stephanie horton

“I wrote Narrow Boat Engine Maintenance and Repair to help boat owners keep their engines operational and moving. This single reference tool combines RCR’s practical advice with our engineers’ specialist knowledge, who through years of experience have unrivalled skills and repair techniques. Hopefully readers will agree the content and photos simplify things and help them keep their boats in a good condition.”

about me

I’ve always been interested in engineering and as a child, I spent time in my grandfather’s garage and shed, tinkering with equipment and asking questions about how and why things work. He was a ship’s engineer and my mother was equally very practical, so you could say it was in my genes.

After completing a degree in Electro Mechanical Power Engineering, I worked as an applications engineer for a power company in Stafford. I was also a power quality manager and power consultant, travelling the world dealing with power quality issues.

It was my husband Trevor (RCR ceo) who diverted my attention to boats. He was a diagnostic engineer working on the channel tunnel and had a passion for boats. Although he could fix any problems that arose, we realised this did not apply to everyone, so we decided to launch River Canal Rescue.

We opened for business in January 2001 and the rest as they say is history. Today RCR is the UK’s largest national breakdown and recovery service for boaters using the inland waterway system. Our 40-strong team operates on a 24/7 basis, covers a network of some 3,600 miles and responds to an average of 4000 general call-outs and 250 major incidents a year.

I fell in love with Pembrokeshire a few years ago and now split my time between living on a boat with Trevor in west Wales and living on land, close to RCR’s Stafford HQ, helping run the family business.

about the book

With a focus on diesel engines and their arrangements, Narrow Boat Engine Maintenance and Repair explains the theory behind the boat’s main systems – including propulsion, cooling and electrics - and gives instructions on how to identify key components, how to locate faults and where possible, how to fix them.

There are tips on everyday engine maintenance and how to complete a service and all instructions are accompanied by over 260 colour step-by-step photographs and 60 technical diagrams.

The book is well laid-out, easy to understand with little technical jargon and the ‘how to’ photos, showing basic maintenance, enable readers to recognise parts relating to their engines.

Reader feedback includes:

‘the book enables us to learn how to do things at our own pace’,

it ‘eases some of the dread associated with taking on a new boat, especially as we are keen to keep it in good condition, inside and out’

and ‘a very useful guide to have around’.

You can buy Stephanie’s book from River Canal Rescue here, discounted to £17 including postage & packaging, Amazon and bookshops.

eyes that save lives

Some ten years ago the MNA Boat Club launched a maritime safety & surveillance scheme whereby members undertook to act as "watchkeepers afloat” to "Spot, Plot, Report and Record" any incidents, potential incidents or hazards whenever they took their boats out thereby acting in a very similar manner to that undertaken by the National Coastwatch Institution's (NCI) watchkeepers working ashore from their look-outs around the coast. Known as “SeaVue” the scheme had the support of the MCA and the RNLI but it operated almost exclusively only around the coastal waters of the UK and hardly extended inland at all,

Around the same time the RNLI launched their “Respect the Water” campaign to reduce the number (circa 200+) of accidental drownings around the coast of the UK by 50% by 2024 but once again the emphasis was on “the coast” where the RNLI maintains Lifeboat Stations rather than on inland waterways where some 70% of accidental drownings actually occur!

So three years ago the MNA Boat Club (MNABC) established an “operational partnership” with the RNLI for MNABC members to promote the Respect the Water campaign and extend the coverage of that initiative to include inland waterways, and at the same time the MNABC changed the name of their scheme from SeaVue to the now more appropriate title of “WaterWatch”.

Although an integral part of the Merchant Navy Association national charity with its 2,000 plus members, The MNA Boat Club is a relatively small organisation with only some 220 members so the idea that Club members alone could provide a nationwide surveillance service was essentially unrealistic and it was therefore agreed that we would start by operating a “pilot scheme” in just one of our Boat Club regions, namely East Anglia where we already enjoyed a very good relationship as an “Affiliated Club member of the Norfolk & Suffolk Boating Association (NSBA)

So we approached the NSBA to see if they might be interested in some kind of collaboration with the MNA Boat Club to promote the WaterWatch Scheme in East Anglia, and in particular on The Broads, and to our delight they responded to that idea enthusiastically with the suggestion of a “partnership” between the MNABC and the NSBA to promote and operate WaterWatch on The Broads; this is now firmly established with a representative of the NSBA co-opted as a flag officer of the MNA Boat Club and a representative of the MNA Boat Club now as an elected member of the NSBA General Purposes committee.

