On 24 June, we celebrated the official opening of our latest shop - in Princess Square within the Lexicon Shopping Centre - with not one, but two mayors and a lot of treats and fun!
Our Bracknell journey actually started pre-pandemic with Deborah and Teresa visiting the shopping centre in search of vacant units but at the time found nothing suitable. Fast forward to January 2023, we were delighted to be approached by Bracknell Forest Council together with the support of Savills, the shopping centre's property management - with a view to looking for that evasive unit! And indeed we did find it - an old 'Ernest Jones' unit which needed some serious TLC - especially in terms decor, plumbing and more importantly making it much more energy efficient - but we could see the potential! We rolled up our sleeves and accepted all offers of help for painting, flooring and furniture-building. The jeweller's style windows we realised make a great display area for our community gallery and we also employed the sign-writing skills of Sarah at Make It So Creations to create our own ethereal Bracknell Forest with 269 handpainted trees!
We held two 'Open Calls' in our search for local talent - I like to explain that it feels like 'Britain's Got Talent for crafters and makers' - and we found lots! By 4 May, we were ready to 'soft launch', so opened our doors with around 20 new Coopers and a wonderful photo exhibition in our gallery space from Stepping Stones Recovery College celebrating Bracknell.
So back to the official opening... Bracknell Forest's Mayor Cllr Naheed Ejaz cut the ribbon, helped by Deputy Mayor of Bracknell Town, Cllr Mary Baker and Lexicon Duty Manager Julian Hart. We celebrated with fabulous cakes and fizz, glitter tattoos, face-painting and children's crafts - plus a giant Coop chick (thank you Gemma - see photo) and loads of (biodegradable) balloons and sweet treats to give out at the Community Cart on Braccan Way.
It was a joyous day - we had a lot of fun and want to thank the incredible community and all the amazing individuals who contributed to making this day a resounding success. From our talented makers to our dedicated tradesmen and everyone who helped bring it all together, your efforts made a remarkable difference. We are so grateful for the support of those who cheered us on. The positive energy and enthusiasm has been truly inspiring and we’re excited to continue our incredible work and be a part of Bracknell’s vibrant community. Stay tuned for more amazing adventures ahead!