A project that enables families to swap children's and adults’ clothes, school uniforms and essential items was officially opened on Friday, October 18 by Hollywood actor and Green Man Trust Ambassador, Iwan Rheon.

Located at the Priory Church School, it will be open all year round and stocked with clothing, gym kits and other essential items to help support the school community, as well as the wider Brecon community.

It will also serve as a safe social space to access services and educational support for pupils and healthy breakfasts and snacks for the whole family.

The Brecon Community Swap Shop is housed in a shipping container that has been refurbished, furnished and fitted by the Green Man team. Decorated in the Green Man style with colourful murals and positive messages, it is designed to encourage positivity for those who use it and as a celebration of the Brecon community.

Claire Pugh, Headteacher of Priory Church in Wales School, explained the thinking behind The Swap Shop: “Brecon is one of the most deprived areas within Powys, and 37 per cent of our children at Priory have free school meals, and we are witnessing increasing inequality caused by the growing wealth and age gap. The statistics are shocking: 23.4 per cent of children live in poverty, 55 per cent of adults are paid below the national average, 35 per cent are over 60, which is 5 per cent higher than the national average.

“Considering the seriousness of this and the ever increasing cost of living, of course parents and carers on low incomes find it challenging to afford school uniforms and essential items. It is very tough financially for some in our community and we are seeing more children coming to school hungry, going to bed cold and increasing social and health problems which are the inevitable outcome of poverty.”

Ms Pugh added: “What we experience at Priory Church School is just a snapshot of the challenges hitting many rural areas in Powys. A well thought out strategy and action urgently needs to happen to stop this negative cycle and projects such as the Swap Shop are essential to start making that change.”

Claire added: “I want to thank the Green Man designers, artists, illustrators, painters, health and safety officers, engineers and carpenters who created something so magical and cool for our Brecon Community. Also the many festival attendees from all over the world that donate to the Green Man charity each year. The children and parents are going to love it, as a service but also because of the care and thought that has been put into it with them in mind by Green Man and of course Fi who directed the delivery of all of this. 

“I also want to take this opportunity to thank Green Man and especially Fi. When you don’t have a lot you can feel passed over and worthless and that is something Fi totally gets. I heard her briefing the designers for the Swap Shop and she said ‘I want everyone who uses it to feel like a headliner.’ Fi  sees us, and cares she doesn’t have to but she chooses to anyway, the impact that creates is magic.

“I know I speak for many Welsh people when I say how proud we are of our Green Man. The first UK festival to sell out, third year running and it sold out in 60 minutes this time not bad for an independent Powys business. The Swap Shop is not the first project we have worked on together and is one of many community projects they have supported in Powys. We know from experience that the welcoming, caring, talented Wales Green Man presents to the world is a reality and Powys is part of that. We are lucky to have Green Man and even luckier for it to be part of our community here in Brecon.

“Finally, I have to say how gutted we were to lose Green Man from Gilestone Farm. The Swap Shop is one of many projects we planned to deliver and sadly the others are no longer possible now the farm has gone. The jobs, environment and charitable projects would have been transformative for Brecon and the wider community especially for young people and our future generations. It’s so frustrating that this nearly happened and there is no alternative project which would touch what was on offer when it delivered what was so clearly needed.

“Despite this we were all delighted that Green Man made sure that our beautiful Swap Shop is here to stay and the kettle will always be on for a cuppa and a chat for all in our community.”

Councillor Matthew Dorrance, who helped organise previous pop-up Swap Shops said: “I’m incredibly proud. It’s inspiring, it’s joyful and it’s so hopeful. The shop looks so amazing and there’s a real buzz from the community and the school in particular which makes you feel good, it uplifts you. The space which is there for anybody to use is just incredible. It’s decorated really well, it’s welcoming and cosy. 

“We wanted to be very clear that this is for the whole of the school cluster area so all of the schools in the Brecon cluster can come and use it and donate any old or unused uniform to the building.”

Welsh Game of Thrones actor, Iwan Rheon helped open the Swap Shop by cutting the ribbon. Speaking about the Swap Shop Iwan told The Brecon & Radnor Express: “I met Fiona many years ago and I was a huge fan of the festival and from there the relationship grew and I’ve been involved with the trust ever since. Green Man’s ethos is something I really believe in, using this fun festival to give money back into community projects on a very direct level like today in schools is great and you know it will have a real impact on the community and I believe that’s the way to do it.

“We live in very difficult times, financially for people and unfortunately it takes things like this to have to step in. There’s a lot of talk about people taking freebies, but I don’t believe that. There are people out there working two jobs and still struggling.

“The Swap Shop project is one I’ve been supporting since the beginning and I’ve come today to show my support even more. I’m proud to be doing this in Wales too, and the Swap Shop is an idea that should be across the country. It’s a fairly simple idea and if it’s executed well like this is by the school with passion it really makes a differecnce. As cheesy as it might sound, children are the future so we can’t have them coming to school and being hungry and we’ve got to nurture that start in their lives to give them a real chance.”