I have worked as a sales agent for over 16 years representing brands within the design led gift sector of the marketplace. I love to have a diverse and mixed products to present to retailers and enjoy seeing new products coming into the marketplace. I believe passionately in the gift industry and feel the wealth of innovation year on year helps enhance and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness we see on the high street.

I am a highly self-motivated, passionate, entrepreneurial, analytical, commercial and strategic multi-channel Head of Buying/Buying Director with over +20years experience within e commerce, buying, sourcing, product development, trends, brand and team management across all homewares, gifting and furniture departments.

I've worked in a diverse range of Homeware retailers from high street to luxury, across Online only players and bricks & mortar, including prestigious retailers Anthropologie, Fortnum & Mason and Heals.

Lizzi Benger heads up the marketing at Aspin and has seen many giftware companies successfully present their product through the media of technology. She understands how important it is to communicate your brand, your value, your price point and your ethos to the retailer and she'll be looking for a gift that incorporates all of these attributes during her time as a GOTY judge.

Christopher has been with Product Guru for almost 5 years, heading up on the Retail Success side of the business, connecting suppliers with key gifting buyers at the in-person 'meet the buyer' style events. Christopher is always looking to find new and exciting suppliers to present in front of buyers and he is super excited to be involved with GOTY to discover newness from exciting, new suppliers across the categories.

We opened our store in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, in 2019 with an aim to be a bright and colourful beacon on our local High Street. Our shelves are full to the brim with 'little bits of happy' - gifts, accessories, homewares and lots of other joyful surprises to discover, carefully sourced from independent makers and small brands in the UK and further afield. We opened our second shop in 2023 where we have a Haberdashery and where we run all our craft workshops, a place to relax and craft with likeminded people. We look after our online shoppers just as well as our local customers! 

As the owner of an award winning card & gift business I know how important great product is to our consumers. I am really excited to see this years innovative and commercial entries and I will draw on all of my experience in this space when judging all of the entries. Good luck everyone who enters!

The Captains Cabin Ullapool was opened by my Grandmother in 1947 and then run by my mother from1966 then myself from 1991. We opened a bookshop in 2003 and also have a hardware store all in the same village. The gift shop is unique, in that it has much the same fittings and fixtures as in 1947, but with a modern twist ! We sell mostly Scottish made product and try and not to have high street Tartan products.

I began my journey in the gift industry 36 years ago, opening my first store in 1988 and relocating to my current location 26 years ago. Over time, I've expanded my selection of traditional toys and crafts. Witnessing the innovation in design, quality, and especially product safety has been rewarding. The launch of a new range always brings excitement and anticipation for customer reactions. It's fascinating to watch a new generation of parents bring their children to the same shop they frequented in their youth.

A fun New Zealander, Louise came to the UK in 1987. Originally starting her giftware business from home 26 years ago, Louise registered Country Clutter Ltd and moved onto the Chepstow high street in May 2003. On the high street for over 21 years, Louise has seen many changes and knows what it takes to survive as a small independent retailer. In the beginning there was no internet shopping, but now the Country Clutter website ‘giftshopuk.biz' serves customers 24/7 all over the UK. Throughout all the changes Louise has remained passionate about running a friendly independent ‘Heart of the Community’ shop, serving fabulous brands and products to local people.

With a love for craft fayres and pretty gift boutiques, Nicola co-founded Noah Home & Gifts in 2011 offering a niche range of quirky and sentimental keepsake gifts. Based in Glasgow, you’ll find Noah in Silverburn (since 2012) and Braehead (since 2019) – two of Glasgow’s largest contemporary out of town malls. Noah’s custom-built kiosks offer a rustic look and boutique feel and have become a much-loved feature in the malls. The kiosks are run with the help of ‘Team Noah’ (as they are affectionately known). Nicola sources Noah’s carefully curated range from other small family run businesses as well as a few more established brands.

With over 10 years' experience in the heritage tourism sector, Kate leads on all retail activity for Cadw. Cadw is a Welsh word, meaning "to keep", and the organisation is working for an accessible and well-protected historic environment for Wales. There are 130 properties in Cadw’s care, of which 20 have retail outlets. Supported by a small team at head office, Kate has developed and delivered the organisation's retail strategy, procured and embedded an ePOS system, and is responsible for the overall product development and purchasing, shop design and merchandising, and retail operations. Kate was a judge for the Association for Cultural Enterprises awards.

Sarah is head gift buyer at destination Garden Centre Garsons, with stores in both Surrey and Hampshire. Sarah leads a team of buyers looking after a wide spectrum of departments including homeware, kitchenware, gifts, toiletries, home fragrances, stationery, and cards & wrap. Sarah is also the buyer of Garsons renowned toys and Christmas departments. Multi-award-winning, Garsons is frequently recognised for its extensive and superior range, a testimony to Sarah’s dedication and efforts. Her in-depth knowledge and many years of experience in the gift industry are invaluable.

I have been in the retail greeting card and gift trade since 1985. I started by renting a small unit on a side street in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, I now own a much larger unit on the main street, dealing with most if all the major suppliers and have recently started a dedicated Christmas shop up the stairs with it's very own Santa's Workshop. I still enjoy going to all the main trade fairs to look out for new and excting suppliers and making face to face contact with all my exisiting ones. 