MNABC/NSBA Partnership Arrangement

Members of the MNA Boat Club and individual members of the NSBA who participate in the scheme are known as “WaterWatch Crew Members”. They are briefed to act as the “eyes and ears” for the emergency services and the Broads Authority whenever they take to the water to:

SPOT any craft or persons in difficulty, or any actual or potential hazards
PLOT the relevant position
REPORT the facts to HM Coastguard and/or the Broads Authority
RECORD the incident by completing a WaterWatch Incident Report Form which is sent both to the Boat Club and to the NSBA in order to enable them both to monitor incidents and hazards and follow up developments and corrective actions.

The National Water Safety Forum (NWSF)

In March 2021 the MNA Boat Club’s WaterWatch Scheme became a member of the National Water Safety Forum which is a UK-focused, voluntary network, working together in order to reduce water-related deaths and associated harm.

The NWSF was established in 2004 following a Government review into water safety. It sought to bring together a number of pre-existing national groups with the ambition of creating a ‘one-stop shop’ for the prevention of drowning and water safety harm in the UK, recognising the broad range of existing stakeholder groups, their respective contributions, and their own brands and values, often towards charitable objectives. Members include the MCA, RNLI, RLSS, The Broads Authority, the Environment Agency etc. etc.,

Beyond our “pilot scheme” on The Broads

The success of our joint venture with the NSBA now begs the question “could we expand our WaterWatch initiative to more inland waterways through collaboration with other potential partners? “

So if any boating associations, owners clubs or other interested boating organisations around the UK believe that this initiative by the MNA Boat Club may deserve your organisation’s support as a potential partner I’d be delighted to hear from you!

Clive Edwards, Commodore, Merchant Navy Association Boat Club

water pollution award for rcr

River Canal Rescue has won the British Safety Industry Federation’s Water Pollution Award for its Bilgeaway filter.

The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) is the UK’s leading trade body for the safety sector and its annual Safety & Health Excellence Awards cover four categories; product innovation, safety solutions, customer service and water pollution prevention (the latter added in 2020).

In its entry, River Canal Rescue (RCR) explained how Bilgeaway – the world’s first environmentally-friendly bilge discharge filter – was developed to address a well-known pollution problem.

Launched in January 2019, Bilgeaway traps contaminants before they’re discharged overboard by automatic bilge pumps, rendering the filter’s contents non-reactive so they can be safely disposed of, instead of going to landfill.

Over 80 entries were submitted overall, including 10 for the Water Pollution Award, which is supported by the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and Natural Resources Wales. Judges were looking for businesses that make efforts to protect the environment and ensure all water pollution risks are managed in an efficient and effective way.

BSIF marketing manager, Ian Crellin, announced the winners at the end of April: “These Awards recognise the excellent work that goes on within the safety industry; we celebrate the constant innovation, expert knowledge and quality service that goes on every day - all with a goal of keeping people safe.”

RCR managing director, Stephanie Horton, comments: “It’s great to achieve this level of recognition from the BSIF - we will continue to develop solutions and lobby others to keep our waterways and coastal waters free from pollution.”

Find out more at www.bilgeaway.co.uk and www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk or follow the team on Facebook.

Ian Douglas

about me

"What I love about storytelling is its simplicity. Stories meet us half way and we, the audience, have to be complicit for them to be successful. The stories I like to tell are fun, inviting and light hearted – even the serious ones! I believe that storytelling has a unique ability to connect people, not only to each other but to the past, the future and to the world around us." - Ian Douglas.

So I’ve been a storyteller for about 24 years. I work all over the British isles at festivals and events and in schools, colleges and universities. Originally, I was a street theatre performer, fire breather and stilt walker.

I was inspired to start storytelling after attending the ‘bit craic’ storytelling nights in Newcastle upon Tyne with my friend and illustrator of my book, Gary Cordingley.

During my career I have founded two story-telling based theatre companies, been storyteller in residence for organisations across the North including Northern Stage and Live Theatre in Newcastle and most recently, Theatre by the Lake in Keswick. I have also been apprentice to the first laureate for storytelling Taffy Thomas MBE.

I currently live aboard Narrowboat Hawker (that features in the book) with my Wife Jo who is a puppeteer. We often have people on board for stories and shadow shows.

