Swap Shop Clee Hill Academy
Introducing our Clee Hill Academy Swap Shop
Let me take you back to April 2021, a difficult time for us all as we were still amidst Covid-19 restrictions.
Something quite magical happened for Clee Hill Community Academy, our PTA Clee Hill Community Academy Swap Shop was born.
Lauren and I from Tenbury Wells Open For Business visited on the day of the grand opening.
In the words of Hannah Morgan a Clee Hill School Mum.
‘The PTA Swap Shop idea came to me by simply wanting to give away some of my son Stan’s trousers on the school parents Facebook page. Someone then posted a few other uniform bits and pieces.
It then hit me, and I wondered about some kind of Swap Shop so I approached Mrs Little Headteacher of Clee Hill Community Academy. I asked if we could have a central place to swap these items and so it happened’
Hannah has worked tirelessly to maintain regular stock lists, this was essential in the early stages before our wonderful shed was in place as it was mostly managed via an online shop and if the weather was kind left out for parents to collect.
Eventually the amount of clothing and shoes was more than Hannah could keep at home and the school PTA agreed that they would fund a shed for her if she could find one.
‘The PTA Swap Shop is always open 24 hrs a day 7 days a week. We even have a themed rail, which was hugely popular for Halloween costumes and now Christmas Jumper swaps.
I can honestly say it is an honour and a privilege to be part of, and I’m very proud of how far it has come. I have helped nearly every family in school at some point, and to me that is the best feeling.
There is no longer a stigma of having hand me downs and the parents are happy to have our amazing PTA Swap Shop So grateful how supportive the school and PTA have been with my once small idea that grew and grew’
Ceri Little Headteacher explained to Tenbury Wells Open for Business ‘I cannot speak highly enough of our PTA Swap Shop at Clee Hill Community Academy. The idea came from a member of the PTA, Hannah Morgan. It’s a simple idea that school uniform clothes should be swapped with the school family community. And the idea has grown and grown’
The Swap Shop is now an actual building (albeit a shed shop) whether clothes are presented on rails and shelves, looking appealing and smelling clean and fresh.
Ceri added ‘As the doors open, everyone is keen to discover any new gems which await them. And it’s not just school uniform. The shop has evolved to include fancy dress costumes for Halloween and Christmas jumpers too. There is no stigma attached to the shop as it is used by everyone and why not?
It makes sense. It’s environmentally friendly and saves money – the perfect solution for any family. But this doesn’t just happen. Hannah collects the clothes daily, washes irons them and presents the items back in the shed like the magic clothes fairy she is. To me, I feel like she has created a ‘Marcus Rashford style movement’ where she has changed the culture of a community with one simple idea. Just incredible’