The EcoMarket at Splott received a welcoming response from the residents who donated lots of clothes to a stall at the event.
Homeless people around Cardiff are likely receive clothes after local residents donated clothes to a charity stall at the ‘EcomarketSplott’ this Sunday.
The EcoMarket arranged at the Railway Gardens received a welcoming response from the residents who donated lots of clothes to a stall at the event.
“On a Monday evening at 6 o’clock, we come into Cardiff and give out all these donations to people who are street homeless. We basically do a route around Cardiff Central, we take little trolleys full of donations.” said Sam, a young volunteer who managed the stall ‘Helping our homeless Wales’ .
Talking about the donations Sam said, “We advertised at the start of the week… people showed up today to give us donations.” He emphasized his commitment to directly helping homeless individuals in Cardiff, “These donations are great—they’re going straight out to people now to help…Hopefully, more people will recognize us and want to donate in the future.”
Iwan, 37, a Welsh teacher said, “I just literally ran around the house looking for shoes I never use… it’s good for me and good for other people.” He also advised about decluttering the house by saying “Hand unused clothes… they’re just getting wasted, sitting there doing nothing, or ending up in landfills.”
He expressed his intention to donate more clothes to the charity in the near future, explaining, “Half of that bag was from my dad, who gave three jumpers, and my mom contributed one. I also added items I hadn’t even opened. January feels like a great time to donate because people often have unused Christmas gifts—good quality items that can benefit others. I’d definitely consider doing it again.”
“It’s better to have less, and if you can give the rest to others, it’s not wasted in your wardrobe,” said Mirain, a Welsh subtitler. “There’s lots of reasons to donate—no waste, no landfills, and it goes to people who really need it” she added.
Retired charity volunteer Mary emphasized the importance of sustainability, advising, “Buy from a charity shop, usually, the goods are good quality and a lot cheaper than most regular shops. Recycle everything.” She also shared a strong message for younger generations, urging them to “Buy less, don’t buy Chinese goods from Temu and Shein… It’s slave labour, and it ends up in landfills.”
Dave, 67, one of the co-organisers of the EcoMarket at Splott who self-funds this event said “I wanted to do something sustainable for the community. Something old, something new, vintage, sustainable for me and you.”
Sophie, another co-organizer and volunteer for ‘The Safe Foundation,’ expressed gratitude for the community’s participation, emphasizing the event’s blend of sustainability, charity, and creativity.