A First Step supporter put her best foot forward by raising �320 by creating ceramic gifts.

Hazle Boyles, owner of Hazles’ Ceramics, has created the award-winning A Nation of Shopkeepers collectible ceramic wall plaques.

As part of her collection she asked people to vote on which two buildings she should make for the collection next, and the winners were a fishmongers’ and a Great British fish and chip shop.

Hazle worked on the designs and clocked on every time she started work, and clocked off at the end of each session. The process includes drawing the buildings, making them out of clay – which includes four clay layers, casting a plaster negative from the clay model, then creating a plaster positive.

The master mould maker then created the first mould in Stoke on Trent before it was taken back to the workshop. It was then cast, fired in the kiln, painted and glazed.

It took her 94 hours to complete the two ceramics, and the prize was won by a woman in America, who is originally from Billericay.

She raised money for First Step, in Tangmere Crescent, Hornchurch, by asking people to guess the time it would take to complete the project.

Hazle said she wanted to raise money for the charity, which supports children with disabilities and special needs, as she has supported their work for many years.

She said: “Over the years we have supported First Step and the work that they do.

“It’s an absolutely essential service for the children and parents who use it. They receive so much support from them and the staff work so hard to bring out the potential in each child.