Gift Of The Year Winners Share Their Joy

On an incredible Gift Awards night at London’s Royal Lancaster Hotel last Thursday (16 May), which saw the industry unite for both the Greats retail awards and the Gift of the Year awards, there was huge joy as the winners of the GOTYs, organised by The Giftware Association, went up on stage to receive their trophies.

Rosie Harrison, founder and creative behind humour brand Rosie Made A Thing, was thrilled to receive two awards for the company’s new Choccy Cards having won both the Best Card & Wrap Product Or Range and the overall Judges’ Choice category. In addition, Rosie Made A Thing’s Bags Of Fun tote bags won the Best Gift Under £15 category.

Above: David Westbrooke, show manager, Top Drawer, category sponsor, presented the Judges’ Choice GOTY trophy to Rosie Harrison, founder of Rosie Made A Thing, along with product design manager Charlotte Dudley.

“We were so chuffed with our wins,” Charlotte Dudley, Rosie Made A Thing’s product design manager, told GiftsandHome.net. “We can’t believe it! This is the first time we’ve entered the Gift of the Year awards and we were so happy to win in three categories. Big thanks to all the judges, sponsors, the Giftware Association and whoever made the ravioli starter…!”

Also delighted to win a GOTY was Evan Lewis, founder of VENT for Change. The company won the Best Ethical & Sustainable Gift Product & Range award for the second time in three years for their award-winning OCEAN Collection notebooks made from recycled ocean waste plastics and 100% recycled paper.

Lucy Heath, retail sales director, commented: “This is a wonderful end to a truly fantastic 12 months for VENT. The new Ocean Collection has been well received by our retailers, their customers and now the judges. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have been recognised once again in the Gift of the Year Awards.”

Above: VENT for Change’s founder Evan Lewis, and sales director, Lucy Heath, were presented with their GOTY trophy by Suzanne Ellingham, director of Source Home & Gift, category sponsor.

At Beevive, co-founders Jacob Powell and Faye Whitley told GiftsandHome.net: “We’re buzzing that our DIY Bee Hotel Kit won The Gift Of The Year’s Design & Craft category! It’s an amazing feeling to receive an award for the efforts of our entire team to create a safe space for solitary bees to nest in. Thank you to the judges, The Giftware Association and our community who have supported us along the way. This win motivates us to keep designing more exciting and innovative bee-friendly gifts. Huge congratulations to all finalists and highly commended products and businesses,” added Jacob.

Above: Chantelle White, event manager of London Stationery Show, category sponsor, presented the Design & Craft GOTY trophy to Beevive’s co-founders Jacob Powell and Faye Whitley.

“For our illustrated gift book of Dogs Trust underdog tales to be awarded top dog status as winner of the Best Heritage Gift Product or Range category was truly the best news ever. I think our smiles say everything!” said Anna Danielle, creative director, and the company’s Becky Travers. “Fifty one artworks with stories was a huge labour of love and we hope this will help boost our fundraising total for this amazing dog rescue charity.”

Above: Anna Danielle, Little Dog Laughed’s creative director, together with Becky Travers, received the GOTY trophy from Ali Farrell, advertisement manager of Progressive Gifts & Home, category sponsor.

Winner of the GOTY’s Health & Wellbeing and Accessible Gifts category was Enesco. “The 7 Chakras Box of Positivity from Eau Lovely is a fantastic, very relevant, unique gift set with a great story,” comments Enesco’s sales director Greg Waters. “We were absolutely thrilled to accept such a prestigious award and delighted that Eau Lovely has received the recognition it very much deserves.”

Above: Enesco’s sales director Greg Waters was presented with the GOTY trophy by Greg Warrington, managing director of Asia Sourcing Support, category sponsor.

Added James Brierley, managing director at Elite: “Sara Miller goes from strength to strength at Elitetins and we were all thrilled to win the Gift of the Year’s Festive & Occasions category with the Sara Miller Easter Egg Tins which sold out this year. We will be sure to make more for 2025!”