House of Cards is proud to support the Greeting Card Trade for 35 years and delighted to be a sponsor of the Henries.
‘‘ ‘T T Th h he e er r re e e w w wa a as s s ss so o om m me e et t th h hi i in n ng g g ii in n n tt th h he e e a
n n ni i ig g gh h ht t t, ,, tt th h he e e ss st t ta a ar r rs s s w w we e er r re e e b b br r ri i ig g gh h ht t t…
The very best of luck to all the finalists.
Welcome to this year’s Abba—solutely wonderful Henries awards, the theme being just perfect for our big annual celebration of the best in greeting card publishing.
The Swedish power pop foursome were famous for their glitz and glamour with music that continues to strike a chord with millions of people all over the world.
Of all their hits, it is arguably Knowing You, Knowing Me which is the most apposite to these awards, being at the very core of creating, purchasing and sending of greeting cards, resulting in the £1.53 billion the great British public spent on single cards alone in the last year (according to the recent GCA Market Report), which is a lot of ‘Money, Money, Money’! Being part of The Henries this year was very much the Name of The Game, attracting 2,400 entries that were judged by over 100 Super Trouper retail buyers.
But tonight’s extravaganza would not be possible without the glittering support of our Henries sponsors - the specialist printers, board suppliers, envelope specialists and retailers, who make our industry tick. And of course, The Art File who designed the keepsake invitation, Windles group for the place cards and menus; Miles and Nigel from House of Cards for the table glitz and fun bits, Five Dollar Shake for the Glitter Station, Stormy Knight for the ABBA Chique band and those remarkable cardboard craftsman at N. Smith for the photo op creation!
We hope you have a f-abba-ulous evening tonight and can’t wait to see some of you Dancing Queens hitting the dance floor later!
Jakki Brown, Warren Lomax, Tracey Bearton and Tracey Arnaud
The Henries team
The host of tonight’s Henries is the super talented Andrew Ryan.
His off-the-cuff repartee has won him lots of fans both on the comedy circuit as well as on the airwaves. Andrew has performed stand-up on Comedy Central Live, Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live and Comedy Central at The Comedy Store and also makes regular appearances on TV3’s The Six O’Clock Show and more recently BBC One NI’s The Blame Game, as well as being a contributor on The Line Out for Virgin Media TV. He also hosts the popular Q Radio Breakfast Show as well as his hit weekly comedy podcast Cork In The North where he interviews some of the biggest names from the world of sport, comedy and entertainment in the UK and Ireland.
Every single penny from tonight’s raffle will go The Light Fund, our industrywide registered charity.
Set up 21 years ago, since its inception, The Light Fund has now raised £2.5 million and funded well over 250 charity projects helping men, women and children less fortunate than ourselves, all over the world.
6 FOR £20
Kindly donated by Cardfactory Go on your own Abba voyage with a stay in the UFO Treehotel in a Sweden’s forest, snuggle down in a cosy costal pub, live it up in a snazzy chateau or anywhere else that takes your fancy with £500 of Sawday’s vouchers. VOULEZ-VOUS
Kindly donated by Cardzone
Voulez-vous go to Paris? Well, you can. With £300 of Eurostar vouchers, you can hit the tracks and speed off to Paris, Amsterdam, Lille or Brussels.
TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE LIGHT FUND GO TO WWW.THELIGHTFUND.ORG
Kindly donated by Herbert Walkers It will be a case of Chocoquitita if you win this one. With £250 of Hotel Chocolat vouchers you can live the real chocolate dream indulging your penchant for delectable sweet delights.
THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC
Kindly donated by McDaniels Law You can book tickets for the wonderful ABBA Voyage experience, take your seat at any top theatrical production or get along to a gig or sporting event of your choice with £250 of Ticketmaster vouchers.
Kindly donated by Loxleys
We can’t guarantee that there will be Swedish meatballs or pickled herrings on the menu, but we can guarantee some gorgeous gastronomy and lavish surroundings to boot with £250 to spend at any of the lovely restaurants in The Ivy Collection.
Kindly donated by UK Envelope Centre
You can make yourself and your home smell f-abba-ulous with £250 to spend on Jo Malone scents, fragranced candles and bath & body luxurious goodies.
Kindly donated by Watermark Cards Knowing me, knowing you, this one will be popular. If you have a thirst for rosé, go a barrel over Bordeaux or Sweden’s Absolut vodka is abba-solutely your tipple, you can stock up your wine rack and cocktail cabinet with £250 of Majestic Wine vouchers.
