Two Teesside mums say they are determined to make a success of their new business as a tribute to a young friend who took his own life in January.
Twenty-year-old Liam Cawood sent loving text messages to his girlfriend and friends before apparently jumping off the cliffs at Saltburn.
Just a few days before he was with Kirsty McKeone and Kat Shepherd as they signed the lease for their shop – All Wrapped Up – in Middlesbrough’s Dundas Indoor Market.
“Liam was really excited for us and was going to help with all sorts of things,” said 34-year-old Kirsty. She had met him a couple of years previously when he helped her run a Scouts group in Ormsby.
“He was so proud of what we were doing with the shop. He was aware of my own problems with mental health over the years and he was the one who pushed me to do things. What happened was completely out of the blue,” she said.
The idea for All Wrapped Up began when Kirsty bought a bespoke Christmas gift from Kat and they decided to team up. Both are crafters and had been selling items online. Forty-two-year-old Kat used to run a sweet shop and Kirsty had always wanted a little shop of her own.
All the gifts and items they sell are handmade: from sweet and chocolate bouquets to flower displays, wax melts and candles.
They are about to launch Party in a Box, which they hope will prove invaluable to Teesside parents struggling to find inspiration for children’s parties. They will also run kids’ competitions throughout the year and at Christmas will provide a special gift wrapping service.
“Dundas is the ideal place for us to start,” said Kirsty. “We’ve got a very good deal and all the costs, like rent and electricity, are included. We’re very ambitious and we’ll certainly put in the hard work – so we’ve got only ourselves to blame if it’s not a success. But most importantly we’re determined to make it work for Liam.”
On April 1 a Celebration of Liam’s Life is taking place at the Middlesbrough Scout Headquarters in Tollesby Road.
Kirsty and Kat will be selling items from All Wrapped Up to raise money for the Scout Association – an organisation close to Liam’s heart – and Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide.
“Liam had mental health issues but he was afraid to ask for help,” said Kirsty. “Don’t be scared to come forward,” added Kat. “There’s not enough awareness of the mental health problems that many men have, and we want to try to change that – for Liam.”