As a storyteller you are always looking for stories that resonate and after 8 years on the cut, the desire to to create a collection of tales inspired by our way of life took root and so here they are.

The book is a starting point for a next phase in my career; I’m going to continue the search for more tales from the canal side but also begin work, with Jo, to turn them into a show. We aim to tour around the network and encourage our audiences to make a deeper connection to life on the waterways.

about the book

'Folk Tales from the Canal side' is one of those beautiful little books that grab you from the moment you see it. It is a nice size, easy to hold and easy to flick through. The front cover is enticing. The colours are those of a traditional canal boat, and the inset painting shows many things associated with boating, or with tales of boating: but a man with a donkey? and a whale?

In the book, Ian talks directly to us, his readers. He then meets someone who gives him a tale, tells the tale, and then carries on chatting about his own similar experience. So we flow in and out of each story - meeting ghosts, devils, murderers, faithless wives and miserable jobsworths. At the same time, Ian manages to educate us by effortlessly weaving in plenty of history about the canals.

Ian's first book was altogether a very enjoyable read, and one which caused me to frequently laugh out loud. I must say I read the entire book in one sitting. I highly recommend it!
(Linda Hollington, editor)

the narrowboat weaver

If you see a 55' purple boat with large cream flowers on, that is my gorgeous GillyFlower, so wave or stop by and say hello! My name is Peri

After travelling around, living abroad and in different areas of the UK, I settled back in Bristol, where I grew up. I had opened my own Wedding & Events décor business which was a great success, but had decided back in 2014 that land living with all its demands and working 7 days a week, owning my own business was no longer for me.

I remembered a wonderful canal boat holiday I had had way back...and that even then it was something I thought I would like do, to buy my own boat and become a continuous cruiser...so I sold my business and on November 19th 2014 I bought my boat, which looked very different back then, all dark wood inside and green and burgundy outside, also with a different name.

But I wanted to make this beautiful beast more personal to me, hence the interior re-dec and colour change outside and on New Years Eve 2014 I moved on, yes on a snowy, icy winter morn! But soon got that log burner going...! and I have been a liveaboard ever since and for the foreseeable future would not want to live anywhere else. I just love my boat!

Then a few years ago I obtained a Roving Traders Licence and upcycled small pieces of furniture for my clients. But then Covid hit and Lockdown came and of course like so many people, I decided that to earn money I needed to come up with something else.

During the first lockdown I had made a tapestry using just a small piece of cardboard, after watching Kirsty Allsopp's craft programme. Actually, I made a few and really found the whole process inspiring and mindful. Which was so needed at that time. I started to look into weaving, got a small loom, taught myself to weave and off I went making scarves for friends and family.

I decided to put them up on Facebook, with a price, just to see what would happen , as ya do.... the idea was to make and sell my products using re-claimed wool but people started to ask for specific colours which meant I had to buy new wool. However, this has turned into a very bespoke little onboard business and I now work mainly on commissions.

The client chooses the colour combo and I choose the design which is created in 'stream of consciousness' which means that no two designs will ever be the same, giving my clients a completely unique piece! and having not looked back since, have gone from making small Scarves, to also creating gorgeous Wraps, Throws, Bed Runners, Bags & Cushions!

It has just been amazing the response I have had, the kind words and even better I love it when clients send pictures of themselves either wearing their Wrap/Scarf or of their Throw/Bedrunner in situ - which can all be seen on my facebook page.

As well as GillyFlower - The Narrowboat Weaver, I have also created GillyFlower - Floating Handmades, this is for the crafts that I make and sell on the Towpath off of my boat.

I upcycle tins and jars, make tiles into coasters. and my biggest seller after the handwovens is my handmade soaps. I make lots of lush and wonderfully fragranced soap for both Humans & Dogs...and they are selling really well, which I am so pleased about. All these items can also be ordered via facebook messenger/phone/email and sent off in the post. Just get in touch and I will send you all the details, pricing and soap list.

critters on the cut – toadily awesome

Female common Frog showing off her Polymorphism

The South West of the UK is the epicentre of amphibian migration in England. Gloucestershire has a HUGE number of migration sites.

Unfortunately most of these sites cross roads, causing many casualties to amphibians.*

So nature nerds like myself and the "Frampton Toadies" go out on mild wet evenings to help the little hoppers and crawlers off the roads to safety.

You have probably all seen the "Toad" signs?

