Candy By Mandy

27/08/2026

A little health update, as I've had lots of lovely messages and comments asking if I'm okay. ❤️
Yesterday I received an unexpected phone call from my doctor. Something from a recent test had come back raised, and I was asked to have urgent blood tests, which I had done this morning.
I've since discovered that I've been placed on the NHS two-week fast-track pathway for suspected lower gastrointestinal cancer. I want to be very clear that this does not mean I have cancer. At the moment, I don't have a diagnosis and I honestly don't know what is wrong. The referral is to investigate things quickly and, hopefully, rule cancer out.
The surgeon's secretary has already contacted me today, so everything appears to be moving quickly. For now, I simply have to wait for the blood results and whatever investigations or appointments come next.
I'm not going to pretend that seeing the word cancer hasn't frightened me, because it has. But there is absolutely no point convincing myself of the worst when I don't yet know what we're dealing with.
So that's where things stand. There isn't anything I'm keeping from anyone — I genuinely don't know anything more at the moment.
Thank you so much to everyone who has messaged, commented or checked in on me. It really does mean a lot. ❤️
For now I'm hoping for the very best, carrying on as normally as I can, and taking things one step at a time. ###

24/08/2026

🍬 A Little Candy by Mandy Update 🍬
Firstly, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has messaged me over the last couple of days. Your lovely messages have meant more than you probably realise. ❤️
I'm sorry that I haven't managed to respond to everyone individually.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond my control, Candy by Mandy needs to change the way we sell our sweets for a little while.
This isn't goodbye! 🌈🍭
We may still pop up occasionally along the canal and hopefully attend the odd market too. My hope is very much to rejoin the markets as soon as I possibly can, although at the moment it looks as though that may not be until sometime after Christmas.
I should know much more over the next couple of weeks and, as always, I'll keep you all updated.
In the meantime, Candy by Mandy is still here and you can still get your sweet fix! 🍬🍫🍭
You can order or get in touch with me through: • The Candy by Mandy page • My personal Facebook • TikTok – just drop me a message • Our website – www.candybymandy.co.uk
It might look a little different for a while, but the sweets aren't going anywhere. 🌈
Thank you so much for sticking with Candy by Mandy through this unexpected change. Hopefully it won't be too long before you see those rainbow parasols beside the canal again. ❤️🍬

23/08/2026

❤️ A BIG THANK YOU FROM CANDY BY MANDY ❤️
We would just like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who came along to visit and support us this weekend. 🍬🍭
It was lovely to see so many familiar faces, as well as lots of new ones. As always, every visit, purchase, chat and kind word really does mean so much to us. 🥰
I would also like to sincerely apologise to anyone who came looking for us later today and found us closed. Unfortunately, we had to close earlier than expected due to a family emergency that needed our immediate attention.
For the time being, Candy by Mandy will be closed.
We don't currently know when we will be able to reopen, but as soon as we know more, we will update you here.
Thank you so much for your understanding, patience and continued support. ❤️
Mandy & Ian
Candy by Mandy 🍬🍭

23/08/2026

20/08/2026

🌈🍬 FENNY STRATFORD — WE HAVE ARRIVED! 🍬🌈
After three days of travelling, plenty of locks, a slight disagreement with the water levels 😂 and a lot of determination…
Candy by Mandy and Misfit have made it to Fenny Stratford! 🛥️🥳
We’ll be opening our colourful floating sweet shop this weekend, packed with all your favourite goodies. 🍭🍬
📅 Saturday 22nd August
⏰ 10am – 6pm
📅 Sunday 23rd August
⏰ 10am – 6pm
📍 Grand Union Canal, north of Watling Street Bridge, Fenny Stratford
📱 what3words:
///smart.lawn.oath
Just look out for Misfit and the rainbow of parasols — we're rather difficult to miss! 🌈😂
We promised Fenny Stratford we'd be back…
and we made it! ❤️
Come along, say hello and stock up on your favourite sweets. 🍬
See you this weekend!
🌈🍭 Candy by Mandy — the little sweet shop that floats! 🛥️🍬

20/08/2026

🛶 DAY 3 OF 3 — NEXT STOP… FENNY STRATFORD! 🛶
And we’re off! 🥰
We’re now on the final part of our three-day journey north, and today there’s only one destination on our minds…
📍 FENNY STRATFORD
After two days, plenty of miles and rather a lot of locks, Misfit is moving once again and hopefully it won’t be too long before we can finally say…
WE’VE ARRIVED! 🎉🌈🍬
Once we’re safely moored up, I’ll post another update this evening with our exact trading location and opening times for the weekend.
For now, Fenny Stratford… Candy by Mandy is on its way! 🍭🍬🛶
See you very soon! 🥰

