I'm going to move in the nappies.
I don't know about you, but I've never seen a baby bank and a food bank so well stocked.
And this is just one.
This is just one.
So we're clearly spending all the profit on ourselves, aren't we?
Clearly.
I'm sure I've been in these shoes.
How long were these shoes when I bought them from you?
And they're still covered in paint.
I've got a lot to do today.
Still got stuff to move.
But that's got quite a few nappies.
I've still got a few open packs, but they went quite well.
They usually get left till last.
So if you could take the open packs first, I'd appreciate it.
Some have come out.
What's that one?
Some have come out very well.
Are they?
I think that's a swimmer.
Very well.
What's this one?
Five.
Five.
Oh, there's just chuck them in your bag so you can use them.
These ones aren't very nice.
I chucked a couple of these out last time.
They feel like... I don't know whether they're blue from the atmosphere or what.
They haven't been used.
But they do feel heavy compared to like... I don't know what brand that one is.
But they do look bulky and heavy.
There you are.
Something on the back.
Oh, just his back.
But they do feel so heavy those ones too.
Like as if somebody's had a little wee.
Oh god, I've still got these chairs here guys.
Free to our supporters.
I've got lots to do this morning.
I've got to clear a pathway there.
And then I've got to clean those two cupboards this afternoon even.
And start putting stuff in there to start pooling it all in one place again.
I won't be able to see it because the nappies are there now.
But that's what people need at the moment.
I'd like to put them in the window.
I can't put them out in the front because they'll get nicked.
But I could have like a little thing cage that you wheel out every day with them in the front.
But I can't because people will just take packs.
We've got people coming in asking can they buy them again.
Yeah, £5 a pack if you want to buy them.
Because we've got to cover us going to pick them up.
Any inconvenience of us having to go back out to pick up another pack for somebody in need.
So the best bet is not to ask if they're for sale.
There's sign up.
I had a lady the other day she was like oh you should have a sign up.
I said there is a sign up right next to it.
There's a sign up on the door.
There we are.
Yes, I probably did say it like that as well, but you know.
So yeah, just had my workout with them.
I got a dorton today.
And I'm gonna be taking off my gilet.
My £2 gilet I don't know if it's the material or the cash for it to be honest.
It's a bit combination of the ready to.
But that's me.
I spend all my money on my luxury goods.
See all the money we make from the charity pending.
I spend it all on luxury goods.
I might keep this bloomin' zimmer for myself.
Help me walk.
I got the keys.
I got the keys for the tub machine to put the tubs in.
But left them in the car.
And I've got the key for the jewelry cabinet.
So I want to get that in today.
I think it's nice I think it's opened it up.
I mean I know it's still piled up with stuff.
But once this shops down now.
Then I will... I think we're on half price this week.
20 pence on the children's clothes.
And the normal 50p ones.
The boutique ones are on half price.
Including the knitwear.
I got a lot of babies cardigans guys.
So all my knitters concentrate toddler and up please.
I know you are anyway.
But just to let you know I got you know we don't need any baby stuff.
No baby hats.
We don't need any baby hats.
It's all toddler and up.
So you're looking like to to an app it is.
We had some lovely pillows made the other day.
And a blanket made for older children the other day.
So that's great.
That's what we want.
I got a few people wanting to come in today.
I've only got a bit to move at this so people can get through.
It's just behind the counter then.
Oh I've bought this guys.
I started buying this.
Right we can afford this now because I'm spending all the money on myself.
Look we've come a long way since we started.
Charging a pound to cover the pack and happy to help us out like.
I need you to look at it now.
The ingredients to see if I'll put them online.
But if we can get this because I've sent ten to Dan.
I should have had ten.
I've only got six.
Ten to Dan and he got an extra six come in.
They should have gone up to Brynmawr Shop.
So try and get a couple of tubs of this as well.
But it's going to be one or the other guys.
It's going to be nappies or this right.
Because you know you've got to weigh it up for pound for pound okay.
Because you see it's not you know we got it.
We've got all those nappies there.
So say this I don't know what's it 50 packs maybe.
And then that's another yes six.
That's another six mothers we could help see.
So that's 56 mothers instead of 50.
Bloody hell.
I need to have some characters.
I've got two boxes that I haven't sorted through yet.
That we had off infinity toys.
And the counters come off infinity toys.
All the witchy stuff was off modern man.
I got more stuff off modern man.
He gave us quite a bit of stuff as well.
And he did say keep the other stands in the shop for us until we get the next shop.
But I don't know.
I don't know.
I think Bargad and Cuffilly and and I think Merthyr.
Because Merthyr was a bit high on their rent.
