Right, so I'm in the new shop, guys.
So I do a little night shift.
So we've started to get the wall fixings up now, ready for the children's clothes.
There's quite a lot of space for children's clothes, to be honest.
I mean, we don't really need all of that, I don't think.
For all children's clothes, but we'll see how we go.
We rang two more shops today on Blackwood High Street and told them more rent we're looking for, and they were like, er, yeah.
I'm like, well, there's the offer.
You either want somebody in these shops paying for them, or you don't.
You know, better to have something rather than nothing.
We've got this one over from Pontypool.
Sammy brought a pile of stuff over.
As you can see, we've started filling up now, nicely.
We've got our arbor dash up, size 8, size 10.
These are all a pound clothes.
Size 12, 14, 16, 18, plus sizes there.
Look at that section there, girls.
The plus size section.
Brilliant.
You see, the plus size girlies know to bring them to us.
We don't charge dearer because they're plus size, like other places do.
So the pile of doom is still here, has been added to.
So this donation box was refused today in a charity shop somewhere in a town near you because...
Well, it just looked at it and went, no, we don't want it.
Need to wash.
I think it's nice stuff.
I think it's all lovely stuff.
I mean, I recognise that design.
I don't know what it is off the top of my head.
And yes, it is a bit dirty and dusty, but it's all vintage stuff.
It's lovely, isn't it?
And then there was another lady that was refused because the pictures had glass in them, which is bizarre.
So I've never heard that one.
We have had a few crazy things said to us by environmental health.
They may be telling people not to take pictures with glass in them.
I don't know.
I know we had an issue where pictures could fall over and kill somebody's ankle.
It happened in a charity shop or secondhand shop somewhere and they said pictures and stuff have to be contained.
So we tend to put... I was in a travel cot.
So I got mirrors and stuff there.
So if they're not affixed to the wall, then we'll put them in a travel cot so that you can browse through them like this, you know.
Got that over from Aunty Roof.
Thank you very much Aunty Roof.
We might put all our mugs on there now.
I tell you what it would be good as.
There's a Dalek.
We could get a Dalek suit on there.
The gate for the kitchen was too wide, but I think that will fit in Riscaroo.
And Riscaroo gate that I got will fit there because obviously that's the staff area and that's where they'll have their lockers and everything and we don't want customers in there.
Still need shelves and stuff here.
This one's come up from Riscaroo shelf.
Fits there better than a good Riscaroo.
So yeah, we've had a good sort of move around.
The paints have gone back to Pontypool.
So my artist will start doing some painting in Pontypool.
Some more painting because that's what she likes doing.
So crack on.
That's what we do.
If women and mothers and volunteers come to us and they've got a particular thing they like doing, then why not let them do that quality in there.
So if somebody likes organising, if somebody likes cleaning and folding, let them get on with it.
When they usually come in, I usually say to people, well, what do you want?
Which area is bothering you the most?
And they're like, oh, I want to get stuck into this area.
Well, go on then.
There's no point saying, oh, you know, go over there on the baby clothes, is there?
If they don't want to do that, they'd rather do this.
Don't forget we pay our volunteers minimum £20 a day for a decent shift of work in stock.
So once you've done your work, you can come in and go, right, I'm going shopping now.
Pick up what you want and that will go into your £20 a day allowance.
And that's not taxable.
You should declare it to the HMRC and benefits, but you shouldn't be paying tax on it because it's second hand goods.
And it's a gesture of goodwill because of the work you've done.
I don't think there's anybody else doing that.
I've never heard of it.
A lot of the other charity shop volunteers have said to us, no, we don't get nothing.
We're lucky to get a discount, some of them.
And then if you go over your £20 allowance, if you buy you something, it's 75% off anyway.
So if you wanted to buy these at a pound, then you'd have them for 25p, wouldn't you, some of that, I think.
I don't know.
You do the maths.
I think it's 25p.
Might even be less, innit?
So, yes.
Oh, and children's clothes.
We need children's clothes and baby clothes.
Like I said, there's lots of other baby banks.
There's a lot of imitators out there.