Kindly donated by Skylight
You will feel like a Bjorn again super trouper after taking your pick from a choice of 500+ spa destinations with a £300 Spabreaks.com voucher to spend.
Kindly donated by Enveco
Add some sparkle to your jewellery collection, pep up your wardrobe or give your home a mini makeover with £250 of John Lewis vouchers to spend on whatever takes your fancy.
Kindly donated by Simon Elvin
You can fill your home with Benny Philodrendrons, plant lots of pretty Anna roses or go Fern-ando crazy with £250 of National Garden Gift vouchers to spend at any of the 1,400 garden centre locations.
Kindly donated by Carte Blanche Greetings
You can treat yourselves to Mamma Mia! theatre tickets with tipples and treats at Mr Fogg’s Gin
Parlour for two or any of the many wonderful ideas on offer from Virgin Experiences with a £250 voucher to use as you wish.
Kindly donated by Alpha Colour Printers With even more goodies than an Abba Greatest Hits LP, this Imp & Maker wicker hamper is crammed full of Italian culinary delights, including salamis, cheeses, olive oil, top quality pasta and sauces, soft amaretti biscuits and lots more.
Above: Sir Henry Cole, the namesake of The Henries caricatured as King Cole, in Vanity Fair in 1871.
Below: The logo for The Henry Cole Classic Award.
The UK greeting card industry has a lot to thank a certain Victorian philanthropist, inventor and culturist who went by the name of Henry Cole. Not only did he introduce the first ever commercially produced Christmas card – 182 years ago! – but was also a pioneer of the Penny Post (which heralded a quick and efficient postal service!) and was director of the V&A Museum which remains a source of inspiration of many of today’s greeting card creatives.
With these ‘claims to fame’ he was the ideal namesake of the greeting card industry’s product awards - The Henries.
It was back in 1843, finding himself too busy to write letters to all his acquaintances at Christmas time, that Henry Cole, commissioned his friend, John Calcott Horsley, a British narrative painter to design a card.
This significant Christmas card features a central hand-coloured image of a family party in progress, above the greeting ‘A merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You’ and is flanked by two much simpler images of the poor being tended.
A batch of 1,000 of the cards - only 5” x 3” in size and postcard format - were printed on a lithograph stone and then hand-coloured by a professional colourer.
Henry sent some of the cards to his family and friends including his personal messages of goodwill for the festive season, but the remainder of the cards he sold through a stationers shop in London’s Old Bond Street for one shilling (5p) each.
There are now only around only 10 of the original 1,000 Henry Cole cards in existencemany of the cards were destroyed by the puritans of the day – known as Muggletoniansas the image depicted children drinking wine, which was considered inappropriate to Victorian sensibilities.
Thankfully, one of the original cards is safe and not too far away! In December 2005 one of original cards (that has been sent to a Miss Tripsack, a close friend of the poetess Elizabeth Barrett-Browning) came up for auction at an obscure auction house in Devizes in Wiltshire. The auctioneer, Alan Aldridge, kept a promise that he had made to PG’s Jakki Brown that he would not publicise the card being up for auction to the American market. (A card Sir Henry had sent to his grandmother had been sold via the same auction house to a private US investor only a few years previously, for £22K).
Determined to safeguard this precious treasure of UK greeting card history and keep it within the nation, PG’s Jakki Brown was successful in her bid for this very special Christmas card.
Sir Henry’s legacy continues strongly, with hundreds of card publishers, thousands of retailers and a strong band of dedicated suppliers perpetuating the wonderful habit of buying and sending greeting cards that are reverred throughout the world.
Above: This 182 year old 5” x 3” piece of cardboard represents an important part of our cultural heritage – the world’s first commercially produced Christmas cards that was introduced by Sir Henry Cole back in 1843. This card, from the initial 1,000 batch, was sent to Miss Tripsack, a close friend of the poetess Elizabeth Barrett-Browning and is now owned by PG’s Jakki Brown.
Above: Alan Aldridge, principal auctioneer of Henry Aldridge & Sons, Devizes, with the Henry Cole card as it went under the hammer.
Left: In 2005 PG’s Jakki Brown fulfilled a dream by successfully bidding for one of the few remaining examples of the world’s first commercially produced Christmas cards.
Below: Sir Henry Cole was the director of the V&A which remains a source of inspiration for many greeting
The Henries awards are the ultimate accolades in greeting card design, attracting 2,190 entries from 274 different greeting card publishers across the 20 product categories.
