Welcome to Nofela CIC

Now in Pilot Phase

Croeso i Nofela CIC

"We’re dreaming up a cosy, queer-centred, not-for-profit bookshop, café, and LGBTQ+ community space in Swansea."

Nofela is a space for books, brews, and community connection. We are currently holding pop-up events and collaborating with local LGBTQ+ groups as we work toward creating a permanent home in the city centre.

What is a CIC?

As a Community Interest Company, every penny of profit is ploughed back into the business or the local LGBTQ+ community.

Who we are

Founded by queer, neurodiverse women, we are a proudly Welsh-based and community-focused team.

Get Involved

Help us shape the future of Nofela by joining the conversation.

Take our Survey Upcoming Events Support Us

Lotto Abertawe

Support Our Cause

Win Big, Support Local: Lotto Abertawe

"Did you know you can stand a chance to win a £25,000 jackpot while directly funding Swansea’s first safe, sober, specialist LGBTQ+  bookshop and neurodivergent community hub?"

Shwmae pawb! If you have been following our journey through our recent pop-ups, pride events, and community collaborations, you know that our goal for Nofela CIC is to anchor down a permanent physical home in the city centre: a beautiful, low-sensory sanctuary for books, brews, and authentic connection.

Turning this dream into a reality requires start-up resources for outfitting a truly accessible venue and lining the shelves with curated queer literature. We are excited to share a wonderful, fun way you can back our mission while putting yourself in line for some incredible cash prizes!

Introducing Our Lotto Abertawe Page

We have officially launched our dedicated cause page with Lotto Abertawe, a brilliant local initiative run by the Swansea Council for Voluntary Service (SCVS). Unlike commercial lotteries where funding spreads far and wide, Lotto Abertawe is passionately local.

When you purchase a £1 ticket via our community link, an incredible 60% of the ticket price goes directly to local good causes (more than double the contribution of the National Lottery!). Specifically, 50% comes straight to Nofela CIC to fund our future storefront, and 10% supports other vital community groups across Swansea.

How It Works

Tickets are just £1 a week. Choose your own lucky numbers or select a random option. Draws happen every Saturday night at 8:00 PM with prizes ranging up to a £25,000 jackpot!

Where the Money Goes

As a non-profit Community Interest Company, every single penny raised is legally locked to fund our inclusive city-centre space, community groups, and creative writing workshops.

How to Buy Your Tickets

Supporting us takes less than two minutes. You can choose a simple monthly plan or set up a fixed block of tickets to support our journey across the coming months:

Join the Draw Today

Click below to head to our secure, official Lotto Abertawe page, pick your numbers, and support our community space.

👉 Buy Lotto Abertawe Tickets Here

Nofela at Urban HQ

✨ WE HAVE A SUMMER RESIDENCY! 🌈📚

Swansea, we are incredibly excited to announce that Nofela CIC is taking over the foyer at Urban HQ for a full two-month summer residency from 1st July to 31st August 2026!

Whether you want to browse some incredible queer literature, try your hand at something creative, or just hang out in a welcoming space with great community vibes, we can’t wait to welcome you.

Here is a little taste of what we have planned:

• 📚 The Nofela Bookstall: We’ll have our usual brilliant selection of new and second-hand LGBTQ+ books to browse and buy.
• 📦 Book Donations: Got some queer literature looking for a new home? We will happily be accepting donations throughout the residency!
• ✍️ Literary & Creative Workshops: Get ready for creative writing groups, zine-making workshops, and even some D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) sessions!

📍 Where: The Foyer, Urban HQ, 37 Orchard Street, Swansea SA1 5AJ
⏰ Days, Times & Special Events: We are finalizing the schedule as we speak, so keep your eyes glued to our page for updates very soon!

Come along, have a chat with the team, and find out how we're progressing with our quest to open a permanent LGBTQ+ bookshop, cafe, and community space right here in Swansea.

Croeso i bawb — everyone is welcome! ✨

Shop Online? Here’s How You Can Support Us For Free!

Support Our Cause

Easyfundraising: Turn Online Shopping into Free Donations

"Did you know you can raise free donations for Nofela CIC every single time you shop online—without it costing you a single extra penny?"

Shwmae pawb! We have some incredibly exciting news to share. We have officially signed up with easyfundraising, a brilliant platform that turns your everyday online shopping into effortless, vital support for building Swansea's first safe, sober, and inclusive community bookshop and hub.

