A worthy cause
May 3, 2024
Candle making is more than just wax and wick; it’s a form of artistry that engages all the senses.
From distinctive scents to visual aesthetics, candles have the ability to make a house a home.
For North East-based candle maker Worthy Wax, this philosophy is at the core of everything it does.
Each candle is poured by hand with precision and care, ensuring every aspect contributes to creating a luxurious experience.
Alongside this, the aptly-named Worthy Wax donates ten per cent of profits to the Trussell Trust, an anti-poverty charity and community of foodbanks.
And following a period of rapid growth, the candle maker has moved into its very first city centre workshop, in Newcastle’s Carliol Square.
Here, Kate Hewison speaks to founder Charlotte Gibbons about Worthy Wax, its charitable initiatives and what’s next for the Gateshead-born business.
Charlotte Gibbons has always been passionate about giving back to her community, regularly donating to her local foodbank and encouraging others to follow suit.
But when lockdown hit and we were all asked to stay home, this changed how Charlotte and her family could do their bit.
So, she decided to take action and get creative.
Charlotte says: “They restricted how many people could turn up with food, which, of course, was right at the time.
“We were very lucky; we had enough food and the children were happy at home during lockdown.
“But I said to my husband, ‘I feel awful that we’re now not able to help – rather than people giving food or money, we need to think of something that we could sell.’”
“So, I thought, ‘what about candles?’”
And, just like that, Worthy Wax was born.
Charlotte made candles every evening from her Gateshead home, with packaging, fragrance and ingredients taking over every room.
And business quickly boomed, with sales to family, friends and customers at local markets.
Charlotte says: “Before we knew it, they were going as quick as we were making them – they were flying off our kitchen bench.”
This business model, however, was not sustainable for Charlotte and husband Steven.
She began to refine her products, experimenting with fragrances, making packaging more sustainable and setting up a website.
This allowed Charlotte to focus on Worthy Wax full-time – a far cry from her previous role at HMRC.
Changing careers can be daunting, but it was Charlotte’s love for creativity that helped her take the plunge.
She says: “I don’t leave the house very long without a coat of paint or wallpapering, and I’m always baking too.
“My husband is very creative – he loves to draw and paint.
“We’re always looking for that next creative venture and we bounce off each other.”
Charlotte’s passion for making candles fuels her desire to share her expertise.
She now plans to launch workshops at her new studio in Newcastle, marking the next milestone in Worthy Wax’s journey.
She says: “We mix and pour by hand, it’s not machines or anything like that.
“I wouldn’t say it’s like working at all, it’s very relaxing.
“People can come to our workshops as a group, and mix and pour their very own candle to burn at home.
“We’ve had lots of interest from hen parties – I think it would work quite well with a glass of fizz!”
Worthy Wax candles come in 12 unique scents, from the earthy aroma of rainforest and eucalyptus, to the zesty and distinctive lime, basil and mandarin.
Charlotte prides herself on offering a variety of luxury candles that can be kept in any room of the house.
But behind all the aromas and aesthetics, Worthy Wax’s mission is simple: to make beautiful candles while remaining true to the reason Charlotte began her business in the first place.
She says: “The goal is to raise as much money as we can for the Trussell Trust.
“Since we started Worthy Wax, so many people have got in touch to say, ‘you don’t know how much Trussell Trust has helped me.’”
She adds: “You would never think that somebody with a high-profile job would ever need the Trussell Trust, but so many people fall on hard times and rely on food banks.
“If all we do is raise money for them, and make people more aware of the good work they do, then I’m happy.”
May 3, 2024
- Feature
