Lee Cowan, director of new baby product company Sandsliders spoke to PreschoolNews.net about the winning the BPA’s Concept & Innovation Award at the company’s first ever Harrogate International Nursery Fair.
“Harrogate has been absolutely fantastic. It’s really exciting, there are a lot of friendly people and we’re getting a bit of business as well, so it’s great,” said Lee, who came up with the simple but effective idea after seeing a mother struggling across a beach.
The Sandsliders product – which helps parents pull buggies across difficult terrain such as sand or snow – has been two years in the making, so the team were delighted to be announced as the winner of the BPA’s C&I Award.
“We were so nervous yesterday but we’re so thrilled to have won it,” continued Lee. “It really validates the product that we have.”
The company also has a strong ethical stance; the product is recyclable and a proportion of the sales are given to Save the Ocean. All production takes place in Birmingham and is assembled by people who have mental health difficulties and struggle to find work elsewhere.