At The Old Milk Bar Local Craft & Eco Hub, we have created a space for local independent artists, crafters and those wishing to learn new skills to easily sell their creations and share or improve their talents. We also offer locals and tourists the opportunity to live more sustainably by using our fairly priced refills and eco products, along with providing some upcycling and recycling facilities. Since opening the number of local and tourist consumers of the sustainable household products and toiletries we stock has steadily risen, including regular and repeat customers. We are now building our reputation as a ‘go to’ space for small group art & craft workshops, wellness activities and gatherings - we offer tailor made events to suit customer needs as well as hosting workshops created by artists and crafters renting our space. We welcome disabled artists, crafters and customers - working hard to create a place where people’s mental health and well being benefit in addition to having easy access, a warm welcome for pets, and chairs dotted around. It’s a real pleasure to hear from both our regular customers (some of whom pop in to browse and chat, or to peruse the books and magazines in our community news area as much as to purchase), and folks visiting the area, how lovely they think The Old Milk Bar is and how important to the community - many visitors say they wish there was somewhere like it closer to their home. Our advertising, social media and (best of all in our view) word of mouth recommendations has led to tourists and people living in the wider local region making a trip to Chirk in order to come to The Old Milk Bar, which has benefitted other local independent businesses too as they often eat and drink in the town, (we always recommend using local cafes, restaurants, tea shops and hostelries), as well as look in other shops. Since we have been open, two more businesses have opened on Church Street, helping to create a ‘destination’ for tourists and people in Wrexham, North Shropshire, and Denbighshire. In addition to the positive environmental impact of our refills, eco-products and upcycling /recycling collection, including stamps in aid of the RNLI, we are promoting reuse, sustainability and thrift through our ‘take and donate’ section that has craft kits, books and patterns available for free or a small voluntary donation - enabling those on a tight budget to benefit from financial and well-being impacts of crafting. Further, we have increased the number of stockists who either upcycle or make items from reclaimed materials - and now have a ‘closed loop’ with corks as a crafter creates items using the corks we collect. We have quickly become a local hub where folks have a safe place to pop in and have a chat, stop and have browse/read in our ‘Community News corner’, or just have some social interaction in their day, along with the opportunity to build links in the community. The Community News board also helps local small businesses to advertise for free, along with providing information on workshops, classes, mental health support and contact details for the Chirk Community Agent - with whom we have built strong links. We have contributed articles to every issue of the relaunched Chirk Community magazine and always put up posters for and give out leaflets for local events such as plant sales and charity fundraisers. Our window displays reflect the seasons and support events such as Pride and Remembrance Day, along with promoting Welsh souvenirs actually made in Wales and highlighting local features, such as our waterways - we were filmed as a positive example for the Canals and Rivers Trust project featured at Ty Pawb, Wrexham and feature in the Chirk Heritage trail artwork. Since opening, our seller numbers have increased to 55, and our team of volunteers has doubled - offering opportunities to people at various life stages - including helping someone back into full time work, welcoming people new to the area into the community, offering recent school leavers and graduates valuable work experience, aiding physical and/or mental health recovery, and giving retirees a valued ‘new lease of life’ - both as a sellers and/or or volunteers. We were very pleased to be asked by the CIC regulator to share our processes and story as an example of good practice - and hope our contribution is useful to other micro-entity CICs.

No consultation with stakeholders

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration