We certainly haven’t found it easy, but we also have a lot to be thankful for, so we would just like to pause for a moment and take this opportunity to reflect on the positives that have kept our spirits up during the past 12 months.
At the beginning of the year, not only did our new Management Consultant, Simon Bailey, join the team to help deliver our international strategy, but we were finalists in another three awards. This time, we were up for ‘Export Business of the Year’ in the 2020 South Wales Chamber of Commerce Welsh Business Awards, ‘Product of the Year’ in FirstCar Magazine’s FirstCar Awards 2021 and our Co-Founder/Commercial Director, Carol Gillanders, was shortlisted in the 'Family Run Business of the Year' category of the 2nd Welsh Women's Awards 2020.
To our surprise (as we didn’t realise we were in the running!), we were also listed in NatWest’s TOP 10 most exciting businesses in Wales and the South West. The #PowerUp Index recognises some of the best and brightest businesses in the UK today, so we were thrilled to be named as ‘one to watch’.
Being recognised in this way means a great deal to us and makes all the blood, sweat and tears we put into our business worthwhile.
Our partnerships went from strength to strength this year and kicked off with our announcement that rally star Matt Edwards had come on board as our first ever BriteAngle Ambassador. If this wasn’t exciting enough, well-known rallying co-driver to the late Colin McRae, Nicky Grist, also endorsed the BriteAngle and was so impressed when he first saw it that he now stocks BriteAngle on his website nickygrist.com.
In June, we announced that we were working with Premier Commercial Vehicles, who now give everyone who rents or leases one of their vehicles a FREE BriteAngle. Bristol Caravans were next to join our list of UK suppliers, followed by PRIMA Leisure who provide a one-stop-shop for all things caravan and motorhome, and also run the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s online shop.
During the course of the year, we have featured in numerous magazines such as Campervan, Classic & Sports Car, Caravan and MMM – the Motorhomers’ Magazine. We were delighted that the BriteAngle was listed on the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s website as a 'Top Seller' and we have continued to work with the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club and more recently, the Mustang Owners’ Club, to offer their members exclusive discounts. We have also had some really positive reviews from high-profile caravan vloggers, Colin’s Caravan Capers and The Caravan Nut, who have been hugely supportive. Colin is such a fan that his entire family now carry a BriteAngle in the boot of their cars…just in case!
And then there was COVID.
When measures were introduced to mitigate its spread, businesses and organisations around the world were forced to adapt to new ways of working very quickly in order to comply with government guidance on self-isolation and social distancing. We were desperate to find a way to play our part, so in April of this year, we donated a number of warning triangles to local supermarkets to help shoppers easily identify how far apart they should be standing to keep a safe distance. We hoped this would go some way to help staff and customers protect themselves. We also wanted to show our appreciation to those working at our local stores for keeping us fed and watered! They were gratefully received and soon became a feature of the queueing system outside our local Tesco superstore.
This got us thinking about ways in which we could help the community, so just a few weeks ago, we donated a number of BriteAngles to a local RSPCA branch to help keep its staff, volunteers and animals on board their patrol vehicles SEEN and SAFE on the roadside.
If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s the importance of looking after one another and sticking together. So if you have any suggestions of how our products might be able to help local communities in other ways, please get in touch by emailing carol@roadsafetydesign.co.uk
In the meantime, we’d just like to thank each and every one of our loyal customers, supporters, distributers and suppliers. It’s been a tough year for us all, but here’s to a brighter 2021!
#InThisTogether