You can expect to see toads, frogs, Palmate newts, Smooth newts and the much larger and protected Great Crested newt.

By the way, you must have a licence to handle GCN or face unlimited fines and/or jail time!**

I myself do pond surveys and ID the life in the ponds I work on or build.

Always remember they are cold blooded so when you handle them, our warm hands are like a hot iron!

Interesting "Frog Fact"!

Did you know common female British frogs have a secret trick under their skin??

They are "Polymorphic" and can make one pigment prominent in their skin. On rare occasions they turn Pink or Red!!

Luckily for you I found an incredibly Red lady recently!!!

*To find out more about toad migration see here.

**To find out more about the Great Crested Newt and the laws around protecting it see here.

war drone – from rocks to rockets

After many years of planning, design and head scratching, the Royal Marines have finally showcased their brand new “ War Drone” piece of equipment.

The latest piece of high tech kit that is now available to soldiers and military personnel on the frontline, promises to change the face of modern warfare.

The drone is capable of carrying ammunition, supplies, and eventually wounded soldiers from the battlefield to safety.

Due to the technology, it can also spy on enemy positions and pinpoint them from up to half a mile away without any detection.

Recent trials of the drone carried out by the UK`s amphibious force was filmed by Force News.

In the film, the two drones that were tested by Marines in Cyprus were highlighted as potential game changers for military command.

drones in Cyprus

The first machine called the Quad-copter was made by Malloy Aeronautics of Maidenhead, managed to carry ammunition, food and other essential equipment.

Capable of hauling up to 180 kg (400lb) of gear through the air, the Marines hope one day to be able to use the drones for carrying people.

The drones official number the T-800 has been described as the pick up truck of the air with a range of 43 miles (70km), which can be autonomously flown across land or sea.

Royal Marines Major Kris Dawson said “ resupplying has always seen guys carrying stuff and running it forward from the rear echelons,” “Systems like resupply drones can bridge potentially pretty significant gaps, that could be an absolute game changer in military terms especially on the frontline”.

According to Forces News presenter Briohny Williams the game changer with this drone technology is the software. A pilot can use a computer programme to set instructions for the drone to follow, it can also notify the pilots of any possible threats, without a person having to constantly scan the video feeds. The eventual goal is to develop a system that allows one commander to control multiple drones from a single work –station which could be located on a warship, tank or in a tactical field. A drone commander could reallocate equipment as he sees fit based on multiple video feeds and a wealth of other data information. They will able to get a total picture of the battlefield rather than one operator seeing one thing in isolation, it also means we`re able to concentrate a force as and when the commander needs it in response to any given task or threat.

The troops on the ground could also get the information fed back to them via a chest tablet, called an Android Tactical Assaults Kit ( ATAK ).

Two of the most iconic pieces of weaponry in World War 2:

With the ever -increasing threat of chemical and nuclear war, the UK military bosses are placing their faith on future missions on drones in a big way, they expect them to become a vital battlefield foil in future battles.

The marines are already training and working alongside the drones in the field, and it is already changing the way soldiers operate. Exercises carried out in Cyprus last autumn tested over 40 different technologies, including drones to evaluate their usefulness for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

They are working with a number of commercial entities to push the boundaries’ of what can be achieved with drones on the battlefield.

Another gadget that was trialled was a machine called the “Ghost”, which is a remotely piloted mini helicopter developed by Silicon Valley start up Anduril.

It can fly distances of up to 20km from the pilot and up to 3000 feet above sea level.

Loaded with thermal imaging cameras, the virtually silent drone can capture footage of enemy combatants or encampment`s from afar sending the details back to HQ.

"Britain's enemies are further advanced"

Last year defence secretary Ben Wallace suggested that the flying technology could one day replace British soldiers in the field, this underhand statement was made during a speech in which he told delegates on board HMS Tamar in London that “ Britain's enemies have adapted at a far quicker rate to technological weaponry than us”.

The shock statement was made as Mr Wallace sets out plans to restructure the military, making it more innovative towards a technical future.

He continued by saying “our values and interests are being challenged in the grey zone all over the world” as he prepares for the publication of a major defence review in September 2021. Maybe the recent trials carried out by the Royal Marines will go a long way in proving Mr Wallace wrong.

When you consider how far military weaponry and equipment has advanced over the decades, it is astounding to see how a medieval catapult has evolved into to an autonomous firing rocket.