You really need to have a think.
You need to be coming down now.
Or you're not gonna have anybody in your shops.
You know you can either have somebody in your shop and you're getting some money in.
Or you can just sit there with your five fifty rents.
And I hear mine.
Some are higher than five fifty.
You know and your four fifty rents.
And nobody sat there.
Nobody in your shop.
You need to bring them right down.
Cuffilly is my biggest worry.
Because I think one day you'll just wake up.
There'll be no shops in Cuffilly.
It's got they're going down fast.
It's because the rents are higher anyway.
The rents are about.
Well they've dropped to about 800 the rents have.
But they need to wake up.
Because they were up a thousand pound.
And people are just leaving in their droves like.
You know because I look at shops all the time.
You know that I'm always looking for premises.
I'm like oh god.
I'm overspilling.
I need someone else quick.
So I'm looking at places on a regular basis.
I look at storage places.
I look at containers.
I look at yards.
Because I could put containers on it.
I don't want to be going down that route though.
Because once you get something damp it spreads to the lot like.
So I look at a lot of things.
I look at yards.
I look at like houses that are for rent.
So we can put stuff in.
But they need to have easy access.
Like they need to have a drive and everything flat.
So I'm always online.
That's my thing.
When I'm relaxing that's what I do.
Start looking on the side with my other phone at other charities and bits and bobs.
You know.
That's what I look at.
So that's what I do look at.
And I just see...
Caerphilly's come down about 200 pound rent a month.
But you need to wake up Caerphilly landlords.
Because you're not gonna get it.
You know.
And then they're putting up the price of the buildings.
Especially if they're a bank.
There used to be a bank.
The bank are gone.
If the bank can't afford it we're all in trouble.
They put the banks up like forty thousand pound year rent.
It's like well the bank couldn't afford that.
You know.
Who do you think else is gonna afford it like?
You're having a laugh.
It's sad isn't it?
You know.
Gonna lose these little towns.
It was sad yesterday going down Merthyr seeing all the little shops that are packed up.
I didn't even know that little ice street was there in Merthyr.
I've never been on that ice street before.
Ever I don't think.
I know there's a Tesco bit and an undercover bit.
But I didn't know that little street was there.
I've never shopped on that ice street yesterday.
Infinity Toys are there selling off their staff.
So give them a visit.
Visit them on the page.
I've linked their page.
All collectible toys and stuff.
Lovely stuff.
Really nice.
So yeah I got the door cordoned off this morning because I needed to clear this and I got to shift these.
Now I got room to do it.
It is just.
It's afternoon even.
You're gonna have to stop donations for the week again because we're full.
So take them to another charity or keep them for us.
Oh we've booked in.
Now I've booked in with the mascots now.
Ready for the days that we're gonna be doing stuff for the festivities throughout the year.
That's how organised we are.
So we've started taking in new stuff.
I haven't got nothing here.
My mother's storing it up in her spare bedroom.
New toys.
I've got nothing brand new.
In a box.
I had to pile off your cars.
You give me tons.
It was all brand new.
I went through them all.
I checked them all.
We do that anyway.
It was a load.
It was about 15.
So my mother's already got some that people have brought in just after Christmas.
So any toys that are new in boxes that your children haven't played with.
Can you drop them in ready for our Christmas appeal.
We did 25 presents this year that were brand new.
Last going off.
We literally threw it together with the presents.
So we literally just threw it all together.
So they already had selection boxes.
And we let them take books.
Second hand books.
Because what you don't want to be doing as a business or a charity is impacting the environment.
Look I've got nappies everywhere.
Look at the bloody things.
Right.
Oh it's one of those heavy ones.
Perhaps they made out of recycled stuff.
Perhaps that's why they're heavy.
Now look they do look awful don't they.
Look at that.
They look worse off the camera.
I don't know what to do about them.
I know I chucked two because they swelled right up.
Perhaps they're like any cool one of them.
Oh I don't just bin them.
Wasting it if I've got to bin them.
Yeah so as a charity what you don't want to do is be giving out loads of plastic toys and stuff that's not going to be used.
And they end up in landfill.
So we also give away our second hand books and second hand DVDs.
They could take them as well as the selection boxes.
And we pulled together about 25 toys.
And I think PJ Mugs then.
Paul who used to manage the Abba Barger Trust.
He gave us about 10 mugs that he printed from his company as well.
So that was another 10 on top.
They had like a selection box and a mug which was lovely.
So that's what we collected now is new toys in the box.
I've got a place for them to go.
If you get anything in your shops guys and you think oh actually that would... it's like sometimes you get lovely gift sets Kaz gave us right.
They were like...
really lovely they were.
