From Russia with some cool candle experience

Aliona Turcan, 32, of Bancroft Park, started up Royal Candles less than a year ago but she is already seeing an increasing number of sales of her bespoke products.

Aliona, a mum whose business is based at the Bucks Biz iCentre, in Newport Pagnell, said: “I fell in love with this art more than seven years ago and for some time I researched it online. Then I became pregnant with my beautiful daughter Simona and had very little time to pursue my business dream.

“When my daughter was old enough I began looking for courses but there were none in Ireland where I was living. My sister Feodara and I flew more than 5,000km to Yekaterinburg in the Urals area of Russia to complete our training. The training was a full week of carving, but besides that we enjoyed the amazing and magical Russian winter. The temperature often dropped to -25 degrees – but our love for carving candles kept us warm!”

The art of candle carving is big on continental Europe and Aliona is delighted with the reception she receives at events such as the Ideal Home Exhibition.