Can you remember the first time that you saw a stealth bomber and thought 'what is that?'

Just think of how advanced weaponry has made a difference to the men / women in the firing line on the ground and in the air, some of the inventions have made a significant difference to various armies and civilization`s across the globe.

We at Bearingtech fully understand the importance of advanced engineering having been involved with the engineering industry for many years, especially seeing the emergence of drones through their bearing capacity.

We started to think about the some of the major advancements that we now take for granted, at the time they were revolutionary, many history changers and battle winners.

The list goes on and on, here are a few that have made a difference.

advanced weaponry throughout the decades:

Greek Fire (oil poured onto water and set alight) A 672 Greece
Short Bows – Prehistoric times
Chariots – 3000 BC by Erichtonius of Athens
Swords – 3300 BCE Turkey by ancient Egyptians in the bronze age
Gunpowder – 9^th Century China
Trebuckt Catapult – 339 BC Greece by Olodious Siculus
Pike – 2nd Century Germany
Long Bow – 1180 Wales by Celts
Field Cannon – 1324 China
Organ Gun – Designed by Leonardo Di Vinci
French musket – 1363 France
Cross bow – 2000 BCE China by Zhou Dynasty
Armour – 15^th Century China
Halberd spear / axe – 14^th Century Germany
Submarine – 1562 in Greece later developed by William Bourne in England
Hand Grenade – 1000 China later developed by Marten Hale
Machine Gun (hand held) – 1861 USA by Hiram Maxim
Airship – 1900 Germany by Jules Henri Giffard
Gatling Gun – 1861 USA by Richard John Gatling
Colt 45 – 1835 Europe by John Browning
Repeating Rifle- 1848 – USA by Walter Hunt
Torpedo – 1866 England by Robert Whitehead
Bi- Plane – 1903 USA by the Wright Brothers, although earlier designs had been made.
Military Tank – 1915 Australia by Lancelot De Mole
Spitfire – 1936 England by Reginald Mitchell
V1 & V2 Rocket ( Doodlebug) 1939 Germany by Paul Schmidt & George Hans Madeling
AK-47 Rifle – 1947 Russia by Mikhail Timofeycvich Kalashnikov
A Bomb – 1938 USA by J. Robert Oppenheimer
Heat Seeking missile – 1950 USA by Walter Dornberger & Wernher Van Braun
Stealth Bomber Aircraft – 1978 USA by Denys Overhosler & Petr Ufimtsev
Fighting Drones 1917 Britain & USA

continuing conflict

Since the beginning of time man has tried to defend himself against its enemies with whatever weaponry was available at the time, from rocks to rockets there always seems to be a better weapon. As civilization`s grow, more and more possessions and people need to be protected.

From the reign of Julius Caesar to Genghis Khan through to Adolf Hitler and Saddam Hussein countries have battered each other for centuries with the latest weapons.

Early military battles involved various armies facing each other in some remote field in a far off land trying to gain ground on each other. During the 1st World War Britain and Germany were entrenched in bunkers and trenches and only ventured over the top to try and gain literally inches to no avail.

Towards the end of World War 2 there was a terrifying new concept in the shape of the A bomb which not only threatened men in the field but a whole population of a country,

Unfortunately when this was dropped it wiped out tens of thousands of innocent people in Japan, an event that the world has never forgotten and never wants to see again.

The advancement of weaponry has increased dramatically over the years and will, no doubt will continue to do so over the coming years.

Ex president Ronald Reagan once quoted that “if World War 3 breaks out nobody will turn up” due to the advancement of the new weapons available.

It has been a long journey from the humble bow and arrow to a nuclear weapon, same strategy different strength, but with a devastating outcome.

No more over the top, but more up, up, up and at 'em!

HM treasury confirm recreational boaters’ continued entitlement to red diesel

As part of the Spring Budget announcement, the Government stated that it is not changing the treatment of private pleasure craft in Great Britain where they will continue to be able to use red diesel and pay their fuel supplier the difference between the red diesel rate and the white diesel rate on the proportion they intend to use for propulsion.
Read More

waterways chaplaincy

From Iris, on the Kennet and Avon canal

St Laurence Church, Hungerford

I have recently become a Waterways Chaplain. Have you not heard of such a person? It is said that we are the waterways’ best kept secret!

We are a community of trained volunteers who walk the towpaths and river banks of Britain, offering a friendly chat and our help to any boater in need who confides in us.