But they have to go through a healthcare professional.
I am a qualified healthcare professional in several different ways, okay?
If they go through a healthcare professional, chances are they're going to be referred to social services at some point for saying they need help.
And our mothers don't want to do that.
The last thing they want is the Gestapo turning up on their doorstep, threatening to take their kids, and going through their kitchen cupboard to see what food they got, and counting their nappies.
So, you can donate to other baby banks.
Quite a few have popped up since we started.
You're more than welcome to donate to other baby banks.
But, our baby bank is self-referral.
You know, I trust my volunteer managers.
I know Sammy's given out two top-up food banks today already to mothers.
And she knows the mothers.
They are shoppers.
And they've come in and they've said, I'm struggling.
Oh, I need nappies.
Oh, I need this.
I'm struggling.
And she's given them... she said, oh yeah, pick five items from the top-up food bank.
It's the same with not just your baby clothes and your donations.
It's the same with your tins.
Because I know you've got tin on the wall in this area.
Oh, I nearly blew it there.
But, that tin on the wall in this area is going down to that Risca pantry and they're charging £5 a bag for it.
Why are they collecting in this area?
Because nobody would give them anything else in that Risca.
That's why.
Right?
I'm sat here going, down there, up there.
Right, you can't see it because I'm behind the camera.
I'm walking around marching around.
I'm numb.
You can't see it.
So yeah, I'm going to have a go at this now.
I don't really know where I'm going to start.
I'm like, shall I hang up?
Shall I price?
Shall I clean those donations?
I don't even know what I'm doing.
I don't even know what I'm doing.
I was watching the Fred and Rosemary West documentary.
Have you seen that one?
On Netflix.
Oh, I could come up with a bread knife.
I didn't realise you could come up with a bread knife.
I know, I'd watched somewhere else that the pathologist guy had gone to the garden and said, how many legs did I ever have?
Did you have three legs?
And they were like, no, why?
Because there's three legs in here or something.
And that's how they found out there was more.
But my grandfather knew them, see?
He went to school, he used to live in Murchmarkle, my grandfather.
And he said they were weird.
He said they were weird then.
Years ago when he was a kid, like he said.
You know, that they were weirdos.
I think, right, my grand...
If you knew my grandfather, you know we want to lie or anything.
But I'm pretty sure he said there was a little bench, like a little wooden bench.
And he said that as kids now, we're talking kids we're talking, right?
That they held down a pig, the brother and Fred West held down a pig and cut it open on this little bench in Murchmarkle.
Then, when they were kids.
So that's nice, isn't it?
A bit of a fact to you.
And then nobody bothered with them after that.
They like distanced themselves, you know.
After that.
I'm like a right bench.
It's like a nice family, isn't it?
So yeah, I've been watching.
I don't know what you've been watching.
I watched Appropriate Adults as well.
That's the one, Jaynet Leitch, isn't it?
I didn't think she sold her story to the papers.
I'm looking for the knicker box.
There's a pants and knicker box somewhere in here.
I was hoping these clothes would be further up.
So that we could, you could see the boxes underneath, but you can't really see them.
But you know, I can't not use the space underneath.
So, put them in there.
Well, I'm hoping to open this week, but I don't know if I'm going to get it all done by Friday.
I might have to just say, volunteers, this is where we are.
Come in and help me from this area.
Because I don't know if I can get... this is all posh stuff again.
This has been donated.
So that'll go in that side room until we get a chance to sort it out.
So yeah, we're still waiting on my hi-hab and my forklift and my racking.
I need this racking in my life.
I think my stress levels will go down once I've got this racking.
Because at the moment I haven't got enough shelving to put stuff on, you know.
These come from Barry.
These did.
I'm sure we bought these online from Barry.
We were going to have a pop-up shop on Blackwood High Street to see how it went.
And we said we'd rent it for a couple of weeks to see how it goes in the summer.
Additional to the other one.
And they never go back to us.
We're busy now.
But that's where we're at now.
Oh, he's lost his stem.
Look, he's got a little...
Now see, that would go in the bin.
But I won't put that in the bin.
