There are two things that often surprise people when they first visit The Gathering Place in Neath. Firstly, the owner of the shop greets customers in his smooth American accent, something that is not often heard in the South Wales market town. Secondly, everything in the shop is free.
When American pastors Ken Arrington, 47, and Jen Arrington, 37, first came to Swansea in 2019, the city had the worst opioid death rate across England and Wales.
"We were walking around seeing people sleeping on the sidewalks in the city centre," said Ken. "We didn't know much about Swansea at the time but then we learnt more about the opioid epidemic." You can read more stories about Swansea here.
Hailing from North Carolina, the pair, who have been married for thirteen years had travelled to countries like Cuba and India to volunteer, but realised that day in Swansea that they were supposed to be there to help those in need. They had volunteered in churches in Wales but wanted to do more work on the ground.
"I didn't come here to build churches," said Ken, "I came here to help people." The couple had experience of working in addiction and sex trafficking back in the States and decided to do something to make a difference in Swansea. "My wife and I have a lot of passion for women, specifically, that were in abusive situations who were feeling trapped," he added.
Without accepting any donations from people in the UK, the couple used donations from friends in America to open a charity based in the city centre. The Gathering Place in Mansel Street provided counselling and essential items for sex workers, victims of trafficking, those living in poverty, people dealing with addiction and individuals experiencing homelessness. You can get more Swansea and Neath news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Then Covid changed everything. The Gathering Place was running out of money and Ken said it was a tough time for him and his wife. But people still needed their help more than ever and Ken came up with the idea of contacting empty hotels across the city and asking them to donate their unused toiletries.
After supplying hostels, nursing homes and mental health wards with much-needed items like toilet roll, the couple came across a charity called The Moondance Foundation. The Gathering Place building had suffered flood damage and Jen and Ken were struggling to keep it open. They then secured a huge grant of £70,000 from the foundation and managed to open a new centre in Neath. "If it wasn't for them, we would have had to close down our doors," said Ken.
Now, thanks to The Moondance Foundation which has given out £100m in donations to charities like theirs, Ken and Jen own a shop in the heart of Neath town centre. Their biggest aim is to not look like a charity, said Ken. "We want to have something that looks like an actual store," he added.
With racks of clothes at the front of the shop, many people walk in and start shopping for clothes without realising that everything is free and for those in need. Some of the clothes on offer still have their tags on and the shop also stocks toiletries as well as serving tea and coffee. When people realise it is not your average high street shop, Ken said they often offered to donate their unwanted items.
"I believe people in their heart are good," said Ken. "I've seen some of the worst that humanity has to offer but I still believe people are good."
The Gathering Place is now a registered warm hub and a safe, free, place for people to stay out of the cold, charge their phones and enjoy a hot drink. There is also yoga and counselling on offer and a new computer lab with digital training for at-risk young people. Anyone can use the hub and no proof is needed, although they also accept referrals.
People often ask Ken whether he is worried that people will take advantage of the free items on offer, but he said he was trusting that anyone who used The Gathering Place needed their support.
The American couple, who live in a cottage by the sea in Mumbles, said the charity was governed by Welsh people and would live on even if the pair moved away. Despite travelling all over the world, Ken said there was no place like Wales and the beauty of the landscape which he said was reflected in the people who lived here.
"The Gathering Place was never designed to be an American thing," said Ken. "As Americans, we often think a lot of ourselves and the empires we like to build. They try to come overseas and do things the American way. But my heart and my wife's heart is finding what is in the land here, what is in the heart of the people and that is what we try to bring to the surface."
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