a few ribbons and a couple of sequins can be added to an old t-shirt to create a unique item that stands out from the crowd.

You can also explore the idea of swapping Christmas jumpers with friends and family - Christmas is all about giving and sharing.

Local charity shops are also a great place to hunt out a second-hand bargain and by buying your Christmas jumper at a local high-street charity shop you will be donating to two worthy causes.

If you're short for time, Save the Children have their own online shop with 100% of profits going towards helping to change the lives of children across the world.

Oxfam also have a selection of alpine prints and glittery tops available online so that you can thrift and donate without even leaving the house.

Clothing site and app Depop is a great place to look for cheap and fashionable second-hand jumpers, with many local sellers willing to post or wrap up your item for collection.

Kent has a wide selection of vintage shops, so if you have the time to head out and rummage through the rails, stores like Revivals or Funky Monks in Canterbury could be a brilliant, sustainable alternative.

Christmas Jumper Day has raised more than £25 million since its launch in 2012 but joining in the fun is more important than ever, says the charity, because the effects of the pandemic mean more children now fund themselves living in poverty, hungry or struggling to learn.

To take part this year simply make, upcycle, borrow, swap or buy a festive sweater, wear it this Friday, and donate £2 (or £1 for children) to Save the Children.

This year, people can fundraise and donate in whatever way works best with guides, helpful information and free fundraising packs as well as details about Just Giving pages, by clicking here.