Here, we explain the two-stage judging process, involving over 100 retailers, to arrive at the finalists and winners of The Henries 2025.
“Publishers’ engagement with The Henries 2025 was incredible with entries from almost 300 companies, from established
leading brands to brand new start-ups, collectively showcasing our industry’s abundant creativity,” commented Jakki Brown, managing director of Max Publishing, which owns and organises The Henries.
“The two-stage judging process meant that we had retail buyers from right across the retailing landscape casting their votes, both online and in person to arrive at this year’s finalists and winners,” she added.
As ever, The Henries were free to enter, making them accessible to all publishers. The first round of judging took place entirely online, which saw a judging panel made up of almost 100 retail buyers cast votes to arrive at a shortlist. There were 18 shortlisted ranges in the vast majority of the product categories. These shortlisted ranges as well as all of the submissions for The Lynn Tait Most Promising Young Designer or Artist category featured at a physical judging event (which was held on 30 July at London’s Business Design Centre) with a judging panel comprising over 40 retail buyers, considering the actual greeting cards and giftwrappings and casting their votes to arrive at the finalists and winners for The Henries 2025.
l Priya Aurora-Crowe, buyer/co-owner of Lark London, 24 stores
l Anne Barber, owner of In Heaven at Home, Market Harborough
l John Barratt, director of Card Centre, Felixstowe
l Georgina Black, owner of Pretty Shiny Shop, Finsbury Park and Oval
l Chris and Tracey Bryant, co-owners of The Card Shop, Portishead; Cats Whiskers, Bishops Cleeve; Expressions, Swindon and Polkadot, Keynsham
l Louise Cambridge, product category lead for greeting cards at UOE, soon to be 40 stores
l Deb and Jess Came, proprietor and manager of Paperweight, Cardiff
l Laura Clarke, buyer of Scribbler, 38 stores
l Tahnee Depraetere, assistant buyer of stationery, Christmas and home entertainment of Fortnum & Mason, five stores
l Megan Douglas, card and giftwrap buyer, Waterstones, 300+ stores
l Sophie Edwards, co-owner of More Than A Gift, Narborough Hall
l Sharon Fox, buying manager of TG Jones, 450+ stores
l Shannon Fisher, buyer of Postmark, 15 shops in London, and Glasgow
l Tim Gould, co-owner of Objectables, Folkestone
l Julie Grainger, range planning manager of Cardzone/Clintons, 275 stores
l Tori Heath-Smith, buying manager of Scribbler, 38 stores
l Mark Janson-Smith, co-founder of Postmark, 15 shops in London and Glasgow
l Sarah Laker, chief stationery geek of Stationery Supplies, Marple and Wilmslow
l Aga Marsden, owner of The Highworth Emporium, Highworth
l Sally Matson, owner of Red Card and Little Red, Petworth
l Nilou Noorbakhsh, owner of Jumping Bean, 25 stores
l Gabbie Peters, buyer of M&S, 500+ stores
l Andrea Pinder, owner of Presentation, Barrowford
l Caroline Ranwell, owner of Hugs & Kisses, Tettenhall
l Andrew Reid, manager of Card Centre, Felixstowe
l Olivia and Peter Reilly, co-owners of Little Boat Gifts, Brightlingsea
l Tim Reynolds, retail manager of Medici Gallery, Kensington
l Nicola Roberts-Eagle, buyer of Tesco, 2000+ stores
l Hazel Small, buyer of RHS, five centres
l Jo Sorrell, owner of Cardies, Stevenage
l Amy Stephenson, buyer of WHSmith Travel, 100+ stores
l Sally Swift, owner of Cards & Moor, Yelverton
l Emma and Kaye Thurgood, manager and owner of Sincerely Yours, Hornchurch and Shenfield
l Hazel Walker, buying manager of Waterstones, 300+ stores
l Nigel Williamson, partner of House of Cards, seven shops in the Home Counties
l Sally Wyles, PA of Cardzone/Clintons, 275 stores
l Ruth Young, retired buyer of Clintons
rewards the wealth of young creative talent that we have in the UK. This award was open to all designers and artists (employed by a publisher or freelance) aged 35 years or under on 6 June 2025.
director of happiness and founder of Lil Wabbit
“In 2020, I started lil wabbit at my kitchen table having inherited my grandmother’s watercolour paints and sitting down to give illustration a go for the very first time.
Since then, I have worked on my craft, painting hundreds of little characters and turning them into greeting cards and stationery for the world’s animal-lovers to buy, keep and send.