A highly experienced buyer and product developer, Mhairi has more than 20 years in the arts sector working within iconic institutions including Tate Modern and Royal Academy of Arts. Now a buying consultant, her extensive experience of the complete buying and product development process gives a unique and vibrant offer for the client, appealing to a variety of audiences and retail environments. Her passion for buying, commercial focus and creative flair gives the ideal mix for successful curation of products and brands.

A passionate connoisseur of flavours and experiences, Puneet has built a thriving career in the culinary world, owning and operating several successful restaurants. His deep love for food is not just about taste, but about creating memorable dining experiences. Beyond the kitchen, Puneet has embraced a more spiritual path in recent years, co-founding a chain of crystal healing shops with his wife. Puneet's keen eye for detail, honed through years of perfecting culinary masterpieces and selecting healing crystals, makes him uniquely qualified to evaluate products that elevate the art of gifting.

Clare and Hannah Bishop are the mother-daughter team behind Cornucopia Home and Gift, a family-owned shop in Worcester. Clare took over Cornucopia in 2014 after years of involvement in the home and gift industry. Hannah, with a degree in Interior Design, adds her creative vision and expertise in aesthetics, making the shop a favorite among locals. Their dedication to quality and service earned Cornucopia the title of Britain’s Best Shop in 2020. Additionally, Clare and Hannah were judges for the prestigious Spotlight Awards at Top Drawer.

With 25 years of experience in licensing and merchandising, I have a comprehensive background in multi-category licensing, including apparel, toys, publishing, and gifts. My career has spanned roles as both a licensor and an agent. As the award-winning co-founder of Licensing Link Europe, we represented prestigious heritage brands such as the Van Gogh Museum and Royal Museums Greenwich. I developed successful gift ranges with licensees for the Van Gogh Museum, especially the B&LLA Award-winning licensee Blueprint Collections.

As a independent retailer the Celtic company has been on the Highstreet since 1994 and we pride ourselves on finding unique, quality gifts and cards bringing something special to our customers. As a buyer I am always looking for something that sparks and stands out that i can immediately picture in a display on the shop floor so I am excited to be able to judge new and exciting products. As a store we won Best Independent Gift Retailer for Wales & The Midlands for 2020 and have been nominated for retas on several occasions.

Anton has been working in the industry for 16 years over a variety of departments including giftware. I liase with my department manager who runs a large gift department at our Lincoln Centre which stocks clothing to Toys which gives me a great versatility of knowledge on products.
I like to see innovation and items which either encapsulate you or pushes boundaries

I'm Beth and I’ve been working for the National Portrait Gallery as a Buying Assistant since November 2022. The gallery underwent a transformative reopening in June 2023. During this time we developed a core range using new branding and sustainable materials, on-boarded over 50 new suppliers who are local to the UK and developed many new products to support our fantastic exhibition programme. In March we also won 'Best Online Shop' at the Cultural Enterprise Awards 2024 -a significant and extremely proud moment for the whole team. 

Revel in our delightful collection of quirky gifts, compelling curios, exciting artwork and so much more. Embrace the eccentricity and allow yourself to experience our extraordinary world of discovery. We have gifts for your loved ones and gifts for yourself. An extensive selection of items to have fun with, or simply look pretty displayed on a shelf. From Sid Dickens Memory Blocks and Jellycat to sensational sculptures and amazing antiques – we truly have something for everyone in our Gift Shop of Legends.

Joanna has worked in fair trade retail for over 20 years, running her own business and supporting the sector via her work with BAFTS Fair Trade Network UK and the eBay for Change programme. In 2023 she was named among the Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise in Europe. She has been honoured to judge Gift of the Year since 2021.

I took over the leadership and buying direction for the gift shop in November 2022, since then we have driven significant growth with sales increasing +15% YOY within the 1st year - a great achievement in what has been a tough time for many in relation to the cost of living crisis and economic uncertainty. Spend per head for gifting this year is currently tracking 25% higher than LY. This has been achieved through introducing a diverse array of new brands, enhancing the product range and appealing to a broader customer base. 

Laura is the owner of Handmade Design in Derbyshire. We sell unique and interesting gifts that have been designed and made in the UK. From a wide range of greeting cards to art to home fragrance - we stock an ever growing range of products. Our mission is to make shopping for unique, handcrafted gifts and easy and affordable experience for everyone. Laura is passionate about supporting other small creative businesses and currently works with over 100 UK based brands. 

I have been an independent retailer for nearly 15 years. Over this time I have sourced many brands & attended tradeshows & I love finding the newbies! Artichoke won a RETA last year for being best independent retailer for our cards. & this year we won a GREAT for being best independent retailer for North East.

I am excited to be joining as a Gift of the Year Judge for 2025 & this year I joined The National Committee for The Giftware Association. I’ve been working in the Garden Centre industry for over 18 years, and I am the Buyer for St Peters Garden Centre in Worcester. I cover categories from Home & Gift, Toys, Clothing and Christmas! I have a huge passion for the garden centre industry and feel very fortunate to have been working in it for so many years and seeing the changes our industry has gone through in that time.

