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The Gift Awards 2022: The Winners
Inaugural Awards Unite The Gift Industry A Gift Of The Year Hat-Trick
Above: We did it! The winners on stage at The Gift Awards.
The winners of the inaugural The Gift Awards 2022 – uniting The Greats gift retailer awards (organised by Max Publishing) and The Gift of the Year Awards (organised by the GA) - were announced at a glittering event, held at London’s Royal Lancaster hotel on 12 May.
Hosted by comedian Charlie Baker, the Awards were attended by over 400 guests, spanning gift retailers, suppliers, manufacturers, reps and agents, who shared in the joy as delighted winners made their way to the stage to collect their trophies.
In her welcome speech, Sarah Ward, ceo of The Giftware Association, told guests: “I know this is a special 20th birthday for The Greats and, indeed, for the Gift of the Year Awards, as we are now in our 45th year. Both awards this year have been bigger than ever before - no mean feat given the current circumstances. Yet it is exactly in challenging times that we need to come together, that Awards like ours here this evening gain even greater prominence. Why? Because this is where we show strength, where we connect the whole industry. Because this is where we shout from the rooftops about you all – each finalist here who deserves to be buoyed by an industry coming together to champion your excellence. Because this is where change comes, this is where business is done, this is where you are propelled into a future with more people knowing your name and knowing what makes your brand special. This is where we future proof each other and our industry.”
Added Sue Marks, editor of Progressive Gifts & Home/GiftsandHome.net: “With so much uncertainty at the moment, it’s important to celebrate any uplifting moments, with both the Gift of the Year and the Greats awards recognising and rewarding achievements during 2021 – a year massively affected by Covid – with both retailers and suppliers demonstrating just how resilient the gift sector has shown itself to be.”
The final award of the evening was The Greats Outstanding Achievement Award, (sponsored by the British Allied Trades Federation), which was presented to Ronnie Pavey, founder and chairman of Lesser & Pavey by John Joyce (past president of BATF, and a long serving member of The Giftware Association’s National Committee), for his long standing and continuing contribution to the gift industry.
Above: The GA’s ceo Sarah Ward welcomed guests.
Industry NEWS
The Gift Awards were certainly a night to remember for Willsow, publishers of The Plantable Children’s Book. The company scooped three Gift of the Year awards as winners of the Best Children’s, Educational and Preschool Product or Range category; Best Ethical and Sustainable Gift Product or Range category, and the prestigious Judges Choice category.
“The pinch-me moments just don’t stop!” said Baylee Magee, Willsow’s head of business development. “Winning the Judges’ Choice Gift Of The Year award is madness, and to win in two other categories, Sustainability and Children’s Education is incredible - it’s exactly what we built our brand to be. It was a fantastic evening and we’re still at a loss for words for the love shown to us and our brand. Such a surreal moment.”
Commenting on the brand’s success, Baylee told PG&H: “We’ve combined heritage, community and innovation to produce a first-ofits-kind, truly sustainable product that brings people back to basics. No laptops, iPad’s or technology, just fresh air, sunshine and getting messy in the garden. Kids love it because they actually get to watch something grow from something they’ve just read and it’s not every day you get to do that with a book. It’s a fantastic way to teach kids that commitment and dedication pays off, while also being a great way for parents to get their little ones to eat some vegetables!”
Top: Baylee Magee and Grace Pointon with one of Willsow’s three GOTY awards. Above: Willsow’s The Plantable Children’s Book.
