A local businesswoman is celebrating her success in moving from a market place stall to a unit in Market Gates Shopping Centre.

Helen Sharpin owns Helen’s Handmade Card Creations and Craft Supplies, which is celebrating it’s one year anniversary of trading from next to the escalators at the bottom of Market Gates.

Helen sells handmade cards, which can be personalised to specification, and even offers a one hour turnaround for those who have forgotten a special occasion. She also offers foreign language cards.

She can also supply budding creatives with the materials they need to give themselves.

“It started off as a hobby making cards for friends,” Helen, who used to work as a nursery practitioner at Great Yarmouth College Day Nursery, said.

“I really enjoyed it and decided to turn it into a business.”

After three months on Great Yarmouth market place, business was booming and mother-of-two Helen felt that she needed a more permanent location.

“The business was expanding, and I wanted to have a more secure base so that people knew where to find me,” she said.

Helen, 47, has always lived in Great Yarmouth and has raised her family here.

Her daughter Katie, 14, is a pupil at Cliff Park Academy but helps out at the shop when she’s not studying.

Helen’s other daughter, Abbi, 20, works at a local restaurant.

She said: “Hopefully more businesses will start up in the town now. I think it’s important to invest in local businesses for town centre regeneration.”

To find out more, call Helen on 07747847733 or visit www.facebook.com/helenshandmadecardcreations