Because of these uncertain times, I have had to train online and haven’t yet been able to begin this ministry. I offered myself for training when I learned that our vicar and his wife are waterways chaplains (our church is beside the canal) and it seemed a worthwhile and pleasurable ministry to pursue.

I have had some experience as I worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau for twenty years so have been used to listening to folks’ problems and doing something about them if at all possible. Sometimes a client would say, as I showed them out after our interview, “Thank you for your time. You have helped me so much,” when, in fact, I had done nothing except listen to them.

That is the first and most important part of any ministry, to listen. I expect we have all had the experience of trying to confide something to a friend, only to be told, “Yes, I know what you mean. That happened to my aunt Nellie some years ago when...” and off they would go with their own appraisal of the situation and not listen to a word you wanted to say, and in the end, you just give up.

I knew nothing about living on the water when I volunteered – nothing about life on board a narrow boat, nothing about licences, safety on board, mooring regulations, boat engines, onboard accommodation, places to pump out toilets or take on water, or how to operate the locks.

moored boats I was quite overwhelmed with this alternative way of living. I had thought that every boater I saw was there for the fun of it and was having a good time, not realising the back stories and sometimes great needs that had arisen for a variety of reasons. We chaplains are here to help in whatever way we can. We are not here to get you into church if you don’t want to come!

We remember that the first miracle that Jesus performed was practical – turning water into wine to save the embarrassment of the bridal party when the wine had run out and their sponsor was calling for his glass to be refilled.

We learn the etiquettes of boating – helping to get the boats safely through the locks; not stepping aboard without an invitation; not peering through windows – as if we would!

We commit to walking at least a mile a week alongside the water, or the equivalent for the chaplains on the Broads. We are happy just getting to know the boaters – at least, those who don’t dive inside the cabin when they see us approaching – and having a chat about our dogs or the weather. We may also be able to signpost someone to the nearest chemist or foodbank or help fill out a form to claim a benefit.

You will know us because we are given a dark blue gilet to wear with “Waterways Chaplain” printed on the back.

You will know that we belong to a nationwide organisation and will try to help in any situation we meet where a boater is in need or trouble.

So do please speak to us if you see us passing your boat. We trust that you don’t bite and we certainly don’t! A cheery “Hello!” will be very welcome.

And if anyone reading this is intrigued and would like to know more about becoming a chaplain, please get in touch. There can never be enough of us!

You can find out more by visiting the Waterways Chaplaincy website

fi’s fabulous floating emporium

One of the most colourful characters on the cut is Fiona Lewis, who lives and trades from her narrowboat Calabrese. She is a registered roving trader, with her business very aptly named "Fi's Fabulous Floating Emporium". Fi is currently based on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

For the past twenty years, Fi has been a self employed Festival / Event Trader, making most of her own stock. She moved onto a boat in 2017, and found it was fairly easy to transfer her creative skills onto the water.

Because of the restrictions currently imposed upon our society, Fi is concentrating upon her online sales, but she is hoping to expand 'Fi's Fabulous Floating Emporium' and also open a floating tuck shop, with hot snacks, 'yummy cakes' and organic squash.

early days...

Fi, herself a mother, comes from 'a beautiful large family with lots of lovely nieces and nephews'. In fact, at the last count, she has 19 great nieces and nephews!

She believes she always had a creative streak - probably inherited from her Granny Hedwig. Growing up, she was continually making things from cardboard, fabric or twigs.

When all the girls in the family wanted parties and hair-braids and face-painting were in high demand, one of them (that's Fi and her three sisters) had to learn the necessary skills.

Of course it fell to Fi! She remembers her very first hair braid which took almost an hour to perfect...

Anyway, she got faster, and before long she found herself running her own children's party business.

moving on...

Fi continued to do well with her party business but it wasn't enough to keep her occupied - she needed something more.

Eventually she decided to create her own stall for selling goods at festivals and other field events.

This meant that as well as the face-painting and braiding, she could now also sell a range of festival clothing and other goods.

This went well for a while, but Fi soon began to realise that many festival stalls ended up selling much the same sorts of goods. She decided she needed something unique so that her stall could stand out from the rest. So Fi began making some of her own stock.

Hats were one of the first things she began to make. They proved so popular, that 15 years later she is still creating them. Understandably, as they are all unique, and as funky as you want them to be. Needless to say, they are among her best selling items!