Line Up Of Sponsors
The Gift Awards 2022 were enthusiastically supported by a strong roster of sponsors, with Spring Fair and Autumn Fair as headline supporter, plus: Abysse Corp; Ankorstore; Aspin; Battersea Dogs and Cats Home; Brand Licensing Europe; British Allied Trades Federation (BATF); Campo Marzio; Candlelight; Cardology; Cardzone; Carte Blanche Greetings; Creative Industry Association; Enesco; Faire; Gift Republic; Gisela Graham; Home & Gift Harrogate; HousewaresNews.net; Joe Davies; Lesser & Pavey; LicensingSource.net; Life Charms; Method UK; PG Buzz.net; Products of Change; Progressive Gifts & Home; Progressive Greetings Live; Sourcing Support Asia; Talking Tables; The Insights Family; The Seed Card Company; Spring Fair; The Giftware Association; Top Drawer, Widdop and Co., and Yodel.
Maybugs To Open A Third Gift Store
East Sussex retailers Greg Rose and John Dale, co-owners of two Maybugs stores in East Sussex, winners of The Greats’ London, South, South East and East Anglia category, will be opening a third gift store, in Bexhill-on-Sea, at the end of June. The new gift shop joins the couple’s Maybugs stores in Hailsham and Eastbourne.
“Maybugs has grown faster than we ever expected,” confirms Greg. “With the stores in Hailsham and Eastbourne going from strength to strength, it made perfect sense to invest in the business and open a third before the summer season kicks in. We believe a strong high street presence, combined with a fully functional website, is the future for independent retailing.” • In addition to winning a Greats award, Maybugs was also shortlisted as one of eight finalists in the High Street Hero awards at The Smalls UK small business awards.
Right: Team Maybugs celebrating their Greats success.
On Cloud Nine
The Gift Award Winners Share Their Joy
After a hugely exciting night at The Gift Awards on 12 May, winners of both The Greats and the Gift of the Year awards were fast off the mark to celebrate and shout about their tremendous achievements. Samantha Gibbs, owner of three Nest stores in Broughton Astley, Stoneygate and Thurlaston Garden Centre, winner of the Greats Midlands & Wales category, enthused: “It was such a huge honour to be part of such an amazing bunch of contemporary, forward-thinking shops! We will continue to champion bricks and mortar retailers and the energy and positivity they bring to our local high streets.”
In the North of England, Andrea Pinder, owner of Presentation Cards & Gifts in Barrowford, winner of the North, Northern Ireland and Scotland category, admitted that she was: “totally shocked, with an overwhelming sense of emotional achievement. Our trophy is standing very proud in our window,” she highlighted.
Enthused Libby Holden, owner of Lovely Libby’s in Rayleigh, who won the Best Non-Specialist Retailer of Gifts category: “It means so much, and I’m totally on cloud nine! I’m dedicating this award to my amazing team and my incredible staff that help me to run my business, whether it's behind the scenes, the website team, social media, my tearoom girls or shop girls. I simply couldn’t do what I do without them all,” underlined Libby.
Gift of the Year (GOTY) winners too, were equally thrilled with their success. “I had to wipe my eyes before enjoying the walk up to the stage to collect the award,” said Demi Pendakis, owner and founder of Find Your Glow (FYG), winner of the Gift of the Year’s Best Home Fragrance Product or Range. “We feel so blessed to have been recognised.”
Winner of the Gift of the Year’s Best Tech &/Or Gadget Product or Range was Fizz Creations, with Zoe Ryan, head of marketing, commenting: “It’s such an honour to have the phenomenal work from the team at Fizz get recognised by the gifting industry – I’m just so pleased!” enthused Zoe.
Winner of the Best Commemorative, Collectable and Charitable Product or Range was Guide Dogs for the Blind Association Accessories Range from Just Trade. "This award is not only for us, but for all the amazing artisans we work with around the world,” said operations director Ali Cave. “It’s a privilege to have our hard work recognised by the Gift of the Year Awards - we’re pawstively buzzing!”
For Laura Keller, co-owner of Concrete & Wax, winner of the Gift of the Year’s My Gift of All Time category, it was a memorable moment. “It was as if time slowed down,” stated Laura. “We were stunned and delighted in equal measure!”
Below left: So proud! Nest’s Samantha Gibbs is shown with her Greats trophy. Below right: A delighted smile from GOTY winner FYG’s Demi Pendakis.
