New sustainability shop in Rotherham hopes to help the local community as well as the planet

As well as its retail side, the shop is also set to hold workshops aimed at the local community, including pot and canvas painting, calligraphy and glass fusing.

Ms Wilson noted her hope that such projects could help bring people in the community together, as well as having a positive effect on people’s mental health.

She said: “I love the sustainability side of the shop, because I love researching it, but it's also about letting people build up friendships and helping people.

“I’ve suffered in the past with my mental health, and it's helped me before to just be a bit creative for a while and forget my worries. I think it's nice to be able to share that and help other people that might be feeling the same way.”

Ms Wilson added that the choice to run workshops was also inspired by a changing retail market.

She said: “I think retail has got to change, and I think people have got to realise it's changing. A lot of the big shop chains are in trouble. Retail has to become an experience, not just somewhere to come and shop. That's in part why we’re doing the workshops.”

The couple had been looking for premises to open the shop for around a year, before coming across the empty unit in Rotherham centre just two months ago.

The shop has been set up using mostly reused and locally sourced fittings and furniture.

The business had previously only operated online, as well as occasional stalls at local fairs.

Speaking on what inspired the beginnings of the business, Ms Wilson said: “Years ago, when my kids were little, I used to make things as presents. We hadn't got an awful lot of money, so we used to make things out of jars and cover them with mosaics, things like that.

“Then it got bigger and bigger, and we were doing pieces of furniture. In the end Ijust thought ‘I really enjoy this’, and it just expanded from there.”

Junk 2 Treasure sells a range of sustainable gifts including gift cards which contain wildflower seeds, made to be torn up and planted after use. The cards have been designed and produced by Ms Wilson.

The business also sells repurposed items including tables made from vintage suitcases.