Craft Focus - Page number 12 - August/September 2021 (Issue 86)

12 Hawthorn Handmade owner becomes finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards Stephanie Carswell, owner and Creative Director of Hawthorn Handmade, a craft kit design company based in Dorset, has been announced as a finalist for this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Named as one of the South West finalists for ‘Creative Industries Entrepreneur of the Year’, Stephanie has outshone almost 5,000 entries after her organically grown business had its best year ever in 2020. Since its launch in 2013, Hawthorn Handmade has established itself as a leading designer and manufacturer of textile craft kits. The crafty start-up began in the back room of Stephanie’s previous business, a contemporary craft gallery and haberdashery, and since then, the ever-growing team have put all their collective energy into creating a brand that inspires, excites and gives back to their community. Every kit is lovingly made by hand in its Dorset headquarters and then shipped worldwide directly to customers and into a wide variety of shops including John Lewis and TKMaxx. Stephanie says: “This recognition of all the hard work that has gone into the business over the last eight years, and in particular the last 18 months is incredible and I’m proud and excited to have been made a finalist. I also must say a big thanks to my all-female team who have made Hawthorn Handmade what it is today. Everyone is dedicated to the ongoing success of our business and spreading the joys of craft, and I can’t wait to see where we go next.” Now in their ninth year, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards have celebrated some incredible entrepreneurs over the years, including the likes of Julie Deane OBE of Cambridge Satchel Co and Steven Barlett, who was recently named as the youngest ever Dragon to appear on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den and Stephanie is looking forward to the regional finals in September, after which the winners will proceed to a National final in October where the overall winner will be named ‘Great British Entrepreneur of the Year’. For more info on Hawthorn Handmade see https://www.hawthornhandmade.com/ or send any questions to stephanie@hawthornhandmade.co.uk National Stationery Week backed by industry giant Maped Helix World renowned stationery company Maped Helix has been announced as a headline sponsor of National Stationery Week, which is taking place between the 1 st -7 th October, 2021. The Kingswinford based brand exports to over 65 countries and has been synonymous with both traditional and innovative stationery for more than 130 years. Competitions will be launched as part of Maped Helix’s sponsorship of Get Crafty Day on 6 th October, one of the awareness week’s Seven Days of Stationery. Maped Creativ and Color’Peps prizes will be on offer, providing everything children need to get drawing, doodling, colouring and making. National Stationery Week reaches almost 75 million people in 90 countries, celebrating the importance of handwriting and providing an opportunity for stationery fans to share their favourite products. Maped Helix marketing manager Lianne Fletcher commented: “Get Crafty Day is all about getting hands on with stationery so it’s a natural fit for Maped Helix and our more creative product ranges. In this digital age, it’s hard to overestimate the importance of spending quality time away from screens and National Stationery Week is a wonderful celebration of why we should all keep putting pen to paper, so we are proud to be supporting it.” Maped Helix is a world leader in school stationery supplies, with the Blazer Buddy its most recent innovation. The protective, clear pencil case sits perfectly inside blazer pockets, preventing ink leaks, and contains two Oxford black ballpoint pens, two eraser-tipped HB pencils, a pencil sharpener and a 15cm ruler. Based in The Black Country and creating innovative stationery since 1887, Helix’s Oxford Maths Set has been used by children since the ’30s. Many of the company’s world class stationery products are designed to inspire and stimulate children’s creativity, such as the Maped Creativ and Color’Peps ranges. For more information about Maped Helix please visit www.mapedhelix.co.uk, em ail info@mapedhelix.co.uk or call +44 (0)1384 286 860 .