South Molton shop feels just like home for Emma

OPENING a shop in just over two weeks from first enquiry to launch might sound impossible, but, for Emma Osborne, it was a calling.

- LEWIS CLARKE

Not a business decision. Not a whim. A calling. And now, nestled in the George Arcade of South Molton, Blessed Be has opened its doors as the only shop of its kind in North Devon and it is already attracting a diverse and enthusiastic crowd.

Emma, deeply rooted in North Devon, is no stranger to reinvention. A former care worker who had to retire due to fibromyalgia, she has steadily poured her energy into causes close to her heart, whether that is quietly crafting handmade items or launching grassroots initiatives like Patch’s Pet Food Bank and Barnstaple Blessing Box.

It was during the long, reflective stretches of the Covid-19 lockdowns that the first seeds of Blessed Be were planted - a gentle promise to her late mother, a woman who instilled in her a love for history, generosity and spiritual learning.