Welsh Enterprise Awards 2021

19 | Welsh Enterprise Awards 2021 What does it mean to live a life where creativity lies at the forefront? For Lizzie Spikes and Becky Barratt, Driftwood Designs is more than a shop – it’s a passion. We take a closer look at how their dreams of creating something unique has grown over the years into a successful business recognised in SME News’ Welsh Enterprise Awards. As a coastal town, Aberystwyth is the perfect home for the dynamic duo behind Driftwood Designs. This impressive team have achieved the remarkable over the years, developing new and exciting designs that have taken the local area by storm. With a creative approach that embraces numerous mediums, they have been proud to connect with people around the world for many years and their growth has only just begun. Driftwood Designs specialises in offering products that could only be made in the creative hub that is Aberystwyth. Nestled between the hills and the sea, Lizzie and Becky have delighted in producing an incredible range of products. Their gifts and homewares, their prints and cards each tell a unique story, offering a spin on ideas, facts, words and places that cannot be found anywhere else. Lizzie’s designs draw on nature, such as the driftwood which can be found on the beach, the sights of the sea and the depths and heights of the hills beyond. With the creative mind of Lizzie supported by the business acumen of Becky, Driftwood Designs has been able to reach out far beyond the sleepy seaside town and out into the wide world. At the heart of Lizzie’s creative vision is a determination that her work be accessible by as many people as possible. Through the world of homewares, cards and prints, she has made this dream possible. As far as possible, the Driftwood Designs team embrace the potential that the UK has to offer, and the incredible versatility of Welsh industry. The cards from Driftwood Designs are all printed in Wales on high-quality recycled card and are blank inside so that they can be used for any occasion. Other products are sourced from British manufacturers. Certainly what is clear is that when you turn to Driftwood Designs, you get a product that is unlike anything else on the market. It is indelibly stamped with the vision that Lizzie and Becky both share. The growth of the business is an example of Welsh Enterprise at its finest. When both women started the business, it was with the smallest of ambitions. Becky and Lizzie would use what little spare time they had to find suppliers and develop their products, selling them online themselves. As popularity grew, the team moved to a cabin in Becky’s garden, and within a few years, they were opening their shop in the town itself. Just three years later, they moved into larger premises, in the heart of Aberystwyth and within sight of the beautiful seas that had inspired them so much. With this achievement, everything can now be found under one roof, which has brought immense satisfaction to all concerned. Driftwood Designs has always been busy, but the environment is one which is incredibly satisfying. Both Lizzie and Becky inspire each other, and they inspire their team to aim as high as possible for their clients. At the core of what they offer is their unique creative vision, and it is one steeped in the culture of Aberystwyth. Those who have visited Driftwood Designs find something a little outside of the norm. They find products that are personal, that delight, that bring joy. In short, they take a little piece of what Aberystwyth has to offer, and what it has brought to Lizzie and Becky, and allows them to keep it as a memento. It’s a gift that is very special indeed, and showcases some of the very best that Welsh Enterprise has to offer. Company: Driftwood Designs Name: Becky Barratt Email: [email protected] Aug21848 Best Retail Environment 2021 - Ceredigion