case study
Beach Hut Charm exemplifies true entrepreneurial spirit, inspired by Emma Mortimer’s courageous transition from a career in nursing to jewellery making fifteen years ago.
grant received
Creative workshops available at a venue on the high street. These sessions are available and accessible to residents who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to participate.
Beach Hut Charm exemplifies true entrepreneurial spirit, inspired by Emma Mortimer’s courageous transition from a career in nursing to jewellery making fifteen years ago. Entirely self-taught, Emma has displayed remarkable resilience and a growth mindset, successfully building a business that fits around her family life. What began with orders from friends soon flourished, enabling Emma to leave nursing within her first year. Initially, the business operated from an ever-expanding garage, but as demand grew, the family relocated five years ago to a new home specifically to support the business’s development. Today, Beach Hut Charm is based in purpose-built premises in Witton Bridge, where Emma delivers workshops renowned for their welcoming and supportive atmosphere. Alongside teaching, she also maintains a dedicated workspace for her bespoke jewellery creations.
Support from North Norfolk District Council has significantly enhanced Emma’s entrepreneurial achievements, highlighting the value of utilising local artisans in the regeneration of North Walsham. Through Historic England, the Council backed Emma and fellow artists as part of the High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) Cultural Programme. This combination of guidance, support, and funding empowered Beach Hut Charm to realise its ambition of making creative skills accessible for everyone, generating substantial social value. The Council’s ongoing support for small local businesses is instrumental in fostering a vibrant and resilient cultural economy in North Norfolk.
This has included advice on grant applications, nurturing opportunities for networking, as well as help in identifying potential partnerships and funding sources.
The most recent funded workshops are set to be truly transformative, reaching audiences that other business models have long overlooked—especially younger individuals aged 17–18 and single mothers who often encounter obstacles to accessing creative opportunities. With support and funding from the Town Ambition Programme for this initiative, Beach Hut Charms is able to strengthen its commitment to building local community networks and encouraging more visitors to our high streets.
The funded workshops just opened the door up to people who wouldn't normally have the funds to book onto a silver workshop. We're very spoiled in Norfolk, I think, for the diverse range of different people who are very good at their crafts. It just means that it's a little bit more accessible to everybody.Emma Mortimer,
Beach Hut Charm,
Witton Bridge, North Walsham, Norfolk