Whether you’re booking a weekend getaway, ordering your weekly grocery shop, renewing your insurance, or picking up a brand-new book, the brands you already shop with will donate a percentage of your spend directly to us. It won’t cost you a single penny extra, but it makes a massive world of difference to our community space.

How It Works

Think of it just like a traditional store loyalty reward program—but instead of points gathering on a plastic card, the retailer sends a cash donation directly to our community fund as a thank-you.

There are over 8,000 brands on board ready to donate right now, including major household names like M&S, Tesco, Booking.com, Argos, John Lewis, and eBay.

Completely Free Support

The shop covers the donation out of their own pocket. Your checkout total stays exactly the same, meaning you support us entirely for free!

Small Changes, Big Impact

Every small micro-donation from a grocery shop or utility switch adds up to help us buy stock, fund poetry nights, and build a safe place to belong.

Getting Started in 3 Simple Steps

Setting up your free fundraising profile takes less than five minutes, and once it's done, you can shop entirely as normal:

Join Easyfundraising Today

Scan the QR code below using your smartphone camera, or click the direct button to head straight to our dedicated Nofela fundraising page and click "Support this cause".

Tip: You can scan the QR code right off your computer screen to sign up instantly!

Pro Tip: If you're on a computer, grab the easyfundraising Donation Reminder browser extension. It gives you a tiny, one-click pop-up reminder when you visit an eligible shop so you never miss a free donation. If you're on a phone, just download their free mobile app!

👉 Sign Up & Support Nofela CIC For Free

Thank you so much for your continuous warmth, encouragement, and solidarity. Together, we can turn our everyday online habits into an absolute force for good in Wales!

Happy shopping!

Thank you to the Swansea LGBTQ+ Coffee Morning & Sadie's Butterflies

A Heartfelt Thank You

We wanted to say a massive thank you to the Swansea LGBTQ+ Coffee Morning and Sadie's Butterflies for having us along recently. It was a truly wonderful morning spent in great company.

We had some fantastic conversations about how our plans for Nofela are progressing. The feedback and support we received from everyone there means the world to us as we continue to build this LGBTQ+ bookshop and community space for Swansea.

A huge thank you also goes to Coast Café in the Maritime Quarter. Their hospitality was brilliant, and the refreshments provided the perfect backdrop for such a welcoming and relaxing chat.

Seeing the community come together like this is exactly why we are so passionate about Nofela. Thank you for the support, the stories, and the coffee!

Love,
The Nofela Team

Help Us Build the Future of Nofela: Share Your Voice! 🌈✨

Shwmae pawb!

Since we launched the Nofela pilot phase, we’ve been overwhelmed by the love and support from the Swansea community. Whether you’ve visited us at a pop-up, donated a book, or just followed our journey online, you are the reason we are doing this.

Our dream is to create a permanent, cosy, queer-centred bookshop and community space in the heart of Swansea—a place for books, brews, and belonging. But to make this space truly yours, we need to hear from you.

Why your voice matters 🗣️

We aren't just building a shop; we’re building a community resource. To do that right, we need to understand what you want to see in a permanent Nofela home.

• 📚 What kind of books should we stock more of?
• ☕ What kind of events would make you want to visit? (Poetry nights? Crafting circles? Quiet reading hours?)
• 🏳️‍🌈 How can we make the space as accessible and welcoming as possible for everyone in our beautiful, neurodiverse LGBTQ+ family?

Take 5 minutes for the Nofela Survey 📋

We’ve put together a short survey to gather your thoughts, dreams, and feedback. It only takes a few minutes to fill out, but the impact it will have on our business plan and our future space is huge.

Click the link below to share your thoughts:

👉 Take the Nofela Community Survey Here 👈

What happens next?

We’ll be using your responses to help us apply for funding, choose a location, and curate our future events calendar. This is your chance to be a "co-author" of the Nofela story!

Thank you for helping us grow. Every response brings us one step closer to opening those doors and putting the kettle on for you.

Yn gynnes,

The Nofela Team

Books, Brews, and Community Connections.

Nofela x Queertawe: A Fantastic Day of Community at Urban HQ

Thanks to everyone who joined us yesterday for our collaboration with Queertawe. We had a fantastic afternoon of books, brews, and community!

It was just lovely to chat to folks in a queer-friendly space, have some cups of coffee, and get a tad excited about books every now and again. Thank you also to Urban HQ for hosting us so warmly.

We were absolutely blown away by the amount of second-hand LGBTQ+ books that were donated during the event! These donations are the heartbeat of what we're trying to do with Nofela—ensuring queer literature stays accessible and shared within our community.

Keep an eye on our Events Page for where we'll be popping up next!