Pretty Shiny Shop is a set of independent gift shops in London. Our goal is to have unique, interesting and of course, pretty shiny things of good quality at attainable prices. We carry a carefully curated selection of jewellery, greeting cards, candles and other lovely things that have caught our eye over the years. Our doors opened in Finsbury Park N4 in June 2016 and Oval SW9 in November 2021. Please support a local and independent shop by following us on Instagram or Facebook, sign up to our newsletter and join us on this wonderful retail journey!

I have worked in retail for over 10 years. I took the reins on an already established gift shop in 2016 and successfully grew the business and expanded in 2021 to a much larger premises and a better online presence. Bumbles made finalist position at The Great Gift Retailer Awards 2024 and Best Lifestyle Store in the Surrey Muddy Stiletto Awards in 2023.

Richard Barker co-founded Dorset Retail Ltd in 2011. Trading as Cilla & Camilla, the company has two homeware/gift shops and two specialist cook shops in West Dorset. Richard’ background prior to establishing Dorset Retail Ltd was in multiple retailing, most notably as Sales Director of Waterstones.

Liz Wellstead is a trained textile print designer who previously co-founded Jago Creatives with menswear designer Massimo Casagrande, focusing on installation and fashion products. In 2020, during the pandemic, she established Rock Paper Scissors to support local artists and designers. The venture has flourished, now encompassing a print and art studio. Liz also initiated the Streets Ahead Collective, a project that mentors emerging creatives from Canterbury College and clients from the homeless charity Catching Lives, empowering them to become independent creative practitioners.

Hannah co-founded Christmas blog, Jolly Festive, now entering its fifth festive season. Her content encompasses all aspects of the Christmas celebration, including comprehensive gift guides for tree presents, stocking stuffers, advent calendar fillers and more. Jolly Festive is particularly known for its Christmas trend analysis and Hannah has established herself as a ‘Talking Head’ expert, sharing insights around décor, gifting, and emerging festive traditions across national radio, TV, and media publications, both consumer and trade. As seen on Channel 4’s Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas, she is also adept in crafting and handmade gifting. 

I have over 20 years experience in the buying industry with a background across the high street and the cultural sector. I now head up the buying for both the Manchester Museum and the Whitworth. I am particularly passionate about working with local makers and improving the sustainable offer at both Manchester sites while ensuring we have an inclusive and affordable product range.

Alongside her husband Tim, Annie has been running Objectables, a small greetings cards publisher, for over ten years. Concurrent to the publishing business, they opened their first card and gift shop in Folkestone in 2017. In 2019 they moved to a bigger shop, survived the pandemic (phew!) and moved on to a veritably huge shop, which is already considered a landmark institution on the Old High Street in Folkestone.

It has been a long held dream to own a gift shop and I was lucky enough to be able to achieve this at the end of last year in partnership with two friends. We all have previous trade and retail experience both as buyers and suppliers. We have combined our knowledge and various strengths and interests to create a successful and already well loved gift store in the Cotswold town of Stow on the Wold.

I have been a sales agent in the South West and Wales for 25 years and love my job meeting and selling to retail in these areas. I sell gifts, greeting cards, books, bath, body and lifestyle products, jewellery and chocolate. I have a wealth of experience and love to see new innovative products coming to the market.

I am the co-founder and buyer of Nifty Gifts, an online retailer of all things cute, useful and unusual. Since our inception in 2018, Nifty Gifts has become one of the leading gift retailers in South Africa, and we pride ourselves in showcasing a mix of locally-produced treasures and internationally-sourced gifts.

Attended by first Spring Fair in 1984, I have been in the Greeting Card/Celebration/Gift Industry in different roles from Sales, Product Development, Business Dev, and currently President of USA Greeting Card Assc. Moved from England to USA in 1988. Consultant to Designer Greetings since 2018 (they acquired my card/stationery company) and now I also mentor and help UK makers understand and prepare and succeed in the USA market.

Rita started her career as a merchandiser for high street stores before moving into a career in the tourism and cultural sector. She has since worked for a variety of organisations such as Madame Tussauds, Design Museum, Southbank Centre, National Theatre and Museum of London. In her current role at The National Archives she has responsibility for all aspects of the onsite and online shop.

After starting her career in Buying for the Highstreet over 15 years ago, a passion for the arts and putting her buying skills to use, she made her more into the Cultural and heritage sector working as a product developer and manager for Tate Enterprises for 7 years. A move to the Qatar saw her overseeing the retail and e-commerce operation in multiple sites for Qatar Museums before moving back to the UK for the role of Head of Retail and E-commerce at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in 2021. 

I have been doing PR and Communications for over 20 years in the gift retail sector. I have worked with many brands advising them of brand strategy, marketing and raising profiles with press coverage within the leading publications.

After the opportunity to buy my own business was presented in 2018, Pursenalities became my sole focus. Having worked in Retail and Administaration for nearly 30 years, I relished the chance to become my own boss. As the Owner, Buyer, Marketing team, Finance team and Sales team all rolled into one, I love looking for new and exciting products to stock in my Independent store.

I have been attending the Spring and Autumn Fairs for the past 25 + years, having started my retail career working at a friends gift shop on Saturdays whilst at school. Having worked for several large retailers in store, and in regional and national management roles, I founded my own retail business in 1998. The business grew to 6 outlets and 3 franchise stores before closing the business in 2017. For the past 7 years I have worked in heritage sector and joined Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust as Chief Executive Officer in September 2023. I've always found the NEC Gift Fairs to be an invaluable source of new product and a great way to see product first hand, meet new suppliers and find innovative ideas for the businesses I've been involved with.