We'll put that in our junk box.
Because you've got to have a junk box.
And somebody might go, I'll have that to do a thingamajiggy with, you know.
Because there's nothing wrong with that, other than that I haven't got a stem.
Or if you've had one of those bees and you've lost one.
You know the bees, they make like bees.
And this is the designated junk box.
Out of flowers and stuff.
Oh, he's dirty.
Can't wait to get the washing machine.
Yeah, I've got a whole pile of washing already to be done.
So, we'll salvage that.
Got a few of them in there as well.
I'll see where I can get them.
Well, I've got a step lad of you.
But you're going to need a stick over you with a hook.
See where I can get them.
Because I have got a few things that need pricing.
Pontypool tomorrow.
Riscaroo will be shut.
Riscaroo will be shut.
Pontypool is opening its market day.
So if it's a nice day, you'll have a good outdoor market.
And the indoor market is always good.
And Blackwood will be open.
We're a bit short staffed tomorrow.
Possibly the day after.
I don't know.
If you're free, pop into one of the shops and volunteer.
We always need help.
It does look like a Dalek.
Don't know.
If you get away with our dress, there's a Dalek for people to have their photos taken with.
For children to...
I'll have to have a look.
Tag me in some, guys.
Tag me in some Dalek things.
It's quite big.
It's as big as me, I think.
I'm five foot.
Five foot nothing.
Just under five foot.
Thank you for that, Auntie Ruth.
I like the fact you've got the diamantes on.
The corner of it.
Somebody tag me in these things so I don't know where to get them from.
Because I'd like to put diamantes on it all.
Because it really catches the light, doesn't it?
So yes, I don't know where I'm going to start tonight.
I'm like, do I want to do clothes?
My worst job, this is.
I'd rather do brick-a-brack cleaning than hang up clothes and fiddle with them cubes.
Crack me up, they do.
They've done well, haven't they?
Fair play.
Oh, this thing by here was a massive selling point for me.
And it's solid.
Fair play.
It's solid.
My knee is playing up.
I don't know if it's because I've been doing more work.
Or is the injection worn off?
Look, it's solid.
I thought that was a cobweb.
I've only got two glass shelves there.
But Daniel's seen two more in the attic.
So let's see if we've got the fixings to put them on top of there.
Because we can put teddies across there.
We can put loads of our teddies, can't we?
And then our top seller.
Right.
I'm going to try and motivate myself to do some work.
If you've got any good Netflix documentaries, let me know.
Tag me in those things.
Tired.
But I'm relieved now we're in New York.
Because we've got somewhere else now to put donations.
Because we're filling up everywhere again.
The 75% has gone well.
And don't forget to spend 20.
You get five pounds worth of stuff for free as well.
Like I said, if we do well, you do well.
So what I might do is give all of this a dust down.
And price it up.
Put it on that lovely little shelf over there.
And then we go from there, don't we?
These are the books that we were pricing today in risk a rule.
So I've got some of those out.
I've only got vintage children's books.
No cheap ones at the moment, guys.
But they'll be half, well they'll be 75% off, won't they?
I'll have to catch up with my mother then.
Because she may have done some more...
Hi, Laura.
She may have done some more jewellery and stuff to come down.
I don't know where she got it.
I haven't done a pick up at my mother's house for about three weeks.
So I don't even know where she got it.
I know she started the CDs and things like that.
But I couldn't find my little printer.
And I haven't found it in the house.
Either it's been thrown in the donation centre by my son.
Or it's in Pontypool's shop, I think.
Keep your eye out for it.
I've made £1.50 since we've been here.
A little old lady went past and said, Oh, when are you open?
So she had a cushion.
From the window.
And then 50p, two little girls wanted something.
I said, well we'll be half price when we're open.
At least minimum half price.
So who can have it for 50p?
Oh, my knee is bad.
I think it's because I'm doing lots.
Hopefully.
And actually I'm worn off.
It'll be nice to be over at Pontypool tomorrow.
Send me a Netflix link and all the rest of it, guys.
What I can watch tonight.
And I'll see how far I get.
Trying to do a progress report.
