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Mum-of-three Sarah Cockell, from near Shrewley, launches mobile coffee company The Wandering Fern




AN actor has taken on a starring role… as boss of her own mobile coffee shop business.

Sarah Cockell, who lives near Shrewley, has appeared in episodes of popular BBC TV series Doctors.

The mum-of-three has just launched The Wandering Fern, a converted horsebox serving freshly ground coffee plus home-made brownies, muffins and lemon drizzle cakes.

Sarah Cockell has launched her mobile coffee business, The Wandering Fern, using a converted horse box. Photo: Mark Williamson
Sarah Cockell has launched her mobile coffee business, The Wandering Fern, using a converted horse box. Photo: Mark Williamson

Coffee comes from Stratford-based roastery Monsoon Estates, who also gave her professional barista training.

She sets up shop in Shrewley village hall car park on Fridays from 10.30am-12.30pm and will extend the number of mornings and locations, depending on customer feedback.

Sarah, who’s also mum to two daughters aged 16 and 14 and a 12-year-old son, has just finished a photo shoot modelling for the national Caravan, Camping and Motorhome show publicity campaign to promote the event next February, and has also been in a number of short films.

Luckily, the BBC drama village studios near Selly Oak where Doctors and other series are filmed is just a 30-minute drive from Shrewley.

The 48-year-old said: “Most actors have a side-hustle for times when they’re between acting jobs. “The Wandering Fern is perfect, as it’s flexible enough to fit in with when I have an audition or am away filming – quite often these things can be pretty last minute.”

Sarah spent 10 years as long haul flight cabin crew with British Airways, before setting up and running her own café, The Linden, in Leamington’s Regent Street for two years.

She sold it after becoming pregnant with her eldest daughter, Sienna.

Two years ago she decided to follow her life-long dream of becoming a professional actress and now has an agent, Red Talent management in Coventry, and is regularly invited to auditions for TV and screen work.

The horsebox was previously a mobile bar, so already had two sinks and glamorous lights.

With help from husband Paul, who runs a classic car restoration business, Sarah re-modelled the interior by installing a coffee bean grinder and espresso coffee maker and adding a sleek stainless steel work surface.

All three teenagers are keen to help Sarah build her business by setting up in more places, attracting regular customers and finding corporate and private work at events, weddings and parties.

She added: “It’ll definitely be a family thing because Sienna’s also completed her barista training with Monsoon Estates, so she’s hoping for a weekend job with me once I get busier, while the other two will be helping in other important ways.”



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