Like I'm trying to think like bath bomb, perfume sets.
You know you get those ones from the works and stuff.
They're always nice and they're something to do.
Keep somebody busy Christmas morning wouldn't they?
Coloring books, pens to go with them if you've had them for Christmas.
If you've got any toys that you've had for disabilities or children with learning difficulties and they're new in the box that would be ideal because we can specifically say we've got these five gifts here that are specifically for children with autism or learning difficulties and things like that.
And the mothers would like to give them out from Father Christmas to children who would benefit from this toy rather than having a plastic toy that's no good that they ain't going to use.
Yeah so yeah that's good we've been picking nearly nearly nearly a Daniel in a Peter Bunny costume because a Peter Rabbit costume because they'd all bucked up so I've told them to pencil me in for 2025 for Peter Rabbit as well.
Are you getting first refusal on it?
Because we want to eat the bunny don't we?
Uh yeah so I don't know what's in these ones because I only open the other box it should be a mixed box of the same thing right?
These are ticker overs these are.
I think a lot of people start them as a business and then don't make any money because you've got to wait for them to sell see.
And they're not compulsory.
You put your pound in the machine and then they come out.
There's the squishy hedgehog, can you see him?
Squishy hedgehog, I'll put the knife there.
Sweets up nicely salivating just up there.
There he is.
But there's others.
We've got other ones.
So I should have llamas and things.
There are bonbons in there.
So you put your pound in the machine twist the thing and then they come out.
Any problems speak to the people on the till.
Yeah so we've still got lots of clothes so we're doing.
These are 20p right?
Ones in the baskets, ones on the wall 20p.
Okay because we just got millions and you can see that.
I know kutch up kutch baby bank wanted a note to three.
I don't know if they wanted three to six.
I got tanger just come bring shopper bags with the girls.
Clean me out if you want because we're getting more in.
They're for free for kutch.
So you'll have to come and pick them up because we're up to our neck.
And then I got to find somewhere for this to go.
Unless you want it in your shop.
One of the other shops.
And then these will all be half price.
So that'd be five for the juicy.
Juicy cacha.
That's a lovely dress isn't it?
Why is that got ten on it then?
That seems a lot for ten.
Five.
Five it'll be now.
I think five it should have been in the first place.
But there we are.
We'll have a look.
We'll wait till we've got to put up some more children's clothes.
Book stand is better for my books by here.
It fits him well.
No moses baskets.
I'm chock.
I'll cut you if you want that one to put your things in as well.
You can have that.
Because I know you do yours in little baskets don't you?
I can't give you my baths cutch because I'm using them for toys.
They're good for toys.
I got this.
I need this gone.
Too big to have in the shop.
Twenty please.
Teddies have gone well.
So if you've got any teddies who don't want to bring them here.
They've come in and they've said can I have some for my dog?
And I've said yes.
And children have come in and bought them as well.
They're all half price.
And we've had some beautiful teddy bears in.
Look at him.
He's beautiful.
He's like Aslan.
Look at him.
Yeah we've had some lovely toys in.
I don't think that's supposed to be in there.
I think it's migrated across.
Yeah so like the Meccano set would be better now with all the toys wouldn't it?
All of those toys would be better over there in that counter.
So we'll do that I think.
We'll be doing that.
So I've got that.
A little bedside cabinet.
I'm about to move some stuff back.
Those cabinets look better there.
I don't want to cover the murals.
I'm going to do that.
I want people to see them.
There's another set of drawers there.
And these chairs gotta go.
So yeah busy busy day.
Busy day.
So need some volunteers up here this week.
I'm off on a course tomorrow so I need someone to volunteer to open up.
One of our managers already please.
Or one of our volunteers that already work in Blackwood.
Market's going well today I think.
They've had a good day out there today.
Rug man's there.
Meat man.
Veg.
And then tomorrow is Pontypool market don't forget.
A nice little market especially if it's a nice day.
It's a nice market if it's a nice day.
So it's well worth popping in there.
Oh it's shattered.
Only Tuesday I'm shattered.
I need this watt not gone.
I'm going to be reducing them down I think.
Pound.
Let's get it gone.
I want it gone now.
I've got too much in here.
Too much furniture waste now because we can't get anything else in here.
Everything else is half price all week.
Even going into February you know.
So yeah February's here.
Hey didn't realise Easter was so early.
Too early isn't it.
It's a good Friday so they split up then then the children are they?
Because that's what we've done on the Friday is we've got got the bunnies coming on the Friday on the good Friday because that's the only day that was available.
Not at the moment.
Why aren't they?
I once shut the one in Risca.