Lazy Duck Interiors is a UK-based online retailer founded in 2024, committed to supporting female led businesses in the gift and home interiors sector. We offer a carefully curated range of furniture, home décor, and accessories that reflect innovation, quality craftsmanship, and community spirit. Our collections celebrate unique designs that foster creativity and promote gender equality in the design industry. Each purchase at Lazy Duck Interiors supports women in business and contributes to crafting a home that tells a unique story. With an active presence at home and gift shows and involvement in the Women in Furniture Network, we are proud to champion purposeful design. 

I have been a gift and home ware buyer for Bottoms Mill shop for 18 years and in this time I have been part of turning what was an original cotton weaving mill into a one stop shop of 10,000 sq feet for giftware, home wares and clothing departments to name a few. I enjoy sourcing new products to keep out customers interested and to keep them visiting us and I very much like working closely with my suppliers in achieving the best results for both of our interests.

Cardgains is the buying group for greeting card and gift retailers. Gifts have increasingly become an important category for independent retailers, giving customers the 'one stop shop' experience when they come to buy a card. Every occasion can benefit from an accompanying gift so it's imnportant for retailers to offer a wide choice to consumers.

Jo and Katrina are Directors at Parker's Garden Company, an award-winning independent garden centre located in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. With extensive experience as buyers for Jo's family business, they bring a passion for products and a deep understanding of the dynamic garden centre industry. They carefully curate diverse ranges, featuring both local and popular brands and are committed to offering customers a wide range of choices, great value, and a friendly, welcoming atmosphere.

Ami Rabheru is a highly experienced former Retail Buyer, turned Retail Business Consultant, passionate about product and obsessed with retail. She is the founder of Retail Huddle, a consultancy where creativity meets retail strategy and success is a collaborative journey. She helps both established and emerging retail product businesses with strategic, actionable insights and transformative solutions to grow their sales, stand out in a crowded marketplace, and build compelling retail brand and product growth strategies.

retail-huddle.com

Chirpy is an independent gift shop, specialising in local and small brands. We also stock a wide range of independent greetings cards and this year were a RETA finalist. We pride ourselves on getting to know our customers, knowing the type of gifts they would send for any occasion. We have loyal customers who return time and again as they know they'll always find the perfect gift, often on their way to meet the person they are giving it to! We also sell online and offer delivery, postage and click & collect service. Upstairs we run workshops run by local makers ranging from arm knitting, weaving, doodling and painting. We also host pop ups shops and events upstairs with other local businesses

Having started 18 years ago with a tiny shop window, we now have 10 stores across Cornwall and Devon. We have previously won best Independent, best multiple retailer and best window display with Brocante The Greats award. I have also been an Agent so I can see the business from both points of view. I was also an Agent for a number of years and have worked in Retail Fashion at senior levels.

www.brocanteltd.co.uk

For the past 3 years I have been lucky enough to work for Gifts from Handpicked. A fabulous and wonderful online gift shop that is currently 15 years old. I began working here as a business administrator apprentice and have now taken on the role of online customer support and content creator. As a product lister at Gifts from Handpicked I see first hand the amazing and novelty gifts that come through the business. It never fails to amaze me, the amount of new and unique gift ideas that seem to be hitting the market year after year. I have been to multiple trade shows with the team and have experienced what gifts there are to offer.

www.giftsfromhandpicked.co.uk

I am a buyer for Utility Retail that has 23 years experience of being an Independent retailer. We stock a wide variety of branded and own branded gifts in store and online. I shall be looking for something exciting, that brings the wow factor!

www.utilitygift.co.uk

 I opened the shop in February 1999, so we are 25 this year. Despite this length of time I still get excited about trade shows, I still get excited about finding new products and I still get excited about new stock coming in. I love both the buying and the selling. I've been nominated three times for the Retas and now I've been asked to be a judge for Gift of the Year, how lovely! I shall be looking for something unusual that serves a practical purpose.

en-gb.facebook.com/thinkingofyoudenbydale

Trading 46 years. Won two retas. Judge at Henries for many years. Looking for something to complement cards/wrap etc. 

www.thecardcentrefelixstowe.co.uk

I am proud to be the owner of Joyce's with Best Wishes an independent retail shop situated in a village on the Surrey, Sussex, Kent borders and has been trading for 26 years. We offer our customers a range of quality, interesting and affordable gifts across all genres to compliment our extensive selection of greetings cards and our chocolates, that are produced In House.

I have been in Buying for too many years to mention and have had a varied career. I have worked for some great businesses Harrods, Laura Ashley, Toys R US and now Blue Diamond. I would love to see some new innovation in products and also some fun trend led items. 

https://www.bluediamond.gg/ 

Director of Retail100 Consulting with over 100 years of retail experience between us. - We turn consultancy on it's head - we are collaborative and honest - and there to truly support your business needs. Previously Head of Home at John Lewis I and my colleagues covered the full homeware and beauty spectrum with speciality in the gifts markets

www.retail100consulting.co.uk 

I’m Alex, the founder and owner of Ivy and Rose Gifts. Opening in 2023 and located in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter it is a true brick and mortar gift shop. Having qualified as a gemmologist and working in the JQ for a while I knew there was an opening for me to create a beautiful space. I always wanted to build a community of local and UK stockists and customers at the heart. My motto is “bringing artisan to the high street”. I love searching for carefully curated pieces and unique items. New creators and products are so exciting to find, with their amazing stories to tell, it’s a pleasure to bring that to my customers. I strive to give my customers a more bespoke service and a gift suitable for any occasion.

