Inclusive Crafts Business with Mental Wellbeing Focus Set for Expansion
An entrepreneur running mindfulness craft workshops is expanding into larger premises at Ffos Caerffili after a successful first year at the town's container market.
Joy House Creations, managed by Bethan Davies, 29, has been a staple of creativity at Ffos Caerffili since it opened its doors in April 2024.
Through guided workshops featuring activities such as pottery painting, knitting, or needle felting, Bethan encourages her guests to slow down, have conversations, and take a break from the busy world.
During its first year in a permanent home at Ffos Caerffili, Bethan has welcomed hundreds of people into Joy House Creations and is now ready to make the move into a larger unit to accommodate her growing list of regular customers.
'Our pottery classes and our paint and sip sessions are the most popular,' Bethan said.
'I love working with the community and the buzz of excitement when hosting workshops is fantastic. There's something for everyone, and I've had so much positive feedback from people in Caerphilly since I set up here.'
Joy House Creations was among the group of inaugural businesses at Ffos Caerffili and has built its popularity with regular weekly workshops and special events, often working in collaboration with other traders in the market.
After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Fine Art, Bethan's love for creativity motivated her to begin hosting spoon carving workshops around Cardiff. She believes that the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a newfound interest in mental health and wellbeing.
'I have always enjoyed the process of slowing down. After Covid, I wanted to pass that on to others. Art is what I love but it's equally important to encourage conversation and community,' she said.
Joy House Creations opened for business in 2020 initially operating in rented spaces around the capital, but soon Bethan realised that she wanted her own space. Crucially, she wanted to set up in an area where there is a need for greater access to affordable creativity. When an opportunity came to set up in Ffos Caerffili, she jumped at the chance.
Her success in the area has given her the confidence to look ambitiously ahead to expanding the store in the market. Bethan said a more spacious unit will open new opportunities to host larger groups for workshops and act as an affordable space for local creatives to rent.
'I couldn't think of a better place to set up for the future, which is why I have ambitions to move to a bigger unit in the market,' Bethan said.
'Ffos is the perfect spot for Joy House and I want to continue working with the people here.'
Joy House Creations is set to make her move into a larger unit at Ffos Caerffili in June 2025.
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Today Was Fun: A Book About Work (Seriously) by Bree Groff is published by Page Two Books, Inc (£19.99) Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
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The Dubai-based mobster worked with John Barry McDuff before the muscle-bound crook was jailed for his role in a cocaine and steroids racket Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) ROSS 'Miami' McGill spruced up designer jackets for gangsters while running a dry-cleaning firm with a drug dealing Ex-Mr Scotland, we can reveal. The former Union Bear chief turned Dubai-based mobster worked with John Barry McDuff before the muscle-bound crook was jailed for his role in a cocaine and steroids racket. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Ross 'Miami' McGill spruced up designer jackets for gangsters 4 Drug dealing ex-Mr Scotland John Barry McDuff 4 The pair were involved in a dry cleaning firm in McGill's home town of East Kilbride 4 The firm specialised in washing pricey Canada Goose coats and other flash gear favoured by hoodlums The pair were involved in a dry cleaning firm in McGill's home town of East Kilbride - specialising in washing pricey Canada Goose coats and other flash gear favoured by hoodlums. It was one of several businesses McGill had a hand in before fleeing Scotland after dodging a 2022 court case linked to the Encrochat sting that snared hundreds of criminals - including McDuff. Our source said: 'McGill is wanted for Encrochat and was working with McDuff. 'He doesn't associate with him now though and hasn't spoken to him in a long time. 'Both went to Spain but drifted apart and McGill went off to do his own thing. 'McDuff went back to Scotland and got the jail thinking he was sweet but people he knew had already started getting jailed for in the Encrochat sting. 'McGill and McDuff owned a launderette together at one point. 'At that time McGill had only just got into drug dealing commercially but things escalated very quickly when they started working together. 'McGill had about six businesses running at the same time but all of a sudden he quits them all in a couple of days and then heads off to Spain. 'It doesn't take a genius to guess why he was in such a hurry to get out of Scotland.' Hulk McDuff was caged for seven years last year for using the handle BIggie-Gla on an encrypted device to discuss the supply of coke, heroin and steroids. GANG WAR: Coke kingpin Mark Richardson's brother battered at Oasis gig as TMJ issue sinister threat The former Mr Scotland bodybuilder boasted with another hood known only as BurritoCastle about the vast sums of dirty cash they were raking in. 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