Hartlepool couple set to light up John Lewis with their sustainable candle range

From Monday, October 3, to Sunday, October 9, Christina Pounder and James Pounder will be hosting a pop-up shop in collaboration with the Great British Pop Up at John Lewis in Eldon Square, Newcastle.

Lily and Faith was set up in 2019 by Hartlepool husband and wife, Christina, 43, and James, 35, in a bid to find a clean burning and “gentle” candle.

This became particularly important to the couple when they gave birth to their daughter, six-year-old Lily Faith Pounder, whom the range is named after.

Co-owner of Lily and Faith, Christina, said: “This is a very exciting opportunity for our small business and we’re really looking forward to it.

"Working with the Great British Pop Up, we get the chance to see how our candles sell in a big retailer on the high street.”

James, a change manager for Barclays Bank, and Christina, a project manager for NHS North of England Commissioning Support, hope to make their business a full-time endeavour but have not yet taken the leap.

Christina said: “It can be difficult to juggle work, the business and being a parent but doing it as husband and wife helps.

"We try to plan out our week so we know when we need to make candles, when we pack orders and make sure we have time set aside for family time with Lily, and our dog Paolo.”

Lily and Faith currently has six signature scents to choose from across its 100% vegan, biodegradable and non-toxic range of candles, wax melts and reed diffusers.

Christina said: “We have been working hard to grow our business over the past three years and this will hopefully help us reach new customers, introducing them to our sustainable home fragrance products.

"We will have nine scents to choose from that range from fresh and floral to musky and moody with Christmas coming up, we have gifting options too.”

Lily and Faith will be launching three new seasonal scents for its customers this October.