I have been in the Home, Card and Gift industry all my working life - first in retail, then as a rep and agent. In 2018 I decided to work a bit nearer home, and found a great empty unit for a gift shop of my very own. I called it Planet Sal after my favourite B52’s song, Planet Clare! I try to make everyone walking through the door feel welcome and valued. I still feel very honoured that they take the time to come in and look around. Planet Sal has gained a great local following, and my lovely ‘regulars’ seem to share my quirky taste! I have since won the Prestige Award for best Card and Gift Shop, South West, three years running, and am very proud of my business.
 I handpick every line, supporting small companies as much as possible. Innovation and great design are my benchmarks.

Retail therapy has always been a passion of mine, it was even listed on my CV under hobbies and interests! After over 20 years of sales and customer service management roles, it was time for a change! In 2022 Feather Robins opened it's doors to a fantastic reception from the local community. We are still growing and evolving into a destination shop for our customers. We are always on the hunt for unique, quirky, and trend-driven great-value products and ultimately the next best seller! What I love about independent brick-and-mortar retail small shops is they can offer their communities choice, value, a friendly reception, and life easier by offering a gift solution for all occasions.

featherrobinsgifts.co.uk

Bryony Taylor-Edwards joined Yarnton Home & Garden five years ago. With a dual role as Head of Marketing and buyer for Home, Gift and Interiors, her interest in product and brand spills over to her spare time as an adviser to SMEs in brand marketing and strategy. Yarnton Home & Garden is in the final stages of a fantastic transformation, from a local garden centre, just north of Oxford, to a shopping destination with a rapidly growing reach. In 2022 Yarnton Home & Garden won the Reta’s award for the Best Independent Garden Centre Retailer. In 2021 Yarnton won The Greats Best Garden Centre Retailer of Gifts, followed by the Best Garden Centre in Oxfordshire in summer 2023. Bryony’s aim is always to delight Yarnton’s customers with joyful gifting. 

https://www.yarntonhomegarden.co.uk/ 

Senior Design Manager in the global design and licensing team at Moonpig. Responsible for all licensed, humour and topical product development.
Over 15 years greeting and licensing experience designing, developing and managing product development and relationships with brands and independent artists.

Neil is a co founder and Director of Retail 100 Consulting - a retail consulting firm that helps retailers and brands grow. With more than 17 years of Head Office retail experience, Neil has worked with major global brands, helping them deliver lasting results whilst driving category performance. Previous to Retail100 Consulting, Neil spent 17 years at John Lewis & Partners, working in merchandising across a multitude of categories. Neil is driven by people - leadership, trust and coaching are at the heart of his approach to unlock potential. Neil has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Sussex and has recently completed a course on Sustainable Supply Chain management from Cambridge University's Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

www.retail100consulting.co.uk 

Detail Retail Limited was established in 2009 to bring contemporary and design led gifts and stationery to The Lake District. We have been flying the flag for the best quality and well designed products in the industry since then. The business has evolved over the last 15 years and remains a 'go to' destination for quality and thoughtful gifting. To compliment this we provide excellent customer service to complete the package . My daughter Wren has worked with me for the last 6 years and as I step aside to pursue my own creative career, Wren is now sprinkling her own magic on the business. 

Claire Leigh works for the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) as their Trade Marketing Manager. Prior to her role at Bira she was the Director of award winning lifestyle store Two Ducks in Surrey. It won best gift shop in Surrey 3 times and best women's fashion store in Surrey also. Claire loved working with the community and opened a monthly 'Soul Cafe' to support womens wellbeing. She was nominated for both 'Business Person on the Year' and 'Community Hero' in Surrey and visited King Charles III at Buckingham Palace for her 'contributions to the small business economy'.

I cut my teeth in retail back in 1989 when I joined NEXT in Bath as a Christmas Temp working my way up to Store Manager over 15 years in various locations from Wales to the South East. Always with a love of interiors in mind I joined Vinegar Hill in 2006 and helped launch many of their lifestyle stores until I left in 2016 to open my own Home & Gift shop in Bradford-on-Avon, Strawberry Blue. We were very honoured to win Best Lifestyle Store in 2022 for Wiltshire.

www.strawberrybluehome.co.uk

Catherine Erdly is a small business and retail expert, and the founder of The Resilient Retail Club. She is a Forbes.com contributor on the subject of starting and scaling a product business, a judge of the Good Retail Awards, on the Editorial Board of Modern Retail, featured as an expert commenter on tv, newspapers and radio, and a frequent writer and speaker on the retail industry at various trade shows. She recently published her first book "Tame Your Tiger - how to stop your product business eating you alive". She was also recently voted a top sales adviser in the UK by Enterprise Nation, and named one of the top 25 retail influencers in the UK. 

www.resilientretailclub.com 

Coming from a lengthy newspaper journalism background, Tracey entered the world of trade magazines in 2012 and now works for Max Publishing on Progressive Greetings, PG Buzz and Stationery Matters, as well as the trade shows PG Live and London Stationery Show. As a keen card sender herself, with an eye for design honed over many years of dress-making, tarting up her Dr Martens with studs and ribbons, and the design and layout of newspapers and magazines, Tracey has thrown herself enthusiastically into the greetings industry.