After five years of running lil wabbit, it’s become more than I ever could have hope! We’ve been able to donate £20,000 to the StreetVet charity through the sale of our cards and special events, and as of 2024, we’ve sponsored one UK bee for every card sold, helping to protect our local pollinators. I’m so pleased all this good stuff can come out of the designing and selling of cards.
I’m so happy to be nominated once again for this award, the third time in three years, as well as for the Best Occasions and Relations category for my range As Good As Gold – a tribute to my great-grandmother who was a guilder in the potteries.
Having learnt to paint just five years ago, I am thrilled to be referred to as an artist at all, let alone a promising one!”
l SAM EYTE
founder of Sam Jayne Designs
"My work is inspired by a mix of fun and feelings turning everyday emotions, little moments and mental health into colourful, doodle-filled designs that make people smile.
I've been dreaming of this happening ever since I started working as a greeting card designer at Hallmark around 12 years ago where I fell in love with illustration and surface pattern design. After working at Hallmark for around six years, I started my own business to create cards and products that felt more personal, honest, and uplifting. I began drawing as a way to manage my anxiety, and soon realised that my illustrations were helping others feel seen and supported too. That’s what inspired me to build a brand focused on mental health and spreading a little joy!
Over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing my illustrations land in the hands of thousands, stocked by retailers including Tesco, Paperchase and Next. Whether it's mugs, stationery or greeting cards, I’ve brought my doodles and quotes to life across bestselling ranges, my coaster cards were shortlisted in the Gift of the Year awards and I have just signed a licensing deal with Widdop!"
in alphabetical order
l GEORGI DOIG of Lil Wabbit
l SAM EYTE of Sam Jayne Designs
l CHARLOTTE FREW BROWN of Studio Frewb
l EMILY LESTER of Hotchpotch London
l EMILY NASH of Emily Nash Illustration
l EMILY NEEDHAM of Woodmansterne Publications
l ASHLEY ROWE of Paper Salad
l KATIE TOWNSEND of Arrow Gift Co.
founder of Studio Frewb
“I was recently clearing out the loft and found a huge box full of old card-making supplies - think early 2000s stamp blocks, handmade papers and infinite amounts of 3D flowers and stickers - along with my first ever ‘range’ of cards from the summer of 2008. Most 12 year olds spend the summer holidays shopping in town and trying to talk to boys. Not me... I was permanently sat at the kitchen table making cards and circling all the shiny new supplies I dreamt of in the Hobbycraft catalogue.
Fast forward to today and here I am, a full time card publisher and professional artist. I love nothing more than making people smile, and so I now create cards that are not only colourful, vibrant and visually striking, but also packed full of humour and silliness, and express love boldly.
It’s truly an honour to get to create memorable artwork for people.”
l EMILY LESTER
designer at Hotchpotch London
“Hello, I’m Emily a designer at Hotchpotch London. My creative journey started out over ten years ago designing kids partyware - a super fun and creative place to kick off my career - it’s definitely shaped the playful style I’ve developed over the years. I am most comfortable with a paint brush in hand (probably a coffee in the other) and an array of gouache paints - my favourite medium to work in. I like to draw inspiration from fashion trends and love colour and paper engineering so as you can imagine working with Hotchpotch London for the last two years has been a dream!”
founder of Emily Nash Illustration
in-house designer of Paper Salad
"I create bright and colourful collaged imagery, which is then transformed into high quality, sustainable greeting cards, notebooks and art prints.
I have steadily grown my collection over the past few years. There are now over 350 products in the range and I’m proud to be working with a fast-growing list of wonderful retailers and distributors around the world. Each product is designed by myself in my studio in Bristol, before being printed here in the UK on eco-friendly stock.
I started my artistic career as an editorial illustrator and while I contributed towards a wide variety of publications, the lifestyle, food and culture pieces were my favourites as they allowed me to be more playful. This led me to designing greeting cards and I soon realised how much fun it could be to illustrate with the sole purpose of spreading joy. In 2019 I decided to ‘go it alone’ and launched my own business.
2025 has been a wonderful year so far. I have been working with my fulfilment partners for around a year, which has really freed me up to focus on creating new designs and expand the business.”
in-house designer for Woodmansterne Publications
“From as young as I can remember I’ve had a passion for painting and creating. My inspiration comes from the natural world and having grown up on a farm I often aspire to recreate the feeling of being surrounded by nature in my work.
