Craft spaces in competition

Two craft and design organisations have been shortlisted for a competition to win £50,000.

The Papered Parlour in Clapham and Woo! Design and Marketing in Brentford will go up against a host of other businesses in London in the Barclays Business Take One Small Step competition, which rewards the ten top business ideas in the UK.

Craft studio The Papered Parlour provides space for 15 artists as well as offering weekly workshops for the public.

It has already been given a five-star rating from Time Out's Best of London list.

Claire Heafford, who set up the studio last year with Louise Hall, told Culture 24: 'More than 300 people attended our launch day and since then we've been running weekly workshops in dressmaking, knitting, millinery, silversmithing, screen printing, photography and quilting.

'It provides our local community with access to the UK's top artists and designers on their doorstep.'

Ten winners will be selected by public vote before July 4th. Votes can be cast online.