We are a family run independent based in South and West London. Our aim is to provide beautiful products for your lifestyle and home. To us Lark is not only our hobby but also part of our family life. We love buying new and exciting products and creating a positive impact in our communities. As an independent we try to support local companies, people and products, which can be seen in all our shops. 

www.larklondon.com 

I have worked in the retail business for 27 years firstly as a manager/ buyer and more recently as a director owning 3 shops… 1 being a toy shop and the other gift & accessories in 2022 we won best independent retailer of the year…

https://cranbornes.co.uk/ 

I have been in the card & gift industry for 35 years, starting in 1989 as a sales rep for the legendary Andrew Brownsword selling his new gift range and then Carte Blanche Greetings before becoming a self employed Sales Agent. I opened Hugs & Kisses in 2000 and in 2022 a clothing boutique Number 43. We have been a finalist for four years running at the Retas Awards, we were very proud to win in 2022 for Independent Card Retailer of the Year and we are thrilled to be a finalist again this year.

www.hugsandkissesgifts.co.uk 

Having been in the Card & Gift industry for over 25yrs I am proud to share that having been a winner at the Retas Awards twice and nominated for being The Best Independent Retailer of Cards in the North of England Scotland and Ireland Region has given me great pleasure to support this industry with my experience and expertise. Having won a Greats Award this year for the same regions has made me feel very proud.

As the founder of Golden Goose brand licensing consultancy Adam has developed and launched products into retail across multiple markets and categories for the past 20 years.
Current Golden Goose clients include English Heritage, Del Monte, Original Stormtrooper, Tusk, Twisted, Mother & Baby and the Rocky Horror Show

After over 18 years of retail management experience within the heritage gift industry, with a focus and passion for local products I opened my own independent retail business which sells solely products from Wales. Our strap line is “curated gifts, created in Wales” which sums up what we are. All our products are carefully selected and brought together in a showcase of genuine Welsh products. Within our first 6 months we were regional finalists for two awards and winner for another.

Ian Downes owns & runs Start Licensing a well established Licensing Agency and Consultancy. The company celebrates its 20th Anniversary this year. Ian has exstensive experience across the licensing, retail and gift industries. Ian is co owner of Brands Untapped and writes on the site about licensing, branding and design. He also contributes regularly to Licensing Source, Progressive Gifts and The Bugg Report. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. Ian has acted as a consultant for a range of companies and organisations from sectors such as charities, heritage, FMCG and publishing. 

Nest is a giftware brand owned and run by Samantha Gibbs. It opened as a single shop in 2002 and now, nearly 22 years later Nest is now a collective of two bricks and mortar shops, a garden centre concession plus a considerable online presence. Whilst championing the finest UK companies, Nest also designs and manufactures a significant proportion of their jewellery ranges. Samantha is a passionate advocate for the giftware industry and a positive voice for the huge advantages she's sees within the UK for retaining a gifting presence in our local communities and on our local high streets.

Peter Allinson is the founder and director of Whirligig Toys Ltd, a chain of six children's gift shops in the South East, all specialising in 'things to make and do'. The company is now one of the largest independent toy retailers in the UK. Peter likes to work with a wide range of smaller companies and suppliers, focusing on quality of design and innovation in the children's market that in turn make his shops really stand out. The company also aims to give new entrants to the market an opportunity to stock in an independent retail environment and has coached a number of companies to enable this.

Managing Director of Williams of Audlem Ltd -which is entering its 160th year in my family's ownership. I grew up living above the shop . After obtaining a degree in business studies, from Edinburgh University, I worked for Laura Ashley Manufacturing in Mid Wales, as a senior textile production manager, and quality controller.

Following my 17 years in the print and and dyeing industry, and an Msc in Textile Science, I returned to my 'calling' in the family business - raising my family back in the South Cheshire village I love. After taking over the shop completely in 2013, I set about implementing changes that would secure the shop's future - which I decided, best lay in our heritage past. This included retro refitting the store, following my parents' 1970's (fashionable at the time) modifications, and the restoration of our old cash register, seen on the BBC's "The Repair Shop".

I shall be looking for something with enduring and broad appeal, creative and value for money.

https://www.facebook.com/WilliamsofAudlemLtd/ 

I own a cosy homewares and gift shop alongside my husbands kitchen and bathroom showroom. We’ve grown to be a premier gift destination in our area and expanding online via social. I adore hunting out unique gifts and creating a warming Aladdins cave.

I have been lucky enough to work for Hampshire Cultural Trust for the last 6 years and over that period have developed the retail offer in my current venues, Milestones Museum and Basing House, as well as around the Trust's other gift shops. In 2021 we were incredibly excited that Milestones Museum won 'The Best Museum or Visitor Attraction Gift Shop'. At the beginning of this year HCT took over the prestigious Great Hall in Winchester and I was over the moon to be asked to redevelop and improve their existing gift shop. 

