A Suffolk market trader is celebrating after being nominated for a national award.
Olivia Washington, who owns Olivia's Curiosities, is in the final of the Young Trader's Market awards run by the National Market Traders Federation.
The 29-year-old, who runs a stall at Bury St Edmunds' makers market, launched the business back in 2019 and has established a successful online Etsy shop.
Olivia competed in the East of England heat in Haverhill earlier this summer, impressing the judges and winning a spot in the national final taking place in Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday, August 27.
The market stall, which also is a regular at the Marks Farm area of Braintree, started selling haberdashery and fabric, then moved into resin skull sewing weights, before becoming a hybrid of the two.
Olivia said: "That was one of my talking points with the judges.
"They ask how long you have been trading, what you do and how trade has been.
"They reall test your knowledge of your stall and your products."
Olivia’s Curiosities is entered into the general retail section of the awards and they hope to win the judge’s eye with a clean layout and the blend of products.
They won the arts and crafts category for the East of England in 2020 and were highly commended in general retail in 2021.
Olivia added: “This year I am selling haberdashery and fabric, and my resins as well, it is the best of both worlds.
"I really hope I impress them with my growth.”
As well as running a small business, Olivia is also employed as a co-production officer at Essex County Council working on mental health related projects.
“I decided to start doing the markets because I knew I needed to be out there, it is important a small business has a personal presence. I needed to be the face of my business.
“It has definitely helped improve my people skills.
“I started in 2019 then in 2020 the pandemic hit, and now we have the cost of living crisis in 2022.
“I don’t know what a normal year looks like. I am just riding the ebbs and flows, and I am just happy to be here.
"I am so proud of myself for getting this far."
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