REUSING PRE-LOVED ITEMS. REINVESTING IN OUR COMMUNITY.
Most people know us as the second-hand shop on the high street. But every time you drop off a donation, pick up a bargain, or give a few hours of your time, you're part of something much bigger.
Second Life is Forest Row’s own circular economy, a community-based charity that provides a service by keeping 44 tonnes of unwanted goods out of incineration, supports community projects, repairs and repurposes, and reinvests back into village life.
It started because this community refused to accept that useful things should go to waste. It keeps going because you are part of it!
THE SECOND LIFE COMMUNITY SHOP
Our flagship initiative, the Second Life Community Shop on Hartfield Road is at the heart of what we do.
It’s where pre-loved donated items are reused, volunteers connect with the community, and funds are raised to support community initiatives in Forest Row.
OPENING HOURS
Monday - Saturday
10.00AM - 4.00PM
(closed Sunday)
LOCATION
Second Life,
14-16 Hartfield Road,
Forest Row, East Sussex. RH18 5DN
DONATIONS
Clean, undamaged donations are welcome at the rear entrance on Lower Road during opening hours (please follow our board’s updates as sometimes we have too many donations that need sorting).
Every purchase helps us create a better service and support local projects.
WHAT WE DO
Second Life brings people together to rethink waste and give pre-loved items a second life.
Through our community shop, pop-up recycling initiatives and educational events, we enable residents to:
REUSE VALUABLE RESOURCES
BE PART OF OUR CIRCULAR ECONOMY BY PURCHASING QUALITY ITEMS AT GREAT PRICES
VOLUNTEER AND HAVE FUN WHILST CHANGING THE WORLD
ATTEND EVENTS TO INSPIRE AND INFORM
WE ALSO WORK ON
FUNDING LOCAL PROJECTS
RECYCLING INIATIVES
IMPROVING THE SHOP FOR CUSTOMERS, VOLUNTEERS & MANAGERS
Our aim is simple: make it easier for our community to waste less, re-use and enjoy meeting our vibrant and dynamic team.
OUR IMPACT
Thanks to the incredible support of residents, volunteers and local partners, Second Life is already making a big difference.
EXTENDING THE LIFECYCLE OF PRELOVED ITEMS
REINVESTING IN THE LOCAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY
CREATING AN INCREDIBLE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS
BUILDING COMMUNITY
HOW TO GET INVOLVED
DONATE ITEMS
Give clean and good quality items a second life by donating them to the Second Life Community Shop. Your donations help reduce waste while raising funds to offer better service and fund local projects.
DONATE MONEY
Financial donations allow us to expand our services, increase funding for community projects and invest in helping us all adopt more circular and regenerative principles in our lives.
VOLUNTEER
Join our friendly team and help run the shop, organise events or support other initiatives. Volunteering is a great way to meet people and contribute to a more sustainable community.
PARTICIPATE
The shop is a hub for community events and initiatives throughout the year, from fashion shows to seasonal schemes like our Christmas tree collection. Check our updates for what's coming up, or get in touch if you have ideas.
WHAT'S ON & EVENTS
Stay up to date with what's happening at Second Life.
UPCOMING EVENTS INCLUDE:
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Forest Row Festival
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Paint Recycling
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Metal Collection Days
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Repair workshops
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The Sustainable Fashion week - Second Life Community Fashion Show at Forest Row Festival
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Community talks and sustainability events
SUPPORTING LOCAL PROJECTS
Everything Second Life raises goes back into strengthening our local circular economy. We support environmental initiatives, community projects and organisations working to reuse, reduce, recycle, upcycle and build community. Second Life also shares practical knowledge to help residents make choices that support a thriving community and ecology.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
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British Solutions to waste
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Understanding the circular economy
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Textile recycling realities
GALLERY
Browse our gallery to see Second Life in action, Forest Row's second-hand shop and community hub. These photos show our shop life, the volunteers and managers who run it day to day, and the local events and initiatives we support throughout the year. From newly donated finds on display to community fundraisers and outreach projects, our gallery shows some of the role Second Life plays in Forest Row and the surrounding East Sussex area. Every donation, purchase, and visit helps us keep that work going
CONTACT
STAY CONNECTED
Sign up to our newsletter to hear about:
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Upcoming events
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Volunteer opportunities
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Recycling initiatives
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Community impact updates