A new online shop selling home-made products from Folkestone has been set up to help people buy 'local' in the run up to Christmas.

More than 60 sellers are now signed up to the 'Creative Christmas Online Market', which was the brainchild of mum-of-two Marie Bruce, from Cheriton.

She invited other designers to trade from her own website, Remade Reloved, which she launched last year to sell her bags and other accessories which are made from second hand fabric to try and combat waste.

The site now offers more than 650 products from people who live and work in and around Folkestone, including jewellery, artwork, bags, hats, candles and Christmas decorations.

Mrs Bruce, 34, hopes by selling all the items in one place, the online shop will fill the 'huge gap' left from the Christmas markets, which might not happen this year due to Covid-19.

She explains: "When the prospect of a second lockdown started being discussed, I realised that Christmas was going to look very different.

"I thought about how I might be able to use my website to help out people like me.

"I have lived in Folkestone for most of my life, where there is a very strong creative community so that is where I focused my search for people who might want to sell their goods.

"It didn't take long to find dozens of local sellers who had been impacted by Covid and the lack of Christmas markets.

"So, with no relevant experience at all, I quickly turned my website into a marketplace aimed at local creatives, starting work very early in the morning and very late at night around my family and other commitments, and on November 1 I launched the Creative Christmas Online Market."

Mrs Bruce, who also works part time at Saga, says the website allows customers to buy from many sellers and pay in one transaction.

She adds: "Lots of our sellers are offering free local Covid safe delivery as well - and lots are open to commissions so if customers don’t see what they want, perhaps one of our sellers can help.

"We also want people to know there is an alternative to Amazon."

To visit the site, go to remadereloved.co.uk

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