Cornwall teen runs pop-up shop from garden after struggling to get a job
Watch the story of Millie's pop-up shop
A Cornish teenager who has a rare genetic condition has opened a pop-up shop in her garden after struggling to find a summer job.
Millie Hough has Alström Syndrome, a complex medical condition which affects her vision and hearing.
The 16-year-old was loaned a shipping container and gifted many of the artisan products to sell from her home in St Agnes with the help of her parents.
Millie's mother Michelle says the "crazy" idea to create a job for her came when Millie said she wanted to get a part-time job like her brother.
Michelle says getting a job was going to be a "little bit difficult" because Millie lives with disabilities and is registered blind.
A week into her summer job and Michelle says it's wonderful to see Millie learning new skills, gaining confidence "in such a short period of time".
However Michelle feels more needs to be done to support employers to hire people with disabilities.
She said: "They are coming out [of education] with good skills but there isn't the work out there or the expectation of work out there, and that needs to change."
Marie Whitehurst is a parent in a similar position to Michelle. Her 18-year-old daughter Liddy cares for chickens, turkeys and ducks to sell their eggs to the community.
Liddy also has additional needs and her mum says they're told at school "they're going to have a job" but "realistically that's not always going to happen especially for somebody like my daughter and like Millie who need extra support".
"It wouldn't just be employing my daughter, they would be employing her PA [personal assistant] as well."
What is Alström Syndrome?
Alström syndrome is an ultra rare disease, with only around 85 people known to have it in the UK, and Millie thought to be the only person with the condition in Cornwall.The condition affects people differently. In Millie's case, she is registered blind, suffers from hearing loss, has dilated cardiomyopathy - a disease of the heart muscle - and has kidney problems and complications with her fat cells, which means she has to be on a restricted diet.
Alström syndrome is a progressive and life-limiting disorder. "
It can progress at different rates with different people, and you just don't know what's going to happen next," Michelle explains. "So, she is vulnerable, and it's just about making the most of the time that we have."
The Office for National statistics says while the number of disabled people who are employed varies greatly depends on their condition, more than four million disabled people of working age not currently employed.
The inactivity rate for disabled people increased slightly from 42.5% in 2022 to 42.7%, while the inactivity rate for people who are not disabled was 14.3%.
MENCAP says only 5% of adults with a learning disability known to their local authority in England are in paid work.
The national charity says their mission statement is for all people with a learning disability to have the opportunity to experience the benefits that paid employment can bring.
Catherine Lewis from Alström UK on the challenges disabled people face getting into work after education
Catherine Lewis works for Alström Syndrome UK which supports families like Millie's.
She said: "What we often find with our families who are affected by Alström Syndrome, who have a range of disabilities, is that often when they finish school and college they feel like they're falling off a cliff really.
"There isn't the support and services there for them so often there won't be the employment opportunities and there won't be the services for them to go on to."
Millie is selling hand-picked ethical products including food, drinks, beauty products and homeware but she says her "hot chocolate" sales have done especially well because of all the "cold and horrible" weather.
Many businesses have been keen to support Millie offering her products for free including Eagle Plant Truro's portable office unit and 100% of the profits are going into a social enterprise supporting young people with disabilities in employment.
Millie is welcoming customers to her pop-up shop in Penwinnick Close, St Agnes, open from 11am-4pm, Monday-Saturday throughout the summer holidays.