Dani Hall has over 30 years of retail experience and is the founder of several online gift shops including The Literary Gift Company and Present Indicative. As well as sourcing unusual design-led gifts from other creators, Academically Gifted has a growing range of exclusive products which are stocked by a wide range of bookshops and museum stores including the Science Museum, the National Theatre.
www.theliterarygiftcompany.com
www.presentindicative.com
www.humbuggery.co.uk
www.bookishdesign.co.uk
www.literarygiving.com

Products of Change founder Helena Mansell-Stopher’s career has spanned 25 years in the brand and licensing industry. Products of Change began life in 2019 as a small networking group of licensing professionals with a shared mission to connect sustainable best practices across industry. It has since evolved into a global membership organisation with input and support from an impressive roster of official ambassadors. Helena founded Products of Change as a safe place for industry to learn, connect and lead the conversation together to transition the industry to a more sustainable future. Helena is also co-founder and curator of the sustainability in licensing conference (SILC) the first of its kind in the brand and licensing industry.

With 36 years of experience, Elaine started in Retail as soon as possible. As a result she has exceptional customer facing skills followed by 32 years of John Lewis Head office experience.
Categories and roles covered include space planning, project proposition lead and Senior Buyer in Seasonal, Beauty & Home categories. Elaine is skilled in end to end strategy, licence & private label product development, sourcing and maximising brand potential. Elaine’s experience in leading teams, coaching and mentoring is critical to achieving the right relationship and the right result.

www.retail100consulting.co.uk 

Co-founder of award winning gift stores mooch gifts & home celebrating 10 years of trading in 2025. Prior to mooch Jon worked within the food & drink industry in roles including local food buyer covering England & Wales for Asda and food marketing for Heart of England fine foods. As well as running mooch Jon also is the founder of The Bewdley Candle Company which he created during the covid lockdowns supplying both mooch stores along with other independant retailers with natural home scents made in Worcestershire.

www.moochgiftsandhome.co.uk

I have been Head Buyer at Ransoms Garden Centre over 8 years and buy for all product groups within the centre. I have worked within retail for 27 years and loved its wide variety of products and challenges! In 2018 we won the Best GC retailer of Gifts at 'The Greats' awards and most recently won 5 categories at the 2024 South GCA Awards, including Garden Centre of the year, which the team were ecstatic with.

I have been a high street retailer for 17 years . Loveone is a one stop shop for gifts. We stock a wide range of gifts, many sourced locally. I am one of the founders of the Saints Street Markets working with local artisans and designers.

https://www.loveone.co.uk/ 

I have worked in retail for 19 years and owned Little Boat Gifts for 9 of those. We are an independent gift shop on the Essex coast based on the high street of a small town. We are lucky to have lots of support from our community and with that in mind, attend events like Gift of the Year to search for the best and innovative gift and homeware for our regular customers. Over the years we have been lucky to be finalists in both the Greats and the Retas and have had recognition for local awards.
We are also proud to have been chosen by Small Business Britain for their #smallbiz100 campaign and myself as one of their #ialso100 by F:entrepreneur.

Alligator Pear is an eight room lifestyle store based in the heart of Surrey. Having traded for over 25 years, we have a loyal customer base of locals who frequent the shop regularly. We have won The Greats Award for Best Independant Gift Retailer of the Year London, the South and South East on three occasions.

I have been involved in gift retail since being a 15 year old Saturday girl the day Mum (Anne) opened the doors for the first time almost 42 years ago. Gift retail is an industry that Mum and I are both passionate about. I feel you must never be afraid to do something different, especially today, and I love to source new and exciting product from suppliers. We have been winners twice for The Greats and nominated a few other times too. Being a Judge for Gift of the Year is an enormous privilege and one I have enjoyed for the past few years and I'm looking forward to this years entries.

Sarah Halsall is the proud owner of Hand Picked by Henrietta, a charming gift shop located in Cheshire that has been her labor of love for the past 12 years. With a wealth of experience in the gift industry since leaving school, Sarah's passion for unique and locally made products shines through in her carefully curated collection. Specializing in handmade cards, gifts, and locally made items, Sarah's shop has become known for its warm welcome and one-of-a-kind offerings.

My current role in John Lewis involves Sourcing own brand Home category products with our Buyers. I have spent my 30 year career at John Lewis working in shops, head office and online. I have an extensive background in buying across multiple home categories, both branded and own brand.

I am an award winning retail professional with over forty years of experience of working in the industry. I have been fortunate to work for massive market leading retailers such as Tesco, successful high quality specialists such as EH Booth & Co, and innovative, fashion orientated High Street brands such as HMV. I have twenty seven years of experience of successfully running my own business, which is at the very leading edge of independent retailing in the UK.