I haven't got anybody to run the one in Risca at the moment.
Our manager had a stroke.
So we're looking looking for a new manager.
So which one are you going to?
Not going to the one on the corner are you?
Because that one's shut now to the public.
Yeah we went to like the...
Yes it's shut to the public that one is now.
We've got one on the high street.
Yeah yeah because our manager had a stroke look so we haven't replaced her yet.
Are you the one... are you on our Facebook group?
Because they tell you which ones are open every day.
Right okay.
Just in case somebody's ill or somebody's late in or somebody's children are ill or something like that.
Oh right yeah yeah.
No Pantico's open Dan's over there.
You sure you're going to the right one?
Oh yeah I was going to say yeah Dan's been over there.
So they are open.
This one I'm hoping to get it open but later on this afternoon.
All right okay no worries.
Ta-da guys.
Yeah we've got tons in.
Just had a delivery.
You can come in if you want if there's not a lot of room.
Move this thing and I'll show you what I mean.
I've got a pile of stuff by here so if you want to come in you can.
Rather than you go if you come all the way over from Pontypool in there.
So hang on let me put that down.
If I just move this.
Usually we've got that side open as well see.
But I've got a pile of stuff in there.
But yeah yeah yeah pop on in if you like.
I know I know.
We've got to sort it out now.
No she's about 15 weeks.
And she said we've gone up a week doing baby bank things.
Oh yeah yeah no worries no worries.
Yeah the risk of the big risk of one on the side now is closed to the public.
So it won't be that one now.
So are you following our Facebook?
I am.
Yes follow that because we put on when now when we're open.
But Pontypool is your local is there?
Yeah.
All right looking nice over there.
You've got it nice over there now haven't you?
Last time I went up there they were moving things around.
Yeah yeah.
So they pop in and have a look now.
Because Jude have done well over there and her partner Steve as well.
Nice couple again.
I always like it when we got couples in that do manage for us.
It's always nice then you know.
And Brynmawr have you been up there to see Sarah?
There's one in Berman then?
Yes little one.
It's 48 Worchester Street.
It's up by the vets.
Do you know where it is?
It used to be the zero waste shop.
Next by in between the tattoo parlour and the vets it is.
Yeah because that on the corner used to be the Owens shop.
Is that a big shop there?
No.
The one is there's nobody in there now is there?
No no.
Looks like it's on attempted breaking you know.
There used to be a pet store here as well.
Yeah but one in Pontypool was a pet shop for a while.
Oh god I've been there three times.
I know it have I know I know.
Because we had a lady working for us Chris and she used to volunteer there when it was oh what was it?
On the British Heart Foundation.
No it was there if you don't know.
Oh I can't think what it was now.
I think it was the Red Cross or something.
Yeah so it might have been Red Cross or something like that wouldn't it?
Yeah yeah she's...
I think it was the pet shop then the pet shop moved down for a bit then to another pet shop.
Yeah yeah.
I think we should come back up there and then.
Blackwood is nice especially if you like the collectible bits.
Yeah what that's the what's the one at the adjustment stage up there?
Abba Barber's gone as well now we've shut that one down.
Too small for us that one.
This is too small for us.
Pontypool is too small for us but it's just you know.
This is it today and the problem is whatever space we go we fill it.
So you know it's a catch 22 with us unfortunately.
I've had to stop donations coming in this week now again.
So we can find out you know get a bit of space.
But oh yeah thank you for popping over anyway.
Sorry.
I can't even get behind the till this morning.
Welcome back.
Not easy yet but just preparing isn't it?
Yeah.
By bit by bit.
Yeah yeah yeah and don't forget we do note to 12 month boxes for free.
Right okay.
Let us know and you can pick them up from Pontypool.
Yeah so no problem as soon as you know as well.
We can do coloured, neutral, pink or whatever.
Look at the colour you want all right.
Thank you very much.
Nice to meet you guys.
Oh that was a nice couple weren't it.
Nice couple.
It's nice like I do always say to our volunteers we know our customers because they travel around the shops.
They all go around the shops.
So they know everybody.
So yeah so Aberbargoed and Risca no longer.
Laughter perhaps.
I don't know we've got I got a page I can't access see so I can't change it on there but they those two have gone.
So and we won't be going back because they're like a tip.
When I know I know every day and it was like they haven't even fixed it yet.
So it's still just leaking.
And it's like really just leak leak leak leak leak.
It's like we got out of there just in time I think personally.
Um yeah so I've got loads to do.
I've got to clean those counters and then get some get all start pooling the cabinets all back together because we've just been shoving stuff in the cabinets a bit.