19/08/2026

🚤🍬 DAY 2 OF 3 — FENNY STRATFORD, WE'RE COMING! 🍬🚤
Well, what a difference a day makes! 🥰
We've managed to make our way through an amazing number of locks today and we're now down to just 5 LOCKS and 8 MILES between us and Fenny Stratford! 🎉
We've decided that's quite enough lock-wheeling for one day 😂, so Misfit is safely moored up for the remainder of the afternoon just south of Leighton Buzzard.
And completely coincidentally... I can hear B&M calling my name. 😆🛍️
It would be rude not to answer, wouldn't it? 😂
Tomorrow we'll set off on Day 3, and all being well we should finally reach our destination at Fenny Stratford. 🍬🌈
Once we're safely moored, I'll update tomorrow evening with our exact trading location and opening times for the weekend.
Five locks. Eight miles. One final push. 💪🚤
Fenny Stratford... Candy by Mandy is nearly there! 🍭🍬🥰

18/08/2026

🛥️ DAY 1 OF 3 — FENNY STRATFORD… WE HOPE! 🤞
After helping our daughter move yesterday, we arrived back at Misfit this morning and pretty much went straight into our three-day journey north to Fenny Stratford.
Slowly but surely we worked our way through 11 locks today. 💪
Just two more locks and we would have reached our first planned stop at Startops, Marsworth.
Then we reached Lock 43…
I started emptying the lock while Ian walked ahead to the next one. A few minutes later he came running back towards me telling me to STOP!
We needed to back Misfit out of the lock.
The pound immediately below us is extremely low — and the following pound is even worse. Ian went to investigate and found the reservoirs are also very low.
So, for tonight, our journey north has come to an unexpected halt. 🛥️
Tomorrow morning we’ll contact Canal & River Trust and hopefully they’ll be able to help us get enough water through to continue our journey.
If they can’t, then unfortunately I have a difficult decision to make regarding our next Candy by Mandy Pop-Up at Fenny Stratford this weekend. 🍬🌈
For now, everything is crossed that tomorrow brings some good news. 🤞🤞🤞
I’ll update everyone as soon as we know more.
Day 1: 11 locks completed.
Fenny Stratford… we’re trying to get to you! ❤️

16/08/2026

🍭🌈 OUR LAST DAY AT CRYSTAL PALACE, BERKHAMSTED! 🌈🍭
Today is our final day trading here at Crystal Palace, Berkhamsted — and then Misfit will be pointing her nose towards her next adventure. 🚤
Where exactly will Candy by Mandy be heading as autumn and winter arrive?
North? South? 🤔
Well… even we haven't completely decided yet! 😂
What we do know is that next weekend you'll find us at Fenny Stratford — and by then, we really do need to have made our minds up! 😆
But before we leave Berkhamsted, we wanted to say something that perhaps we don't say often enough…
THANK YOU. ❤️
Not just to everyone who has visited us this weekend, but to every single person who has wandered along the towpath, spotted our rainbow parasols and stopped at Misfit.
To those who come back to find us again.
To the children choosing their sweets with VERY serious concentration. 🍬
To the grown-ups who suddenly spot a sweet they haven't seen since childhood.
To the people who stop for a chat, a laugh or simply to say hello.
You are what makes Candy by Mandy special.
We're a little floating sweet shop on a narrowboat, travelling the waterways and never quite knowing who we're going to meet around the next bend — and that's exactly what we love about it. 🌈🚤🍭
So if you've visited us somewhere along our travels, we'd love you to stay with us for the journey.
Follow our page to see where Misfit turns up next, and have a peek at our website too — it's still having bits added and updated as we go… rather like Candy by Mandy itself! 😂
🌐 candybymandy.co.uk
And if you're in Berkhamsted today, there's still time to come and find us before we say goodbye…
Until next time. ❤️
Love,
Mandy & Ian
🍭🌈🚤 Candy by Mandy — aboard Misfit

Also trading here at Berkhamsted with us are the amazing,
The World Famous Waffle Boat
Moles Floating Emporium
Buddha Barge Café
Home & Moor
Emma Bradley Art
SIRI BARGE B***Y