The Great British Wood wool Company is proud to be a part of thriving, home grown British businesses.
The British Georgian poet, Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, once wrote: “God bring me to Northumberland, the land of my delight”.
He had a deep love for the North East that resonates with so many in the world we live in today; a sense of pride and longing for the place that he calls home. The same could be said for sisters Carolyn and Susan, and their close friend Laura, founders of Heather and Bale.
After 20 years working in IT, Carolyn decided that it was time for something new; something that would showcase her love for Northumberland and all that it had to offer, something that would allow for more creative freedom.
Luckily, her mother had already delved into the creative world of gift hampers as part of her wedding venue styling company, Made Simply Perfect.
The opportunity was there, and so with an official rebranding and a clear mission – “…to provide our customers with beautifully designed, visually impressive luxury gifts” – Heather and Bale was created.
This luxury gift hamper company is certainly doing its bit to showcase the very best of Northumberland’s artisan producers by creating hampers that are of the highest quality aesthetically, and that accurately represent the creativity and passion of the North East.
From cheese and wine hampers, to sweet or savoury hampers; jams, oils, chocolates, teas, biscuits, gins, rums, beers, hampers for him, for her, for mum or dad, Heather and Bale can provide a luxury gift hamper for any occasion.
From the official corporate gift hamper, to the loving personal feel of a hamper for someone special, no occasion is off limits. And while it may seem to be difficult to add that touch of originality or individual personality to every type of hamper, this amazing team of three seem to achieve this with mighty ease.
Now, anyone can gather together a handful of products, stuff them in an open box and call it a hamper…in fact, some do. What people often fail to realise is that consumers buy with their eyes. If it looks good, there’s a chance it will be good. Presentation plays such a key role in the world of gift hampers, and Heather and Bale not only understand this but have set the standard for others to follow.
“Visual presentation is so important to us. The priority of course is sourcing the highest quality products, but we know that we are creating a “wow” moment when our hampers are opened and experienced for the first time by the lucky recipient. We work hard on this part of the service because we recognise that our business is more than just putting random products together…Recognising that our Luxury Hampers are intended gifts and so the experience for our customers matters as much as the gift itself.”
This is where Great British Wood wool steps in.
There was no doubt that Heather and Bale’s product was already beautifully presented and at a standard of quality that rivals even the top, multi-million pound hamper companies. Great British Wood wool simply wanted to be part of their journey and add an extra touch of quality to an already flourishing business, not to mention the sustainable and eco-friendly image that comes with using Great British wood wool.
Whilst the main priority of any business is to grow and become financially rewarding, it is also increasingly important (in this day and age) to look beyond profits, towards the impact on the environment. This is something that Heather and Bale are proactively trying to achieve.
Once they had established themselves, settled in their position in the market and started acquiring success, it was important to them to look at becoming a more eco-conscious company.
It is imperative in any business to be educated in matters of current climate, and take the correct steps towards learning about and implementing strategies to reduce the impact on our environment. Heather and Bale are certainly taking those steps.
Alongside the fact that starting a new company in today’s economy is already a tough enough task, add a wide-spread pandemic into the mix and you have yourself a real mountain to climb…in most cases. Whilst production and day-to-day functioning has been hindered due to Covid-19 safety regulations, one can’t help but look to the positives of owning an online hamper business. Due to the continued lockdown of high street stores and boutiques, the online shopping business has had customers flocking to their websites and filling their online baskets.
What makes Heather and Bale so unique in this instance is their continued support of their local artisan producers, to support their own local business, which support the local consumers and indeed, consumers all over the UK.
They are very happy (even proud) of the fact that they have been given the opportunity to directly and continuously support their fellow local small-business owners in Northumberland, who supply all the delicious food and drink in their luxury hampers. There is a genuine sense of community within these circles of businesses. Long may it last.
In Wilfrid Wilson Gibson’s aforementioned poem, he goes on to write “Heatherland and Bentland, and valley rich with corn, God bring me to Northumberland, the land where I was born.”
The name of the poem: “Heatherland and Bentland” is a true testament to the love of Northumberland, and in turn, it is also incredibly fitting that it should be the inspiration for the name, Heather and Bale.