To uh to get it sorted and we done has got to screw those two racks over there for me but I think shelf wise we're done in you know we can't get any more I mean we've got a quite a few shelves in here the volunteers will tell you that.
But I can't just you know we've used every inch of space again haven't we.
In every shop every inch of space have been used.
So Dan's had uh Pontypool's had a nappy delivery.
I think Sarah's still got some from the last time.
Risk I got loads of nappies but like I said the couple who just come in.
I need somebody to uh to run it now long term.
I need at least two to three people down there I do.
Two managers maybe extra volunteering on the day because it is very small.
But there is lots to do.
Lots to do down there.
It's a busy little shop because it's right on in the middle of the ice street see.
So either way people walk past it so it is quite busy.
So yeah we need people over here.
So yes I better get cracking in there.
I'll have to get down there now.
I bought um wipes and stuff to do the glass and then I got a squeegee thing.
So I'll use that pull that.
Is it open on the weekend?
Yes should be yeah.
Because I got some carrier bags at home.
Oh yes please yeah desperate for them.
Yeah I got like three lots all together.
Oh fabulous always need carrier bags definitely.
Yeah and I'm sure they'll be coming.
Yeah Saturday we should be open yeah.
Sunday a bit if...
Sunday I don't sometimes we're in sometimes we're not.
So I got to go to work in the morning like half past eight.
Yeah yeah of course we've got to shut this shop see it's six.
They're just before six because they shut the marketplace down see.
Yeah yeah all year before that.
Yeah yeah no problem that's brilliant.
Don't check them out.
No don't check them out.
Oh fab fab because they're fab for when they have like nappies and clothes and stuff for the babies.
Yeah like the ones they put the clothes in.
Yeah oh brilliant.
Yeah so.
Yeah lots of people bring their own bag now but yeah we still need them definitely.
I know they're surprising.
Yeah.
It's amazing where they come from.
I know you end up with like a cupboard full don't it.
That's what I did.
Yeah oh yeah just bring them down no worries no problem.
All right thank you.
Ta-da then.
Well there we are lots of people about today.
I'm gonna chat got some more carrier bags.
I would need carrier bags every week up here.
Sell so much stuff in Blackwood.
I was thinking how much stuff come up here from Risca and it's nearly gone.
We've sat in Risca for ages weren't it.
Well it's just flown out up here.
And yeah so I think we'll have to put a stop on donations for a week.
I mean if somebody walks in or they come in with a bag of books.
Little old lady bag of books off the bus we'll have to take it because we can't send it back.
But if anybody's planning can you not drop them off this week.
Because I know Zed are at the pile up there.
I was supposed to go up there and pick up your cupboards too.
And I am't.
So yeah busy busy.
But it should be nice and tidy now I think.
I think we've got one rail too many that we got out at the moment.
It's going to be a nuisance.
So we might have to take a rail down.
Might have to take a rail down.
And to make a bit more room.
But yeah all the children's clothes are 20p because we've got so many.
You can still do a filler bag for a fiver.
Whatever works out best for you.
I don't mind.
We can be flexible with it.
See what we can get done now.
I don't know if that room is going to be open tomorrow.
Because I've got a pile of stuff to price I have.
Sorry guys.
Yeah sorry.
Hopefully later on this afternoon.
Alright are you normally open in the day?
Yeah normally.
So I might come and come are you sure?
Oh it's only today I think.
What days do you usually come?
Well not very often.
It's just my luck again.
I mean you can come in if you want.
Can I just have a look at jeans for my daughter?
Is that alright?
Yeah you can do.
I am going to access to this side of the shop at the moment.
Because we've just had a nappy delivery and everything.
And new counters.
Oh gosh.
Yeah but if you wanted to have a look you can.
I've had it in scheme.
Yeah yeah.
Thank you.
Are the jeans just round in the other way?
These will be all our boutique ones.
Which one?
This one?
Yes.
So all of the rails in this part are all the boutique ones.
But what I need to do now is widen the walkways a bit.
For people.
That's my plan.
But I keep putting it off.
Yeah.
So yeah I keep putting it off.
But I've got to get it done.
So I've got to clean the counters.
Fill up two counters.
Backfill them with stock.
And then I've got to go and get the key for the glass one to do that.
So I'm hoping somebody will buy these chairs.
I'll pick them up today.
No they sell... jeans sell really well actually from here.
We usually end up with tons and tons and tons of them.
But actually they sell really well.
In Blackwood.
Oh record man's in there.
Can you hear him?
I thought when I first came here I thought the music was like being piped around.
You know I thought oh have you got it like an you know like an intercom type system with it.
But no it's not just a record man.
I don't know he can hear himself in there.
