Second-hand Furniture & Community Spirit at Monmouthshire Upcycle
- ThomasR
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
Imagine your typical charity shop, multiply it by ten, add an on-site café/bookshop, and you've got Monmouthshire Upcycle, a vast trove of second-hand treasures on the South Wales border.
A stone's throw from Chepstow station, you'll find a huge assortment of good quality furniture, kitchenware, and household appliances at affordable prices. Basically, all the necessities, comforts, and little luxuries of home, under one warehouse roof.
If you're in the process of moving house, Monmouthshire Upcycle is a great place to save money on the essentials while introducing a little vintage charm to your new living space. With its impressive selection of second-hand furniture, bed frames, mattresses and electricals, you'll make your house a home in no time.
The Upcycling Charity Behind It All
The premises is run by Forest Upcycling Project, a charity dedicated to its mission of 'transforming lives and reducing waste' since 2014. It has currently has four units: two in South Wales, one in Gloucestershire, and another in Swindon.
The locations provide employment opportunities for disabled individuals, and regularly host pop-up stands and events. We were lucky to find Chepstow Community Fridge when we recently visited the Chepstow location. The scheme saves expired supermarket food from the compost heap and gives it away for free!
The Project's international Upcycle Programmes extend its impact to communities in Uganda and Ukraine. It donates goods and funds to support essential construction projects and supplies basic amenities to people in need.
After Thrifting Head to Their Coffee Shop
Relax after all that thrifting at Monmouthshire Upcycle's well-stocked café. It's a great place to unwind and peruse their shelves of second-hand books with cup-in-hand. Paperbacks cost £1 and hardbacks cost £2 - one-hundred percent of proceeds contribute towards the charity's projects in Uganda and Ukraine.
The unit has its own small car park which fills up quickly in busy periods. Visitors can also use the station lot or take a short walk from the free Tesco car park. The shop's opening hours are quite irregular, so it's worth checking before your visit to avoid disappointment!
We think it's exciting that a small charity can do so much good for communities, locally and internationally. Monmouthshire Upcycle and Forest Upcycling Project's other locations take upcycling and social impact seriously. Whether you're close-by or further afield, they're definitely worth a visit!
Want to discover upcycling shops and events in your local community? Check out Ganddee, the app that shows all charity and second-hand shops near you.
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