A FORMER air hostess has launched a new business in Maldon which helps parents save money and recycle.

Laura Woolley is due to launch Rainbow Events’ first pop up preloved market at Plantation Hall in Heybridge this Sunday.

It will sell nearly new baby, children’s and maternity clothes and items at affordable prices.

Laura has been a frequent second hand shopper, with her father working as a flea market salesman, and always enjoyed browsing markets, picking up bargains and liked the idea of making use out of items that are no longer wanted.

Before giving birth to her first daughter in 2016, Laura worked as an air hostess for 18 years in commercial aviation and as a hostess on private jets. After having her daughter, Laura could no longer return to the long trips away and so decided to turn her hand to something new.

With the spiralling costs of childcare, she needed something that would also let her adapt to more flexible working hours.

Being the mother of a young toddler, she had been to nearly new kids sales before and recognised the growing trend for it, so she decided to establish Rainbow Events in October 2017.

It combined Laura’s passion for organising and money saving with helping local parents like herself.

Her aim is to simplify the shopping experience, so she has installed a system of colour coded tablecloths within the market and she supplies the stallholders with clothes rail dividers so they can separate the clothes on their rail into size order.

Laura said: “I strongly believe in supporting the community that you live in, and for me that means not only helping fellow parents save money, but also supporting the small independent businesses.

“As a new start up business I realise how difficult it can be to gain a good reputation and build up a following and so I I’ve let a couple of local businesses have a stall at the event too.”

The market takes place from 2pm to 4pm this Sunday.

Visit www.rainbow-events.com.