AN entrepreneurial mother is turning hobbies into business by creating craft fairs with a difference.

Ten talented mothers from the region are exhibiting their work at the debut event for Made by Mummy Markets, taking place on May 1.

Made by Mummy Markets has been set up by Northallerton mother-of-two Samantha Jennings and are designed to provide an affordable market place for crafting mothers to sell their work.

Samantha has brought them together to showcase the diverse and high-quality crafts being produced by mothers in homes around the region.

And the craft fair is just the beginning - Samantha has an e-commerce website under construction and a support and training programme to help mothers grow their businesses.

All of the sellers have been appointed through an application process, ensuring a diverse shopping experience for customers who value handmade local goods.

“There are some really creative mums out there,” said Samantha.

“For some of the women involved this is their first ever attempt at selling to people other than friends and family, which is so surprising considering the high quality of their work.”

She added: “Motherhood can be a big change for women, emotionally and financially. My markets are a way for them to expand their horizons whilst being a mum.

“Many craft fairs are expensive to attend so it’s really hard to turn a profit, never mind cover costs.

“My events are designed to be affordable but professionally-run and marketed for sellers, and a great place for customers to shop for a unique and homemade item.”

A full list of the makers and examples of their work can be seen on the Facebook page Made by Mummy Markets. The first event will be from 1pm to 4pm at the WI Hall in Romanby, Northallerton.