Louise is sew pleased to open new craft business

STOKE VILLAGE OUTLET IS AIMED AS 'STRESS-BUSTER'

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

Cards and flowers welcoming the new business

A PLYMOUTH woman has had a crafty idea for a new business and now Stitch and Splodge is a welcome addition to Stoke Village - and a "stressbuster" for people.

Louise Bennett only opened this month and already she is busy with her craft and creative workshops, such as crochet and Indian block painting.

With nearly 100 people attending an opening night event, Louise has no doubt Stitch and Splodge will be a huge hit. Crafting is gigantic right now, contributing £0.4bn to the UK economy in 2023 and employing 10,000 people. It grew during the Covid lockdowns and hasn't looked back.

Louise said: “It's huge. People are finding they want to de-connect with their phones and stop looking at screens, and want to reconnect with other people, doing something with their hands as a form of distraction. It’s a powerful stressbuster.”

Louise plans to build on the craft workshops she has already been doing with brain injury charity Headway, and in care homes, which she said was “an incredibly rewarding experience”