New business shares joy of giving

A NEW Ballarat business is spreading the joy of giving with a range of locally produced hampers.

The Sweet Owl Hampers launched last Friday and stocks over 100 hampers filled with local and Australian made goods.

Packages include alcoholic, non-alcoholic, gourmet foods, wellness and pampering, glamping, health and fitness, and vegan, with gluten free and Christmas varieties coming soon.

Customers can also choose the wrap which goes around the hampers and free delivery is offered Australia wide.

“We are Ballarat locals who ran Hstudios which we started from the ground 18 years ago,” said owner Pina Worsley.

“We sold it to one of our staff and decided to do something a bit different.”

Pina and her husband Heath decided to shift their focus to gifts.

“We thought Ballarat needs an online hamper business which has a range of products for every occasion,” Ms Worsley said.

“We used to send hampers to our clients and staff, so we thought particularly in Ballarat there is a huge market here.”

Ms Worsley also donates her time with the Ballarat Soup Bus, and one dollar from every hamper sold will be donated to the organisation.

“I’m a volunteer at the Soup Bus in Ballarat and it’s pretty heartbreaking in the year 2023 that we still have homeless people,” she said.

“There’s parents and really little children coming up to get food and supplies. We wanted to be able to give back.”

Ms Worsley encouraged people who may be interested in starting a business to peruse their goals.

“If you really want to start your own business you’ve got to have that passion behind you and do some courses or speak to people you may know who’ve done it before,” she said.

“If you have that passion, believe in what you’re trying to do and do it well success will come to you.”