Barnardo’s has opened a giant charity superstore in Swansea - and it’s said to be five times bigger than what you would normally expect from a charity shop.
The store, located at Parc Tawe in Swansea, is close to 10,000 square feet in size and will offer everything from clothing and accessories to furniture and electrical white goods. You can keep up to date with the latest Swansea news by signing up to the local newsletter here.
It is only the fourth superstore that the charity has opened in the UK after similar outlets appeared in Bournemouth, Coventry and Bradford, and it marks what Barnardo’s believes is a new generation of charity retail with the feel of a mainstream store but with charity shop prices.
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Lea McManus, store development and operations lead for Barnardo’s, said: “We are very excited about the Swansea superstore as it will allow us to offer wider ranges which we can’t provide in our traditional high street stores. Free parking and a dedicated drop-off station for donations will make it easy for people to donate as well as shop. There is a definite move by the public to buy clothes and household items sustainably - and we find people also want to dress to stand out from the crowd. That trend has seen a growing interest in our vintage and retro garments and accessories.”
A survey carried out on behalf of Barnardo’s in 2019 showed that Britons were expected to spend £2.7billion on summer fashion that would only be worn once. Since the charity’s shops re-opened following the pandemic there has been an upsurge in people choosing to shop more sustainably and that is expected to increase further as the cost of living crisis bites.
The scale of the Swansea operation means the charity needs to recruit an army of around 80 volunteers in addition to its 12 staff, all under the management of Karen Haines, who has worked for Barnardo’s for a decade, eight of them in Llanrumney, Cardiff, where she had a very loyal band of volunteers.
“We have recruited a wonderful team at Parc Tawe and anyone thinking of volunteering will receive a very warm welcome,” said Karen, who was speaking before the superstore opened for the first time on Friday morning. “We are keen to have a diverse range of volunteers representing the local community.
"The store is fully accessible and it’s an exciting opportunity to be part of a team, make friends and get experience in everything from eBay sales to merchandising, customer service and other retail skills which can boost confidence and lead to employment. We are just so excited to get started and make it a really successful store, raising money to support Barnardo’s work with vulnerable children and families.”
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