This interview is part of our Valleys Voices Heritage Project, where we spoke to staff (past and present), volunteers and community members about their experiences with Valleys Kids over our rich, almost 50 year history.

Jenny first became aware of Valleys Kids around 10 years ago while working with Spectacle Theatre, a tenant at the Factory. She handled their finance work and gradually learned about Valleys Kids’ mission and operations.

Her deeper involvement began when she founded her social enterprise, Manage Money Wales. She secured lottery funding to create the Community Sharing Shop—a community hub offering free donated items, food support, school uniforms, sportswear, and more. Knowing Elise, she approached Valleys Kids for space, initially renting part of Unit 3. As the project grew, footfall increased to around 10,000 people annually, and they now operate from Unit 4, diverting 25 tonnes of waste from landfill each year. Valleys Kids supported this growth and helped shape the project.

Jenny describes Valleys Kids as “the backbone of the community” and a vital support for third-sector organisations. She sees them as a guiding presence—“like a mother”—helping groups like hers learn, develop, and thrive. She believes her enterprise would not have succeeded without their support.

Her project focuses on reducing poverty, combating loneliness, and promoting sustainability. The hub offers financial education, employability training, social activities like bingo, children’s holiday sessions, confidence building, and more—strengthening the community in multiple ways. Jenny’s heart, she says, is firmly with Valleys Kids.