Newspaper news

We were so pleased to be featured alongside Shelley Wood Studio in a Tameside Correspondent write up introducing the Small Market site.

It was great to see this lovely write-up and we've welcomed a few new sellers because of it too, so a huge thank you to Tony and the team.

Read the Tameside Correspondent article here, or below.

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A MOSSLEY crafter has signed up to Small Market, a new website selling handmade items produced by UK makers and small businesses.

Shelley Wood Studio was one of the first dozen to sign up to the platform, which launched on February 1 and offers a new sales outlet on the bespoke platform.

Founder Amy Monaghan, who is a sewer, devised the concept during lockdown and her web developer husband Chris set up the IT.

Shelley Wood

Urmston-based Amy explained: “The last year has had a massive impact on crafters and each of the lockdowns has been a tricky time.

“Crafters make most of their money for the year from Christmas markets and obviously they were cancelled so that revenue stream wasn’t available.

“Their normal markets and fairs aren’t there anymore and the idea behind Small Market is to get them exposure.”

Amy added the concept of the online retail outlet for crafters has received a lot of support.

She explained: “It has been great to meet like-minded people searching for the same thing and hopefully we can help one another.

“There is also growing support for the shop local movement with people really appreciating the skills of people within the community to help us all get through these uncertain times.”

Amy and Chris Monaghan

Small Market has signed up crafters from as far afield as Brighton, Devon and Hertfordshire and hopes as word spreads it will grow and flourish.

Shelley Wood, who has worked with Amy and is a good friend, specialises in hand-built clay pieces. Having graduated with a BA Hons in Fine Arts (Ceramic), she has a passion for making and sharing clay with others through workshops which she runs in her Mossley studio.

The lockdown allowed Amy and Chris time together to complete and prepare for launch of a bespoke platform for UK crafters and makers to sell their creations online.

There are no listing fees and charges only when they make sales. It was born out of Amy’s desire to grow her own craft business and to support those of her friends, utilising the skills that her and husband Chris have accumulated through years of working in the design and web industry.

Find out more online www.smallmarket.co.uk or on social media.

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We're pleased that it also made it into the actual newspaper, because that feels even more lovely!