CROSBY mums Jo Mitchell and Faith Withers are recruiting eight new staff less than 12 months after launching their social enterprise.

Arty Pants provides art and craft-based workshops in a range of settings, including schools, community centres, neighbourhood projects, after-school clubs and private events.

The Bootle-based venture, which is also involved in LDP’s Hidden Honcho mentoring scheme, has become so popular that former teacher and artist Jo and insurance worker Faith, who between them have five youngsters aged from two to 15, are set to grow their venture.

Mrs Withers said: “It’s great to be in this position barely six months after we started full-time trading.

“We’re also very pleased to be able to put something back into the local community by creating employment opportunities.”

She paid tribute to South Sefton Development Trust whose advisors helped find their current premises in a disused school building in Waverley Street, and obtain grant funding from the Government¹s Stepclever programme.

Eve Money from the Development Trust said: “It’s been very satisfying to help Faith and Jo establish Arty Pants and see them doing so well.”