When a missing hoodie sparked an exchange across the Atlantic, few could have predicted it would end with a 4,500-mile move to Wrexham. Jeff and Janice Ivey, a couple from Texas, have decided to relocate to the north-east Wales city after a series of visits inspired by the Disney documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.
From a sweatshirt to a new life
The relationship began, oddly enough, with merchandise from a Wrexham band featured on the series. A box that arrived in Texas was one hoodie short; the band made good, they struck up a correspondence, and were eventually urged to visit.
Jeff, 62, has already returned to Wrexham to look for a home. Janice, 65, is remaining in Texas to sell the couple’s property and await a visa before making the move. Across seven visits in two and a half years the Iveys have been steadily putting down roots, volunteering locally and exploring how they might fit into the life of the city.
What drew them here
What the couple say appealed to them most was not the celebrity association of the football club’s high-profile owners, but the people and community spirit they encountered. Jeff told the BBC the attraction was the community and what he described as the town’s
“lack of any elitism or snobbery”
Janice’s roots are in a Pennsylvania mining town and Jeff’s family came from Pittsburgh; they say Wrexham’s mining past and its civic character felt familiar.
- Jeff and Janice Ivey made seven visits in about two and a half years before deciding to move.
- They volunteer at the Wrexham Miners Project and support Hope House children’s hospice.
- Jeff is learning Welsh and hopes to take part in the city’s bid for UK City of Culture 2029.
Tourism surge and local context
The story comes as Wrexham County has seen significant visitor growth in recent years. Council figures show tourism was worth around $258 million in 2024, up roughly 6.3% on the previous year and almost 90% higher over the decade. That year the county attracted about 2.07 million visitors, recording the strongest growth anywhere in Wales.
| Statistic | 2024 figure |
|---|---|
| Tourism value | $258 million |
| Visitor numbers | 2.07 million |
| Year-on-year change | +6.3% |
The heightened profile of Wrexham — not least since the football club’s purchase by actors who took ownership in November 2020 — has coincided with more interest from abroad. Plenty of Americans have visited the town after being introduced to it through the series, but the Iveys say it was community life and connections with local organisations that convinced them to stay.
Reactions and next steps
The tale has even prompted a light-hearted response from one of the club’s owners. Actor Ryan Reynolds, who co-owns the team, posted on social media that he was
“thankful the Iveys hadn't watched ‘Chernobyl’.”The remark underlines how Wrexham’s profile now mixes popular culture with genuine local stories.
For the Iveys, the practical steps are under way: settling into the town, continuing voluntary work with groups including the Wrexham Miners Project and Hope House, and preparing for immigration formalities. Jeff has also taken to studying Welsh and has expressed a wish to take part in Wrexham’s bid to become the UK City of Culture in 2029.
Their arrival is another example of how Wrexham’s distinct civic life — its clubs, pubs, music and volunteering networks — continues to shape the city beyond headlines. For many residents, the town’s appeal has always been the people they meet, and this is now attracting new members to that community from further afield.
