The Canopy Community Hub near Grant Thorold Park is currently hosting another clothes swap today, 28th of April, 2024.
The idea behind the swap is that anyone, no matter if they are receiving benefits or not, can come down and swap articles of clothing for other donated pieces, saving money and helping others in the process.
Gi Grimsby News spoke with Victoria Nunn, one of the organisers of the swap, who revealed her ambitions to secure the community hub as a permanent location.
Victoria said, “This will be the permanent venue if things go well. If it’s what people want and people need then I can bring it here. It’s all free; anyone can use it, no questions asked. There’s no limit on what you can take.”
If people do come and use the service and the team is successful in securing the venue, then there will be a swap every last Sunday of every month.
The swap has been met with much popularity, as within 20 minutes of opening, 60 people had visited, whether they had donated, browsed, or swapped clothing.
One individual who was visiting said, “This is the first one I’ve come to, and to be honest, I like it because it’s more of the fact that you don’t have to be on benefits to take advantage. Those of us that work full time and don’t get benefits also struggle, so it’s extremely helpful.”
When asked if they would come again, they replied, “Absolutely!”
Donations and swaps for people visiting are not the only services on offer. Victoria and the team also plan to donate any spare clothing for newborns and small babies to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, following an appeal on Facebook.
Also on offer are a variety of prom dresses and suits. Victoria said that “after the prom season, I’ll be giving them to Women’s Aid.”
For anyone looking to acquire one of the dresses or suits, Victoria said that “people can just message me and I’ll bring them to you. If I can bring them with me to the next swap too, then they’ll be there for next time.”
Sizes vary, with some size 8s, size 12s, and other sizes on offer. Some even still have the original tags on.
There are also plans for another swap in Wootton for people in between Barton and Grimsby. 19th May, on Sunday, between the hours of 11AM and 2PM.