I have been working in the gifting industry at Gifts from Handpicked for the past 8 years, starting as a Digital Marketing Apprentice and currently my role as Assistant Manager. From helping source new and upcoming products, marketing, dealing with suppliers and so much more, I just love how everchanging the industry is and what new and exciting gifts are in this creative market. Gifts from Handpicked have won numerous awards in its 16 years of business, with most recently Prestige Online Gift Shop of the Year 3rd year running and E-commerce Business of Year at the Lincolnshire Enterprise Awards.

www.giftsfromhandpicked.co.uk

I'm the owner of Joco Interiors, often referred to as Joco Gifts. Since opening the shop in 2015, the business has undergone vast expansion and we are now housed in a shop 10 times the size of the original. I've been a proud judge of Gift of the Year for 6 years and I've seen many amazing products over the years, many of which then graced my shop, for my customers to purchase. Joco has won many awards both local and nationally, including being retailer of the year twice for Coventry and Warwickshire and three times winner of The Greats Gift Retailer Awards.

www.joco.gifts

Established in 2007, we are an independent store based in the market town of South Molton in North Devon, with service at our core. We are passionate about the pieces we sell at Daisy Park and only stock things that we love and covet for our own homes and know will light up someone's day. Daisy Park is an award winning store and has recently won the Muddy Stiletto award for Best gift shop in North Devon. We appreciate what it is to be recognised and some of the Gift of the Year nominees and winners have made their products into our store.

www.daisypark.co.uk

Stephen’s business journey started in the High Street at age 15 and took him to Regent Street, via the Tower of London, to Buckingham Palace by age 30. His career features milestones such as creating the Buckingham Palace Shop, launching London’s cable car, revitalising a confectionery-themed visitor attraction, and turning a national conservation charity inside-out, from property- to customer-focus. Stephen's consultancy business comprises a team of Associates with extensive experience in the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors. He chairs the new Advisory Board that is shaping the future of Spring Fair and Autumn Fair, and keeps his optimism muscle in shape by supporting Tottenham Hotspur.

Therese Oertenblad, Small Business Collaborative, has been in the home and gift industry for 16 years. Since 2018, she’s been working with purpose-led, product-based business owners who want to grow their wholesale and create a powerful, consistent income stream for their businesses. Her clients and students include Studio Wald, Claude & Co, Etta Loves, Sister Paper Co and many others. Many are now stocked in Liberty, Selfridges, Oliver Bonas, Anthropologie, and independent stores in the UK and abroad. Therese is on the National Committee for The Giftware Association, and she hosts Let’s Talk Shop, a seasonal business podcast sharing industry-specific business advice.

Alice Rivers Cripps, founder of the award-winning jewellery brand Posh Totty Designs, is a trailblazer in the personalised jewellery industry. Celebrating 20 years of success, her business is renowned for its handmade pieces crafted from recycled gold and silver, embodying ethical practices and creativity. Every piece is handmade in her UK workshop by her incredible team of female jewellers. With two stores in Brighton and London, an extensive online presence, and concessions in department stores internationally, Alice has expanded Posh Totty Designs globally. 

Owner of Mantons Cards, the Isle of Man's leading greeting card and gift retailer. Winner of over 20 awards including British Independent Retailer of the Year, Community Business of the Year and Responsible Business of the Year. Proud to have raised £35,000 for our local community and to support the giftware and greeting card industries.

www.mantonscards.co.uk

Opened in 2013 , Magpie's Nest Ltd is a Multi Award winning gift shop based in Stalybridge, Tameside. Proud to be a independent business that continues to grow from strength to strength stocking products that makes gifting joyful.

In 2006 I set up Press Loft, a PR Platform automating PR, affiliate marketing and influencer marketing which has supported over 20,000 businesses to secure millions of pieces of media coverage. Press Loft helps the PR teams from International brands like Wayfair, La Redoute, Laura Ashley and B&Q along with creators and artisans connecting them with thousands of media members. Most recently I have also supported other female-founded businesses with their growth strategies and am a Non-Exec Director for two businesses where I support and mentor them PR, marketing and wider business strategy.

With more than 18 years of buying experience, Sara has specialised in brand relationships and growing small emerging brands into market leaders. Previous to Retail 100 Consulting, Sara spent 18 years at John Lewis & Partners, working in buying, predominantly in home and seasonal categories, spending the last 8 of those years leading Gift and Home fragrance buying. Sara has a degree in Textile Design from the University of Birmingham. Sara’s retail experience has been bolstered by training at the Oxford university retail summer school and on the Gap partnerships Negotiation programme.

www.retail100consulting.co.uk 

Sue Marks is the longest serving trade press Editor in the gift industry. She has been at the helm of Progressive Gifts & Home for some 25 years, bringing a wealth of experience to the role. She is also Editor of www.GiftsandHome.net and a regular contributor to Progressive Housewares and Progressive Tableware Worldwide. Previously in consumer journalism, she has been Editor of a diverse range of magazine titles ranging from Popular Crafts to Home Cooking. With her in depth knowledge of the gift and home industry, and her close connection to retailers, both independent and multiple, she will, as always, be judging this year's Gift of the Year entries with a keen commercial eye.

www.progressivegifts.co.uk

As a previous independent shop owner and winner and finalist in the Greats and Retas, retail, gifts and cards have been a passion of mine since I was a Saturday girl many years ago! I am proud to be on the Giftware Association National Committee and I think this is my eighth year judging GOTY. Every year it is fantastic to see such a mix of small and larger suppliers entering with a vast array of gifts. It is a brilliant way to get in front of influential buyers and to gain some useful PR. I have now crossed to the other side of retail, whilst doing a bit of website work for a few small retail businesses in my spare time.