A CRAFT fair showcasing creative and vintage businesses from across north Durham will be staged in a newly-refurbished civic hall.

The event at Stanley Civic Hall in Front Street, Stanley, from 10am to 3pm on Saturday (May 31), forms part of a drive to make the town a new destination for craft and creative events and businesses.

The free Vintage Enterprise Craft Fair is the brainchild of Linda Kirk, of the Just for Women Centre, in Stanley.

It will feature a craft market, with jewellery, accessories and upcycled furniture, along with the the chance for visitors to learn a new craft or skill and free enterprise workshops for budding business owners. There will also be a vintage tea room serving refreshments.

Ms Kirk said: “This is a great opportunity for people to come along and learn a new skill, buy beautiful vintage inspired products created by local women, to hear their stories and find out more about turning their hobby into a business.

“We are passionate about bringing more visitors and businesses to Stanley town centre.

“We would like to see the town’s Front Street rejuvenated and more creative businesses opening here.”

Ms Kirk is helped in the venture by her co-director Lestryne Tweedy and is supported by Stanley Town, which has offered the use of the hall for the event.

Jane Shaw and Meryl Dodd, of Durham Creatives, will be presenting workshops and support at the event.

Ms Dodd said “We’ll be running workshops which will make running your own business go from a dream to reality.”

“People sometimes think that to run your own business you need to be working full-time have staff or huge amounts of start-up money and be working outside the home, which is not the case.”

Ms Kirk, who runs the award-winning Be Creative/Just for Women Centre in Stanley, has over the past four years supported dozens of women to learn creative skills as a means to building their confidence and getting them back into work.

The award-winning Just for Women’s Centre won the Community Champion Business Award in November 2013.

Durham Creatives project has already helped dozens of businesses start up since it was launched in September 2012.

For more information about Durham Creatives visit durhamcreatives.co.uk.