Budget 2023: Cardiff free garden shop helping cost of living

Claudia, Jennie and Naomi set up the stall so people could donate and receive clothing due to a rise in the cost of living

A family who set up a "free shop" in their garden say they have helped hundreds of people struggling with the cost of living.

Jennie Gough, 42, and her daughters Claudia, 18, and Naomi, 14, launched "Bag It For Free" in Cardiff in January.

Clothes can be picked up that have been donated by the local community, free of charge.

Jennie said people have told her it had put clothes on children's backs.

She said she was "loving every minute" working with her daughters to support others.

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The shop, in the Llanrumney area of the city, opens on Saturdays and Mondays and gives people access to free clothes, shoes and toys to allow them to spend on other essentials such as bills.

"People say to us because we've been able to put clothes on their children's back they've been able to go out and do a massive food shop," said Jennie.

"They can put on some extra gas, electric and keep their kids warm. It's great."

'I've had to sell belongings to pay bills'

Sarah and her son James say the shop has allowed them to make their incomes go further

Sarah Turner, 49, used the shop as gas and electricity costs had been "murder" over the winter.

She had sold phones, watches and a necklace to pay for energy.

"I just had to sell stuff now believe it or not just to get some electric this morning.

"Stuff I didn't want to get rid of but I had no choice."

The stall has been a hit, with shoppers saying they have no other choice at times

Sarah said she and her family had no choice but to cut back.

"That's why I come to places like this to get clothes and stuff because I can't afford to buy them, literally can't afford to buy them," she said.

She is unable to work due to arthritis of the spine but said her benefit payments did not cover what she needed.

She said: "By the time I've paid my rent, gas, electric, food, it's gone basically."

Her son James, 28, works as a steward at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and receives universal credit.

He lives with his mother and said he tried to help out where possible, but described it as a struggle and felt he missed out on a lot.

"It gets really depressing and sometimes we don't know what to do," he said.

"I like to do things and treat family and enjoy life but the way things are lately it's not really happening," he said.

He said Jennie, Claudia, and Naomi "deserve medals" for what they've done to help the community.

Naomi and Claudia said the experience had been "heart warming".

"It's just nice seeing kids coming and having a look and parents not saying 'no I can't afford this' or 'you can't have it.'," said Naomi.

Claudia added: "Going to sleep at night knowing you've helped so many people just makes me smile really. I just love helping, it's brilliant."

'People going without the basics'

Nicky says the place is amazing for people - like her - who are struggling

Nicky, 49, from Porth in Rhondda Cynon Taf, visited after reading about the idea on Facebook.

"It's about community and pulling together and assisting one another," she said.

"I'm struggling myself, I'm not working as I've been sick for a long time, so having a place like this is amazing.

"When you're on benefits it can be really difficult when you're not well.

"People think people who are on benefits are living the life of riley but actually you're not.

"I don't know anybody that hasn't been going without basics."

Jennie said a lot of interest in the shop had been driven by social media.

"On a weekend we can do about a hundred and we're helping people on a scale now that we never ever expected it's making such a huge difference," she said.

"We love every minute of this.

"It's amazing and if this can get bigger and better that is what we'll keep doing. We'll never give this up now."

More on this story on Wales Live on BBC One Wales at 22:35 GMT on Wednesday

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