THE Derbyshire mum who set up business during the height of the coronavirus pandemic has created a limited-edition gift box celebrating small companies led by inspirational females.
Colleague Box – which turned over £1m after just five months – is approaching its second birthday and co-founder Natalie Bamford has teamed up with local businesses to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
Natalie, from Spondon, will mark the occasion by giving a speech for fellow female leaders at the Enterprising Women Awards in Chesterfield. The former teaching assistant is the reigning winner of the prestigious awards.
Photo shows: Colleague Box’s International Women’s Day collaboration with So Good Kombucha, Divine Box, Candle Mad, Letterbox Love, Pat-A-Cake Bakery and Carla Dee.
And keen to empower others, she has collaborated with several Derbyshire businesses including So Good Kombucha, cosmetics company Divine Box, Candle Mad, Ripley-based jewellery company Letterbox Love, Pat-A-Cake Bakery, in Spondon, and local artist Carla Dee, who designed the Doodle Ram that formed part of the Rams Trail in the city last year.
Natalie, who works alongside husband Adam at Colleague Box’s 8,000-square foot warehouse in Alfreton Road, said: “Derby and Derbyshire are blessed with such incredible small businesses that Colleague Box are proud to support.
“Where we can, we will always strive to work with local businesses; there really is a huge amount of talent in our region and it’s a privilege to be able to collaborate with them on the International Women’s Day gift box. Working with local companies also helps to reduce our carbon footprint.
“What’s also great is that so many of these businesses have inspirational women at the helm; women who have either changed their business model or set up their company during a global pandemic, often whilst juggling homeschooling and working from home.
“I’m mum of two strong-minded girls myself and I hope that they can see what I’m doing, how hard Adam and I work for what we’ve achieved and that I can am a good role model for them.
“I’m lucky enough, too, to work alongside my own mum, who has been my rock and champion since I was born and particularly when I contracted meningitis at the age of 10.
“She inspires me on a daily basis.”
One of the businesses who Natalie has collaborated with is So Good Kombucha.
The brainchild of ex-Rolls-Royce worker Lesley So, kombucha is a sweet, fermented cold tea that is popular in China. Brewed and bottled in Derbyshire using the So family recipe, kombucha is said to have several health benefits.
Lesley said: “I have always had a dream of starting up a business with a social purpose and so, in 2020, I left my job to pursue this dream.
“I had initially planned to go travelling but lockdown meant that I couldn’t, so I spent that time brewing kombucha with the aim of introducing the UK to the most delicious and authentically healthy kombucha that money can buy.
“I wanted to offer a healthy alternative to sugary fizzy drinks and the response has been fantastic. The business has a huge emphasis on being eco-friendly and making a positive impact on people’s lives, creating a way for the marginalised in Derby to be able to find employment.”
Local artist Carla Dee, meanwhile, says she is honoured to be involved with Colleague Box.
Founder of Love Lalaland – a quirky small business which makes handmade gifts and cards that are influenced by pop-culture – Carla said: “I was brought up by two strong inspirational women – my mum and my mama, who is sadly no longer with us – and they taught be to be kind, gave me heaps of confidence and the courage to stand up for what I believe in.
“When women support each other, incredible things happen like this awesome collaboration box with amazing, locally talented women who I admire.”
Colleague Box offer free personalisation in all of their boxes as well as free UK shipping and, throughout March, 25% of profits will be donated to assist the people of Ukraine.
Each box is ordered online and for bulk purchases, Colleague Box offer a secure mass upload option so it’s easy to buy 1 or 1000+. Packaged using sustainable and recyclable materials, the boxes arrive at the door within a few days.
To find out more, visit www.colleaguebox.co.uk or connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
ENDS
For further information, contact Kerry Ganly at Penguin PR on 07734 723951 or email kerry@penguinpr.co.uk
