THE WREXHAM Clothing Exchange team has announced that it has moved into a shop unit which has been vacant for almost a decade.

The Clothing Exchange has set up a non-profit community interest company.

It will now be based at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre, in a unit previously occupied by the 'Animal store' - and described by the team as its 'happy place'.

Wrexham Clothing Exchange plan to use the unit for several activities including a community café, a performance space, creative workshops, events, and a ‘library of things’.   

They are to call their unit ‘Lle Hapus’, Welsh for ‘Happy Place’ and will open to the public in the last week of February.

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Lead organiser, Sharon Rogers said: “Wrexham Clothing Exchange has been searching for a home for the last 18 months and we’re enthused to have found one on Eagles Meadow.

"The inspiration for the name comes from our swappers, many have been saying for quite some time that the monthly clothing exchange was their happy place; an event to share with friends or family. It was the obvious and only name."

"We will carry on with the clothing exchange being monthly, but we plan to make the book exchange available every day we’re open. As mentioned before, our shoppers call it their’ happy place’, so we aim to make the unit a flexible space where they can come and relax.

"We will have a small community café, organise a variety of creative events, set up craft & music workshops, and will set up a ‘library of things’. A ‘library of things’ is a type of low-cost hire shop that has proved popular in the south of the country."

Sharon added: "To get to the stage of having our own premises, we have a lot of people to thank. Firstly, the Eagles Meadow management and staff for putting faith in us.

"Secondly, a number of funders/donors such as Wrexham Council, Airbus, the Co-op and Unite the Union. Thirdly, the Wrexham Enterprise Hub for their support and initial venue. And finally, we want to thank both our hardworking volunteers and the swappers for making Wrexham Clothing Exchange, ‘a happy place'."