Gainsborough businesses going from strength to strength despite Covid-19 pandemic

Michelle Best, 29, set up Blossom and Best in 2019, selling a wide variety of disability friendly products, including ‘magic pants’, which she made initially for her daughter, Yasmin, seven, who has autism and anxiety, and suffers from incontinence.

Michelle said: “She is my inspiration and why I strive to help every child I can with my products. This is the most rewarding part of my products.

"I made her some what are now called magic pants. These were a simple product that would be a solution to a huge problem that effected my daughter’s mental health and confidence.

"There is a stigma that surrounds children and accidents during the day and at night.

"These pants look, feel and wear like pants they just have the added protection of absorbency. This helps children feel more comfortable, removes the stigma and improves the mental health of the child.”

You can find Michelle's products on Etsy and Facebook.

After moving back to Gainsborough a few years Jake Fenwick set up Fenwick Landscapes in June 2019 and since then he has won a number of awards.

Jake said: “During the start of the pandemic at first we were hit by merchants closing down, unsure whether we were able to work at people's homes and many people weere worried about having people round.

"But as the laws and rules where ironed out we were able to continue and the business continued to grow and fast.

"I have managed to gain many amazing connections and friends in such a short time, offering me some fantastic opportunities due to them seeing my passion and drive for growth.

“It's a very exciting time in landscaping right now with summers becoming longer amd hotter which means people spending more time at home in their garden and we are seeing a shift in material uses and a growth in 'outdoor living' and people seeing their gardens as an extension of their homes.”