Studying textile design at university let me explore different creative techniques and continued to develop my love of painting and textures. After graduating I started an Etsy shop then, after a short spell locked away with a paintbrush and sewing machine during Covid, I joined Woodmansterne Publications.
Moving away from the farm and down to London to start my life as a designer, I’ve had many opportunities with Woodmansterne; working on projects ranging from John Lewis own-brand, designing menus for the Greenfingers charity and exploring intricate 3D cards.
My passion for design means I am always creating cards and artwork for my friends and family; this year has seen commissions for wedding invitations, Christmas decorations and curtain adjustments!
I feel privileged to pursue my passion for a living, and I hope you enjoy my work as much as I enjoy creating it.”
“I have always been a creative individual since a young age, making anything and everything I could think off, such as creating my own bird costume to handmade birthday cards for the whole family. This followed me through the years, evolving into a new-found love for all things print and pattern.
My time at Leeds Arts University studying Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design got my creativity flowing, finding inspiration from the weird and wonderful, and experimenting with different print techniques such as screen print, dyes, and foils.
Life after university has come full circle, from my first design role for greeting cards, to interior fabrics, to silk accessories, now back in to greeting cards at Paper Salad! Paper Salad matches my love for bold bright colours in designs, as well as mixing both hand-painted styles and digital creations. Working with different products and finishes allows me to try new and exciting ideas and push boundaries to bring new initiatives to the table. I love that we are bold, bright, and out there, making our designs really stand out from the crowd and bringing a smile to everyone who receives them!”
illustrator, designer and founder of Arrow Gift Co.
“I started designing cards on a cheap drawing tablet with no training - just a bunch of ideas and a slightly daft sense of humour I hoped others might relate to!
My designs are inspired by a mix of everyday humour and genuine care. I make the kinds of cards people wish existed - ones that capture the silly inside jokes, awkward phrasing or tiny moments worth celebrating. Sometimes it’s about making someone laugh and sometimes it’s just to let them know they matter. I love the thought of someone getting a little ‘thank you’ card through the letterbox telling them how appreciated they are instead of a quick ‘thanks!’ via text.
With no formal design background, I’ve often felt like a misfit in an industry full of people who followed the ‘right’ path.
Reaching the finals for this award genuinely means a lot - it’s proof to me that there’s no one way into a creative career.”
CATEGORY SPONSOR
All greeting card ranges (humorous and nonhumorous) that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025 that reflect diversity and inclusivity. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l CULTURAL
l CULTURE & PRIDE
l LGBTQ + ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION
l SWIM WILD & FREE
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l CULTURAL from Rainee Collections
l CULTURE & PRIDE from AfroTouch Design
l LGBTQ+ ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION from The London Studio
l LUCY LOVES PAPERx ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION from The London Studio
l MAGGIE’S from Hallmark Cards
l SWIM WILD & FREE from Lydia. London
l VIBES & WISHES from AfroTouch Design
l YOU GO GIRL from Paper Rose
l LUCY LOVES PAPER X ARTISTS COLLECTIVE COLLECTION
l MAGGIE’S
l VIBES & WISHES
l YOU GO GIRL
Herbert Walkers is a family-owned print specialist based in West Yorkshire, with over 80 years of experience.
We combine traditional craftsmanship with modern technology to create high-quality, distinctive greetings cards.
ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l BETIOBCA
l HEARD THEY’RE ABSURD
l BABBLE
in alphabetical order
l ARK LIFE from Pigment
l BABBLE from Rosie Made A Thing
l BETIOBCA from Cath Tate Cards
l FIFTY SHADES OF GREEN from Paperlink
l GONE TAGGING from Objectables Publishing
l HEARD THEY'RE ABSURD from Bewilderbeest
l HOLY FLAPS from Redback Cards
l IS IT FRIDAY YET? from Emotional Rescue
l ARK LIFE IS IT FRIDAY YET?
