Luana, Bebe, Kath, Suzie, and David...Rachel wasn't able to make this photo but she's very much part of Team BeeBee.
So we had a party. It was a thank-you party as much as a birthday party. So many people helped to get BeeBee Wraps launched. We just wanted to show how grateful we are!
A year ago we sold our first BeeBee Wrap. Back then it was just me and I didn't have any expectations. There were people out there searching for an alternative to clingfilm and we found them. The story started...
I took BeeBee Wraps out to people, to markets, to staff rooms and shops. They were always welcomed and people loved them.
Then I stumbled upon Cambridge Social Ventures and learned what the word 'Traction' means with respect to business. Apparently, I had it. I won a place on the Incubator programme and we started to grow this thing together.
I gave up my beloved job as a Fundraiser at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity and started working on BeeBee Wraps full time.
Bebe came along next, you'll see her in the photo above. Bebe is so super hardworking and with a name like that she had to join. We saw the massive rush Christmas through together and took a big sigh of relief in January.
That wasn't to last long as on January 18 The Guardian published this article citing BeeBee Wraps as a great plastic alternative and we saw sales boom.
The Daily Mail followed suit and we topped their front page during their Plastic Free campaign. Then The Guardian did it again!!! Amazing!!
In March Luana joined us, and it's so rare to see her in a photo as Luana usually takes our photos. Luana makes BeeBee Wraps leap off the screen and convey what we want to get across. She's also pretty amazingly organised and is in a very happy place when the workshop is tidy.
March also saw Rachel start with us. Rachel has an amazing background in working with small, growing, ethical businesses and we knew we wanted her as soon as she came along. Rachel is my sanity.
As well as these amazing people there is also Suzie. My oldest friend. A total hero when it comes to picking up tasks I can't cover. She sees the wood and the trees.
None of this could have happened if it weren't for David. Daddy to my cubs and the best guy I know. Not only is he my opposite (he's finance and accounting whizz, truly my least favourite job!), he also has put up with beeswax everywhere, people working endless hours in his house and a lot of 'bouncing things off him' from me. Without his patience, systematic approach and alternative way of thinking we would be in such a pickle.
Growing along with us is our environmental impact has too. We are so proud to be offering an alternative that works so well, much better than plastic and helps to reduce plastic pollution too.
We are so excited about the next year and what might happen next. There is a lot more grafting ahead but we're up for the challenge.
Enjoy the photos!
Kath cuts BeeBee Wraps's first birthday cake
THE cake by Jo from Gatto Gateau
Some of the people who got BeeBee Wraps through its first year! Suzie in blue, Bea in pink
Kath's "can't quite believe this year" face
Iain, Luana and Becky deep in prosecco fuelled convo
My dear friends and colleagues from Arthur Rank Hospice charity who all helped to test BeeBee Wraps, cut fabric in the wee hours and put up with my incessant obsessions
The BeeBee Wraps first birthday party speech
Massive thanks to The Garden Kitchen, Mill Road for hosting our event, Jo from Gatto Gateau for the amazing cake and to Martin Twiss for taking the photos and giving Luana a night off!
