School teacher Michael Screen gains international orders for his unique wooden toys and their plans with his business My Shake, Rattle and Roll

The 56-year-old, from Paulsgrove, has seen an increase in sales of his hand-crafted toys, plus a boom in the amount of people enquiring about commissions.

He is also helping people to learn a new skill by selling his uniquely crafted plans so they can make their own wooden toys at home.

Michael, who taught design technology at secondary schools for 29 years and is now a supply teacher, said that he was delighted to see his business called My Shake Rattle and Roll Toys take off.

He said: ‘It is very early days at the moment and it is all formative, but it is going well.

‘My website really took off during the first part of the pandemic. Rather than sitting around twiddling my thumbs, I got on and did something practical - as did many other people.

‘During lockdown, people had a bit of space and time to look at their lives, and some of them have realised that they didn’t love what they were doing and have been able to change that. There’s been a lot of self-reflection.’

Michael found he had a love of carpentry when he left art school, before embarking on his career as a design technology teacher.

When his two daughters - Bethan, 26, and Abigail, 24 - were young he made them lots of wooden toys for them, such as his signature snapping crocodile.

He said: ‘A lot of this started then, I made lots of little things for them when they were little. Some of it is still in existence today.’

Michael said that utilising website Etsy has really helped him grow his business.

He said: ‘There is a lot of interest online. Etsy is good as it has a global reach. I have enquiries coming from all over the world.’

Michael said that people are particularly keen on his wind-powered toys, such as a fisherman and a cyclist. And he said that he would like to expand further, potentially into classes.

The News has launched its #supportlocal campaign to shoppers to use Portsmouth area businesses during lockdown – to seek out their websites in order to boost local traders and keep money in the city’s economy.

For more go to myshakerattleandroll.com/

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