Former BBC newsreader uses lockdown to start new business venture

She said: “I have an old horse box and I’ve been spending isolation transforming it into a crepe van.

“Like many others facing struggles in these strange times, I’ve been dealt with redundancy and a return to home.”

Sarah uses her dad’s recipe for the pancakes and her love of the tasty treat and DIY started at a young age, something she says she can thank him for.

“Our weekends were regularly taken up with work on the house, and pancakes to keep up our strengths” she explained.

“I have such fond memories of sitting on the kitchen counter with my sister, helping to mix the ingredients, with the radio blasting. Laughing at dad flip each pancake out of the pan, occasionally getting them stuck on the ceiling or drop to the floor.

“To this day, I still use my dad's recipe. It's proven popular with so many throughout the years: during sleepover parties, exam procrastination, hangovers, fuel after a BBC night shift, low times, high times, you name it.

“It’s always been the ultimate comfort food! And now I want to share it with my local community. I just need to put those child DIY skills to use and get the trailer ready.”

The journey started in September 2019 when Sarah was working at BBC World Service commuting from Newick. She was called home to make an emergency decision about her horse Copper.

Her horse since she was a child she had to make the difficult decision to put Copper down.

Sarah said: “I didn’t know how to fill the huge hole she left. It pushed me to reassess things. It was one week later that I handed my notice in and took a job teaching skiing in Switzerland – because who wouldn’t prefer the mountains over a Southern Rail commute to an office? While I did love my job, it was time to go.”

But in March the Coronavirus pandemic meant she lost her instructor job and came back to the UK.

“Of course, it was easy to feel overwhelmed at first. I had no idea what to do, I couldn’t find work, and even volunteering was a tough gig to find. With so many people in the same situation, it seemed hopeless,” she explains.

“Well that got me trying to think outside of the box and here we are. Everyone has a lockdown story, and this is mine. Although I do keep asking myself if I’m going a tad crazy, and we find ourselves regularly overcoming plenty of lockdown hurdles, but – I am having so much fun!

“Luckily my partner, Tom, is working on this project with me. He has the tools, the know-how, and the motivation to keep me busy, knowing that otherwise I'd be winding him up and climbing the walls.”

For more information visit @CoppersCrepes on Instagram and Facebook.

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