Victoria Nunn

From a single table in a church café to filling halls across Lincolnshire, Project Re-loved is quietly changing how families access children’s clothing. Founded by Victoria during her own experience of parenting on a tight budget, the project offers free children’s clothes with no judgement and no questions asked. Built on kindness, sustainability and community spirit, this is a story about looking after each other – and why Grimsby does that so well.

Victoria is one of those people whose ideas come from lived experience and whose impact quietly ripples through families and communities. She is the founder of Project Re-loved, a community project built on a simple but powerful principle: every family should be able to access children’s clothing without judgement, cost or barriers.

Through Project Re-loved, Victoria provides free children’s clothing to families regardless of income or background, no questions asked. Every item is donated, and the project operates through clothing swap events held across Lincolnshire and the Humber. What’s grown alongside the rails of clothes is a strong, welcoming community – families returning to familiar faces, helping each other find what they need, and sharing a sense that they’re part of something kind and collective. Alongside affordability, sustainability sits at the heart of the project, offering a practical alternative to fast fashion and reducing waste.

The idea for Project Re-loved was born during Victoria’s pregnancy with her third child, Arthur. Despite both her and her partner having what would be considered ‘good jobs’, they were still living month to month and worrying about how to afford the extras that come with a newborn. Around the same time, Victoria had helped at a local school uniform swap and questioned why this kind of support wasn’t available more regularly, and for everyday children’s clothing. What started as a single six-foot table in the café at Cornerstone Church has grown rapidly. Today, Project Re-loved fills large church halls and leisure centres, reaching hundreds of families at a time.

As the project has grown, so has its ambition. This year saw the introduction of the very first Project Re-loved Big Book Event, which welcomed 262 families and gave local authors a platform to showcase their work. It marked the beginning of the project branching into new areas, with plans for book and toy events becoming a regular part of the calendar.

Looking ahead, Victoria’s priority is to take Project Re-loved into its next chapter by becoming a Community Interest Company. At present, she personally funds the project, and CIC status would open the door to funding opportunities that would allow the work to grow sustainably. Alongside this, she is keen to reach new venues and locations, ensuring the swaps are accessible to as many families as possible and continuing to give back wherever there is need.

Grimsby, for Victoria, is home in the deepest sense. It’s a place shaped by history, family and community spirit. Her family’s roots are firmly embedded in the town, from her dad’s side – the Baskcombs – who donated time and money to the community through their trawler company, to her grandad Roly Godfrey on her mum’s side, remembered by many as the landlord of JD’s nightclub and for his passionate filming and commentary of Grimsby Town matches. For Victoria, that long-standing tradition of supporting neighbours and showing up for one another is what defines Grimsby, and it’s something she still sees reflected today.

The feedback Project Re-loved receives reflects that same spirit. Families regularly speak about the welcoming, organised and calm atmosphere at the swaps, even when they’re busy. Parents help each other out, ask who people are shopping for, and share in the joy of passing on clothes their own children have outgrown. Others highlight the environmental impact, celebrating the reuse of clothing and the reduction of waste going to landfill. For Victoria, these moments make the long hours of sorting, transporting, setting up and packing away worthwhile.

At its core, Project Re-loved isn’t just about clothes. It’s about dignity, community and care. Through her commitment and compassion, Victoria has created something that helps families feel supported, reduces waste, and reminds people that kindness is still very much alive in Grimsby and beyond.