Above right: PG Live will be opening its doors to visitors at the beginning of June. Right: Among the ‘cardies’ at last year’s show.
Industry NEWS
Sock Academy Sold
Sock Academy, a multi-award-winning designer and manufacturer of socks for the gift sector, co-owned by Paul Hughes and Gary Schaffer, has been sold to Jatania Holdings, a London based family-owned investment company.
Commented Yuvraj Jatania, ceo of Jatania Holdings: “We are thrilled to welcome Sock Academy into our family and we look forward to working with the existing team, customers and suppliers to grow the business together.”
Sock Academy’s core products feature gift-led innovative, quirky, colourful socks. The company operates as three brands - United Oddsocks, Cockney Spaniel and Cucamelon.
Above: Hippy Go Lucky from Oddsocks.
What’s On The Cards At PG Live
Thousands of new greeting card designs will be launched at PG Live, which opens its doors on Tuesday June 7 and Wednesday June 8 at London’s Business Design Centre.
As with previous years, cardie ‘meeters and greeters’ will be dressed in striking, colourful dresses made out of card and wrap samples that have been sent in by exhibitors. In addition, Paper Salad and Emotional Rescue have designed the keepsake tote bags that will be given to visitors on arrival.
A delicious lunch will be free to exhibitors and visitors on both days of the show, along with free teas and coffees (with the tea trolleys sponsored by Windles).
Ankorstore is sponsoring the lunchroom and opening night party on Tuesday 7 June.
Visit www.progressivegreetingslive.com
See Countdown To PG Live on pages 38-39.
Jubilee Tea Towel
Cards For The Queen’s Jubilee
In the run-up to the Queen’s Plantinum Jubilee, sales have quadrupled for textile company Ulster Weavers. “As the first British monarch to mark this milestone, the appetite for commemorative memorabilia related to the Jubilee year has been high,” confirms Ulster Weavers’ business development director Joanne Bradley.
It’s the latest in a long line of commemorative tea towels produced by the company. Previously, Ulster Weavers has created tea towels marking the Queen’s coronation, as well as Royal weddings, anniversaries and royal births.
Right: Ulster Weavers’ Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pure linen tea towel.
To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in June, an extra special postbag will be arriving at Buckingham Palace full of celebratory messages from greeting card publishers and greeting card and gift retailers.
A joint promotion by the Greeting Card Association (GCA) and PG Live, the Cards For The Queen initiative is inviting GCA members and show visitors to create and sign greeting cards to mark the 70th anniversary of the Queen’s ascension to the throne, with the cards forming a special feature display at PG Live on June 7-8 at London’s Business Design Centre. All written greeting cards will be hand delivered to Buckingham Palace by members of the PG Live and GCA teams.
The Cards For The Queen Platinum Jubilee initiative follows in the footsteps of similar projects in 2012 and 2016 at PG Live to mark Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee and the Queen’s 90th birthday.
Visit www.progressivegreetingslive.com
Left: A card, specially created by Wendy Jones-Blackett, that will be hand delivered to Buckingham Palace from the industry.
Exclusively Ups The Gift Ante
Show Gets Ready To Open Its Doors
The Exclusively show, taking place on 14-15 June at London’s Business Design Centre, will provide buyers with a myriad of new products, to include consumable gift items, as well as trends insights and merchandising ideas.
The show has a strong reputation for predicting commercial trends in housewares, gifts and small domestic electricals, with trend talks, trend tours for buyers and displays of exhibitors’ products pre-selected by Scarlet Opus featuring the themes and styles likely to prove popular in 2022, 2023 and beyond. These include: Homestead (connected remoteness); Escapism/Phyigital (blurring of the line between physical and digital) and Wellness and Comfort (calm minimalism). “The domestic tableware category has been rejuvenated over lockdown,” comments Steve Richardson, marketing manager for Exclusively organiser BHETA. “Time spent at home has reignited the desire to cook at home, to present food well and to meet socially in the home.” Adds Steve: “2022 looks set to be a tougher year for disposable income, and this may mean households trading down from eating out to eating at home and potentially maintaining the strong interest in tableware for the home.” See Cook, Bake, Eat on page 47-49. Visit www.exclusivelyshows.co.uk.
