The shop, where you can build a bear for a fiver, wants to expand its events and food for sale
A SECOND-HAND kids store in Barry is raising money so it can run more activities for the community, and expand its food pantry.
Eto, which means “again” in Welsh, is a not-for-profit shop which sells pre-loved children’s clothes and toys at cheap prices.
Since it opened on Holton Road in 2023, it has become a hive of activity, hosting community meet-ups and workshops for kids in its small café.
It also runs a monthly sustainable food pantry used by 60 families in Barry.
This month, the store launched a Crowdfunder appeal to help improve its space by installing a fully accessible toilet and baby-changing area at the back of the shop, as well as essential kitchen facilities.
Despite the shop seeing over 100 people through its door every day, founder and shop owner Amy Greenfield says the lack of facilities is limiting the impact that Eto wants to have in the community.
Currently, parents and children visiting the store have to climb down rickety steps to the toilet in the basement. As a result, the store isn’t accessible for disabled people, and its workshops for kids are often limited to 45 minutes.
“If you’re going to have kids in here for three hours, they’re going to have to use the loo. And we don’t think it’s appropriate for them to have to go down the basement stairs,” said Amy.
The lack of kitchen amenities also means that they can’t sell chilled foods at the pantry, which is something frequently requested by the community.
Eto is aiming to raise £7,000 to help cover the cost of the renovations. The money raised will then be doubled through a government grant, bringing the total up to £14,000.
The shop is run by Amy and her husband, Stuart Burnell, who founded the social enterprise Awesome Wales together in 2019. They ran a zero-waste food shop across the road for five years, before realising the huge demand in the community for affordable children’s clothes.
“Our aim is basically to make ethical consumerism affordable to people in a town like Barry,” said Amy.
“It was something where lots of people said to us, your community doesn’t want or need this. And I’m like, yes they do want it. Actually, they deserve it. They deserve nice things.
“People on low incomes don’t always have a lot of choice because they can’t afford it. We’re giving them that choice back, and that’s really empowering,” she said.
Eto runs a “Fill a Bag for £5” deal, where customers can mix and match items including children’s clothes, shoes, toys, bedding and books.
Its food pantry, which Amy says “easily” benefits over 100 people, sells food at wholesale prices – meaning things like spices, which can cost two or three pounds in the supermarket, can be bought for around 80p.
Recently, Eto hosted a DIY build-a-bear workshop, where kids got a teddy bear and an outfit with shoes.
“Lots of kids in Barry can’t afford £50 to go and buy a teddy in Cardiff. So we ran it for a fiver, all from things have stashed over the last 12 months,” said Amy.
Since the fundraiser was launched, Eto has had customers donating items to be auctioned, and running pub quizzes and raffles.
On Saturday, a group of dads who meet weekly at Eto, are cycling the length of the A470 on exercise bikes in the café to raise money.
With the new facilities, Amy hopes the store can run more activities and workshops, and allow the café to offer cheap lunches and hot snacks for children after school.
In the future, she wants the store to become a hub for teenagers, too.
“Young people in Barry get a bad reputation. But when you speak to them, so many of them are absolutely lovely. We’d love to be able to offer them a space that they can feel some ownership over,” she said.
- The Crowdfunder is still open and any donations received before the end of February will be doubled. You can donate here.
