A newly launched community cafe and baby boutique hosted a range of local craft businesses through a recent community fair.

Newham Recorder: Nicci Yarnold (far left), owner of The Rabbit Hole in Stratford, a family and baby friendly cafe hosted a range of local craft businesses as part of a special family fun day.Nicci Yarnold (far left), owner of The Rabbit Hole in Stratford, a family and baby friendly cafe hosted a range of local craft businesses as part of a special family fun day. (Image: Archant)

Nicci Yarnold, 35, of Matthews Park Avenue, Stratford, spent 16 years as a nurse before launching The Rabbit Hole, in Leytonstone Road, in May, to spend more time with her young daughter.

As well as selling lunch and dinners six days a week, the shop also offers locals a source of income by selling donated children’s clothes, books and wooden toys, and returning up to 60 per cent of the costs back to the donators.

The fair featured a range of crafts, from glass-painting and crochet hats to wall hangings and wooden toys, and served as a valuable networking source on Saturday, August 23.

Nicci said: “It was a really enjoyable day and fantastic to meet lots of different people with so many skills.

Newham Recorder: Khadre Deisgns owner and Joli Create owner on their stall with thier productsKhadre Deisgns owner and Joli Create owner on their stall with thier products (Image: Archant)

“I’m hoping we can all stay in contact and support each other, and this will be the first of many fairs.”

Platform

The day was so successful that Nicci has already formed a marketing business group for the trades to provide a platform for future business development.

Newham Recorder: Brenda Morris with her book and card stool.Brenda Morris with her book and card stool. (Image: Archant)

Featuring a special talk from business guru Lorraine Tapper, the group will hold its first meeting at the Rabbit Hole on October 14.

Among the skilled craftspeople who showcased their wares was 52-year-old former Newham care worker Sandra Parkins.

After making crochet hats for her late daughter while she underwent surgery for a fatal tumour in 2002, Sandra hopes to start making a living from her craft.

She said: “I’ve been making hats for friends and family, but lately I’ve been thinking about taking it more seriously, so I went along to put the feelers out and the reaction was really encouraging.

“Hopefully through the new group that’s starting off, we might be able to launch a business to sell each others’ crafts professionally.”

For more information visit facebook.com/TheRabbitHolE15.