The Worlds First Barefoot Shoe Town

Foot experts, one small town and a barefoot shoe launch to remember

Last month, something special happened here  — right after the excitement of the UK’s first Barefoot Expo, we officially launched the Barefoot Shoe Box. And to make it even more incredible, The Foot Collective (TFC) came all the way from Australia, to be part of it. They weren’t just visiting — they were genuinely curious to see how a real town had started to embrace barefoot shoes in everyday life. They wanted to experience a living barefoot community — not just online, but in the shop, on the streets, in the hills — and to help us celebrate the launch of something new.

Meet the TFC Team

• Jim Dooner – Physiotherapist (@thefootcollective)

• Andy Bryant – Podiatrist (@andybryant_podiatrist)

• Mac Lyon – CEO & filmmaker (@thefootcollective)

• Charlie Kirby – Movement specialist (@thatbarefootballer)

• Mishelle Boniface – Movement and foot health specialist (@mishell_boniface)

Passionate, knowledgeable, kind — and yes, four gorgeous guys (plus the wonderful Mishelle) who know their stuff and care deeply about people and feet.

A Buzzing Shop and the TFC ‘Town Hall Meeting’

I opened the shop especially for them on the Monday they arrived, and the atmosphere was already electric. People lingered, chatted, and you could feel the sense that something exciting was unfolding.

That afternoon, they hosted one of their Town Hall Meetings — a relaxed but powerful talk all about feet, movement and health. They spoke about:

• Who they are and the mission behind The Foot Collective

• Why barefoot shoes are just one tool — not the whole answer

• What happens to our bodies when we stop using our feet properly

• How strength, mobility, flexibility and balance build true foot health

• Why community, play and connection matter just as much as footwear

For me, it felt incredibly validating. I’ve been saying these things for so long — but to hear it from a podiatrist and a physiotherapist, in my shop, in my town, surrounded by my community — that was something special.

Movement, Solemates & Supper at the Pub

They made it interactive too. They got people balancing on Solemates, wobbling, laughing, learning. There was no pressure — just curiosity and joy in movement.

Afterwards, we all went to the pub for a proper meal. Good food, pints, big conversations — about life, feet, travel, purpose and community. I think they really loved being in a small town, far from the city and far from Australia, experiencing somewhere real.

Sunrise on Hergest Ridge

The team stayed at my B&B, "The Walking Hub" and next morning, we got up early — Roo came too — and we walked up to the top of Hergest Ridge. The weather couldn’t have been better. Clear skies, sunshine, and those beautiful 360° views over Wales, the Shropshire Hills, the Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains. 

Up there, we moved, stretched, talked and breathed it all in. They showed me rope flow — a graceful movement practice where the rope flows rhythmically around the body to encourage mobility and coordination. Against the sky and hills, it looked like moving art.

The Video That Captured It All

After they left, Mac created a video of their visit — and it’s beautiful. Somehow, it captures everything: the hills, the shop, the humour, the connection, the launch of The Barefoot Shoe Box, and the heart of this little barefoot town.

👉

Grateful Beyond Words

I’m so grateful — that they came, that they were curious, that they took the time to understand what this community is becoming.
Grateful that The Barefoot Shoe Box launched not just as a shop, but as a celebration of movement, feet and people coming together.
And grateful that, just for a moment, our tiny town became a meeting place for big ideas, barefoot shoes, hilltops and human connection.