Top: Furnishings reflecting the Homestead trend. Above: Scarlet Opus’ director Phil Pond with PG&H’s Sue Marks.
Industry NEWS
Raising A Glass
Among the new features at Exclusively, taking place on 14-15 June at London’s Business Design Centre, will be wine tastings with Olly Smith, drinks expert for the Mail on Sunday's YOU magazine and Saturday Kitchen.
Olly, along with collaboration partner Stolzle Lausitz, and principal distributor Pure Table Top, will be hosting the wine tasting events in the Executive Suite at on 14 June. Two events will be held from 3.30pm-4pm and from 5pm – 5.30pm. Visit the What’s On section at www.exclusivelyshows.co.uk to sign up.
Below: Wine expert Olly Smith.
Furniture Collection Debuts At Home & Gift
Following on from the successful co-location of the Manchester Furniture Show last year, Home & Gift will be debuting a brand new sector – the Furniture Collection when the show returns to Harrogate from July 17-20.
“We wanted to fuse the two markets together, so there will be a unique selection of furniture and home brands at this year’s show,” confirms marketing manager Emma Telford.
Exhibitors range from household names to emerging designers, with plenty to discover for gift retailers looking to start their Autumn and Christmas buying.
As with previous years, there will be lots of opportunity to network, with the annual Sundowners drinks party held on the first night of the show, as well as Happy Hours, and free teas and coffees in the Indigo Lounge.
The show will be taking place across the Harrogate Convention Centre and the grounds of the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate. Registration is open. Visit homeandgift.co.uk
Above right: The Sundowners drinks party at Home & Gift. Right: Gin on the lawn at last year’s show.
Lark Opens A Tenth Store
In the run up to the Easter weekend, gift and lifestyle retailer Lark opened a tenth store in Chiswick, West London, which involved a fast turnaround. “We were open less than ten days after getting the keys for the new shop,” commented co-owner Priya Aurora-Crowe. Continuing the expansion, a further four Lark stores will be opening over the next 12 weeks.
“Customer feedback has been absolutely amazing, with everyone super welcoming to us. The Easter weekend was fantastic and Chiswick performed the best out of all our stores,” confirmed Priya. “The selection of products are the same across all Lark stores which has made our expansion easier.”
Left: Shop assistant Eunice Boka Nlasa is shown outside the new Lark store in Chiswick.
Spaced Out
When the adjacent shop became vacant recently, Bill Nettelfield, owner of gift store Bill & Bert’s in Colchester, grabbed the opportunity to double the size of his existing store. A grand extended shop opening took place just before Easter. “Trade on the first weekend of opening went bonkers,” said Bill. “It seemed like a November Saturday. The support from so many of our suppliers has been overwhelming, and customers from Colchester and surrounding areas have loved what we have done with the extra space, which now totals 4,500 sq ft.”
Below: The extended Bill & Bert’s in Colchester.
Middleport Pottery Hosts Cabinet Meeting
Staff Met Up With PM Boris Johnson
Middleport Pottery in Stoke-on-Trent recently hosted a regional cabinet meeting on 12 May, playing host to PM Boris Johnson as well as senior ministers that included Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary Priti Patel, Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi; Health Secretary Sajid Javid; Britain’s Housing Secretary Michael Gove, International Trade Secretary AnneMarie Trevelyan and Government Efficiency Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Prior to the cabinet meeting, cabinet ministers met Jim Norman, managing director of Burgess & Leigh (Burleigh & Poole Pottery), Dean Barlow, operations director of Denby Pottery, Debbie Hill, production manager of Burgess & Leigh and three apprentices, at a business and community event held at the Pottery.
