The Lydney Exchange is a community enterprise for the redistribution of pre-loved/unwanted goods of all types on a voluntary basis, with no monetary exchange at any point. 

It operates through volunteers collecting donated items from the local community, storing and sorting them before laying them out for the community to take home whatever they want without cost or obligation. 

Following a successful event held at the Lydney Community Centre in October 2023, another held on February 17 2024 saw queues forming before the doors opened and crowds claiming almost half the proffered goods. The local, voluntary, no-cost nature of the Exchange, makes the benefits to the community and the environment obvious.

“A key aspect of the operation is a facility to store and sort donations between Exchange events. Up to now this has been kindly provided by the Now Storage Company in Lydney,” said Annie George on behalf of The Lydney Exchange.

“For completely understandable commercial reasons this generous asset is no longer available free to us from May 5. The Lydney Exchange thus needs a new storage/sorting facility, or for a big hearted business/organisation/individual to directly fund our current facility. Without a good sized facility the Exchange cannot function due to the volume of donations. This needs to be cost-free, since our operating model is based on keeping cash donations or direct financial support to the Exchange out of the enterprise.

“Can anyone help us out? The Lydney Exchange has proved itself of value to the local community - and other communities in the Forest are enthusiastic about the idea. We do not want to have to cease operating just as we are seeing the benefits of our enterprise.

“Thank you to all donors, to local shops for publicising our events, Graphics Hut for the leaflet printing, Lydney Community Centre and Bream Sports Club for venues, Tescos for tea, coffee and biscuits, Now Storage and to everyone who has been to any of our events in any capacity,” said Annie

“There is no cost of living in exchanging and giving,” she added