In response to the minefield of choices facing parents-to-be, former au pair Krisztina Horner has organised the region's first baby fair. She talks to Sarah Foster.

IT was while shopping with a pregnant friend, in summer 2004, that Krisztina Horner came to understand the hassle of having a baby. Far from relishing buying bootees and tiny clothes, the friend was distinctly stressed.

"There were just so many products out there," says Krisztina, 26. "I said to her, 'how do you know what to get?' and she said it was quite a struggle for her. She said it would be nice if she could just go somewhere and everything would be there. I thought, 'there are wedding fairs, why doesn't someone do them for babies?'"

While she'd hit on what she thought was a great idea, Krisztina was not in a position to pursue it. "I was still at university in my final year," she says. "It's taken me a year and a half to get the project off the ground."

Providing a service for parents-to-be was not at all what she'd imagined doing. She grew up in Hungary, and had never had an interest in planning events - let alone moving to Britain.

"I came over in 1997, when I was 18," she says. "I had my university place secured in Hungary - I was going to do hospitality and tourism - but I thought before I did the course, I would do a gap year. In Hungary, you've got to be able to speak another language to an intermediate level as part of your degree,so I went to York to practise my English."

Krisztina found work as an au pair and soon had an active social life. It was at a mutual friend's party that she met Paul, an electronics engineer from Leeds, who's now her husband. "I would have been going back to Hungary because my course was starting, but Paul asked me to stay," she says.

To gain experience in hospitality - which was still her chosen career - Krisztina worked as a trainee manager at Harrogate's Cedar Court Hotel. It was during this time that she found her true vocation.

"While I was there I was organising weddings and conferences and I realised I preferred the organisational side of things," she says. "That's when I decided to do an events management degree."

Krisztina went to Leeds Metropolitan University, commuting from Harrogate, where she and Paul had settled. As soon as she'd finished her degree, she started planning a baby fair.

"We set up a business last June - it's myself and Paul, who's the company secretary," says Krisztina. "It's called Ottimo Events Limited. Ottimo means 'excellent' in Italian. I spent quite a lot of time in Italy when I was a child, so that's why I chose the name."

Now that the first step had been taken there was still the task of market research. Anxious for success, Krisztina made sure she did her homework. "I found out about the baby shows in London and Birmingham," she says. "They bring together maternity and baby products under one roof - anything from maternity wear through to birthing pools. They have everything for pregnant women and parents with young babies or toddlers."

Krisztina heard of people driving miles to these events - and realised this was something she could exploit. "There was nothing serving the Yorkshire region," she says. "If you're pregnant or have a baby, you don't want to travel that far. The shows are proven to be successful, so I thought I would do something similar."

While it's been difficult attracting big names such as Mothercare and Mamas & Papas, which are reluctant to branch out into something new, Krisztina says she hasn't lacked support. "I'm looking for about 60 to 80 exhibitors and I've got a big database which I'm pushing forwards," she says.

"I've already got a lot of interest. At the moment, I'm really trying to push Yorkshire companies to come together and really promote their products. Basically, it's a big promotion for them."

Krisztina wants the fair - which, staying on the Italian theme, she's called The Bambino Show - to be more than just a sellers' platform. "I don't just want to have an extreme shopping experience because it could be a bit tiring for pregnant women, so I've created a learning zone, where mums and dads can speak to individual organisations," she says. "There's a lot to learn for a pregnant woman, which I've only now started to realise."

Within the zone will be representatives from the National Childbirth Trust and the Meningitis Trust, who will offer health-related support. North Yorkshire County Council will also be present. "They're going to give advice on real cotton nappies - basically, they're trying to encourage people to use them to reduce waste," says Krisztina. "The council's road safety team are going to do a demonstration on how to fit car seats properly."

Alongside the education will be plenty of opportunities for fun. "We've got a kids' corner where we've got timetabled classes going on like music sessions, so mums and their toddlers can go in and participate," says Krisztina. "There will also be some baby signing - babies can understand sign language before they can talk so you can start teaching them at a very early stage. We're having entertainment like balloon modelling and there'll be a creche and a baby feeding area."

Krisztina knows much of the event's success will hinge on the range and quality of its products. With some suppliers yet to be contacted, she says she already has some major brands. "We've got Lansinoh - they do breastfeeding products - and Jo-Tal Enterprises, who do a unique baby feeding system," she says. "We've put a campaign together for the big companies saying this is a completely new market for them."

Depending on the show's success, Krisztina hopes to run it every year, making it a must for parents-to-be. As the business develops, she also plans to organise other types of events.

While she currently has no children, she says that if nothing else, her current project should help smooth the way to motherhood. "I really want children at some point - maybe in two or three years' time," she says. "This is almost like research for myself."

* The Bambino Show is at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the Great Yorkshire Show Ground, Harrogate, on the weekend of March 18 and 19. It runs from 10am to 5pm on both days and tickets cost £5 in advance or £7 on the door (children go free). For more information or to book, ring (01423) 819102 or visit www.bambinoshow.co.uk