Above: A regional cabinet meeting was held at Middleport Pottery. Left: The PM drinks from a Burleigh Calico cup.
Trouva Acquired By Made.com
Online platform Trouva, launched in 2015 to support and promote independent retailers, both in the UK and Europe, has been sold to furniture retailer Made.com for an undisclosed sum. Independent gift and lifestyle retailers featured on the platform include Lark, Utility, The Hambledon, Papyrus, Sunshine & Snow, The Alphabet Gift Shop, Rhubarb Home, Inside Out, Hyde & Seek, Five and Dime and Rigby & Mac (the online store for The Dulwich Trader Group). Following the acquisition, Trouva will continue to operate as a standalone brand led by the current leadership team, with the integration of Trouva led by Made chief technology officer Geert Engels.
Left: Among the gift shops on Trouva is Papyrus in Glasgow.
Business Rates
With inflation rising to 9%, the highest in 40 years, and energy bills, fuel and food prices continuing to drive up the cost of living, the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) is calling for a reduction in business rates to support those struggling to deal with the extra costs. "Inflation at these level is a new challenge for many independent retailers,” states Bira's ceo Andrew Goodacre. "Retailers are doing all they can to reduce the impact on prices for shoppers which means reduced profit margins for everyone. We would like to see this year’s 100% increase in business rates reversed and some way of helping businesses manage the rising costs of energy," he stated.
Above: Bira’s ceo Andrew Goodacre.
Woman Who Achieves Awards
Three strong, successful women in the gift industry – indie retailer Jo Williams, owner of Joco in Nuneaton, Louise Welsby, managing director of Buy-From and watercolour artist and homewares designer Meg Hawkins, founder of Meg Hawkins Art – are finalists in this year’s Woman Who Achieves Awards.
“This is the fourth year that I have been a finalist in the Woman Who Leads category, however, I won a judges Special Recognition Award in 2020 and a commendation in the Micro Business category in 2019,” comments Jo. “Joco has won many awards, but an award purely for my hard work in leading the team through so many obstacles over the past year will be something to celebrate whether I win or not.”
Winners will be announced on 1 July at Coombe Abbey hotel in Coventry.
Industry NEWS
Sad News
Tributes poured in for industry legend David Hicks, founder of The Really Good Card Company and its gift sibling Soul. David, whose life was cut short by the cruelty of motor neurone disease, was deemed a ‘creative genius’ by both the trade and his friends, and was responsible for many iconic card ranges and gift products that included Edward Monkton and Bright Side.
He died on Friday April 8, in Switzerland with his wife Nicole by his side, and good friend Miles Robinson, co-owner of gift and greeting card retailer House Of Cards, close by.
He will be remembered for many reasons – his character, his wicked sense of humour, his vision, his entrepreneurial talents, his principles, his dress sense, his love of travel, photography and food, but most of all, his love of people and interest in their lives.
During his career, David received two industry Honorary Achievement Awards: one in recognition of his contribution to the greeting card industry, presented at The Henries in 1997, and the other for his achievements in the gift sector, which was presented at The Greats Awards in 2017. He will never be forgotten.
Above: David Hicks, founder of Really Good and Soul.
Design Innovation Success
Gallery Direct – which has made a significant investment in the home accessories side of the business over the past two years - recently took the crown as winner of the Design Innovation Award for its Sofa In The Box and Packed-Flat designer furniture at the postponed January Furniture Show, held at the end of April.
“As a business, we’ve always been led by design,” states the company’s marketing director Bruce Bell. “At the beginning of 2021, we started on a series of design projects where we wanted to create new product categories that had a design-led feel to them, while filling a gap that is seen by many consumers as a significant requirement. We are therefore delighted that Sofa In A Box won the Design Innovation category alongside the newly launched Packed-Flat.”
