Strings of women love bead parties

Chris Clarke has hardly been able to keep up with demand after setting them up from her Black Country home.

Her business Bead Creative is so popular it is now a limited company, has eight franchises and has helped raise thousands for charity.

Chris said her jewellery-making parties are in big demand.

"My diary is always booked up six months in advance with at least two parties every week," says Chris, 52, who lives in Daws End Lane in Rushall.

"The groups are especially popular with housewives enjoying pamper evenings as well as hen parties.

"Women's clubs, church parties and children's groups also book us."

She added: "People don't have to be artistic as they can copy a design or come up with something totally unique if they want."

Each of the franchises pay a percentage each month to Chris's charity Krasif Aid, which helps to support people in Bulgaria.

"The bead parties pay for two nurses at the day hospice and care centre," says Chris, who works on the charity with her husband Brian.

"There are several parts to the charity. One is that we pull together people from a range of backgrounds – social work, medical, youth groups, teachers – and help them to go out to Bulgaria in teams.

"Also, St Giles Hospice in Whittington has helped us train people for a day hospice in Bulgaria.

"Palliative care isn't something they have heard of in Bulgaria, in fact there isn't even a word in their language for it."

Chris recently held one of her bead parties at the home of Gillian Winser, who lives on Little Aston Road in Aldridge. Louise Humphreys, who is from Great Barr and Jayne Stackhouse, from Bloxwich, were at the event.

Louise, aged 35, said: "A lot of people are making their own jewellery now and to have a party where you all do it together is a great idea and great fun too."

Jayne, 44, added: "You can make a necklace for £6 that in the shops would have cost you £20.

"It is also a nice way of socialising as making jewellery gets you relaxed and in the mood for a good evening."

Chris says she started making jewellery eight years ago as a hobby and a way of supporting her and Brian while they worked for the Saltmine Trust in Dudley.

"Now we have our own charity and it has led to us starting eight projects in Bulgaria," says Chris, who has two sons Steven, aged 30, and Michael, aged 28, who both live in Walsall and are in a band called Rogue States.

"It is about helping people that are less fortunate than us," she said.

"The theory behind it is that it's better to let someone earn £5 than to keep giving them money."

It was a year ago that Krasif Aid was set up and Chris and Brian are proud to say they have never earned a salary. "The money we live on isn't taken out of the charity – it is paid in by people who think we do a good job and they have been with us for 20 years.

"We have opticians and dentists who don't take any money from us. They are great supporters of our work," she said.

"Being able to raise money as well with the creative bead parties is wonderful.

"I love seeing people being creative and it is a fantastic evening to watch women chilling out and having a good time."