CATEGORY SPONSOR
l FIFTY SHADES OF GREEN
l GONE TAGGING
l HOLY FLAPS
l MINECRAFT
l PETER RABBIT
l STITCH
All greeting card ranges that are published under licence (based on entertainment properties or character brands) that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l MINECRAFT from Danilo Promotions
l PEPPA PIG PARTY from Tache Crafts
l PETER RABBIT from Hallmark Cards
l PEPPA PIG PARTY
l QUENTIN BLAKE from Woodmansterne Publications
l SNOOPY from Hype Associates
l STITCH from UK Greetings
l WICKED from Danilo Promotions
l THE WORLD OF PETER RABBIT from Toasted Crumpet
l SNOOPY
l QUENTIN BLAKE
l WICKED
All greeting card ranges that are published under licence based on heritage, lifestyle, art of design properties that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l BATTERSEA CATS & DOGS
l HOUSE OF TURNOWSKY
l NATIONAL TRUST HARMONY
l EMMA BRIDGEWATER
in alphabetical order
l BATTERSEA CATS & DOGS from Cardology
l EMMA BRIDGEWATER from Woodmansterne Publications
l HOUSE OF TURNOWSKY from Paper Rose
l LAURENCE LLEWELYN-BOWEN from The Great British Card Company
l MARY KATRANTZOU from Museums & Galleries
l NATIONAL TRUST HARMONY from Woodmansterne Publications
l ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS from ArtPress Publishing
l V& A from Ohh Deer
l LAURENCE LLEWELYNBOWEN
CATEGORY SPONSOR
l ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS
l MARY KATRANTZOU
l V&A
All single Christmas card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l CRANBERRY SQUARES CHRISTMAS
l STORYBOOK
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l BIJOU CHRISTMAS from Louise Mulgrew
l CHRISTMAS BAUBLES from Stormy Knight
l CRANBERRY SQUARES from Cinnamon Aitch
l QUICKSILVER CHRISTMAS from Wendy Jones-Blackett
l RIBBON CANDY from Five Dollar Shake
l STORYBOOK CHRISTMAS from The Art File
l TWINKLE from Rush Design
l WONKY TREE from Poet and Painter
l QUICKSILVER CHRISTMAS
l TWINKLE
l RIBBON CANDY
have been launched to UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. These can be branded, own brand or charity products.
l ALWAYS BELIEVE
BUMPER BOXES
l CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES
l LUXURY BOXES
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l ALWAYS BELIEVE from Five Dollar Shake
l BUMPER BOXES from Abacus Cards
l CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES from The Art File
l CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES from Paperlink
l FESTIVE PACKS from Stop The Clock Design
l LUXURY BOXES from Ling Design
l LUXURY OPEN WINDOW CHRISTMAS BOX from The Great British Card Company
l ROYAL ACADEMY CHRISTMAS WALLETS from ArtPress Publishing
l CHRISTMAS LUXURY BOXES
Open to: All cute greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs which have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l BABY BIRD
l IAIN WELCH
l PARTY PANTS
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l BABY BIRD from Lucilla Lavender
l BIJOU from Louise Mulgrew IAIN WELCH from Woodmansterne Publications MESSY MEADOW from Little Roglets MORRIS AND MAUDE from Paper Shed Design PARTY PANTS from Stop The Clock Design PRETTY LILLY from Marina B PURRFECTLY YAPPY from Ginger Betty
l MESSY MEADOW
l MORRIS AND MAUDE
l PURRFECTLY YAPPY
Open to: All contemporary ‘words and sentiments’ greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l FLORI
l HEALING HUGS
l QUOTISH
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l FLORI from Paper Salad
l GRAFFIK from Stoats & Weasels
l HEALING HUGS from Raspberry Blossom
l LOVE, AFFIRM & ADORE from Sanders De Roeper
l POPCORN from Wendy Jones-Blackett
l QUOTISH from Brainbox Candy
l SUPER FAB SENTIMENTS from Earlybird Designs
l WORDS OF WISDOM from Dandelion Stationery
l LOVE, AFFIRM & ADORE
l SUPER FAB SENTIMENTS
l POPCORN
l WORDS OF WISDOM
Open to: All traditional ‘words and sentiments’ greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l AMUSLINGS
l FLOURISH
l HELLO DUCKY
CATEGORY SPONSOR
l BLOOMING LOVELY
in alphabetical order
l AMUSLINGS from UK Greetings
l BLOOMING LOVELY from Carte Blanche Greetings
l FLOURISH from Words ’N’ Wishes
l FOX UNDER THE MOON from The Art File
l HAND TO HEART from Hallmark Cards
l HELLO DUCKY from Emotional Rescue
l MOST ESPECIALLY FOR YOU from International Cards & Gifts
l WORD FOR WORD from The Great British Card Company
l HAND TO HEART
l FOX UNDER THE MOON
l MOST ESPECIALLY FOR YOU
l WORD FOR WORD
Open to: All art (fine art, contemporary and illustrative, but not photographic) greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
in alphabetical order
l ART & HOBBIES
from Design Smith
l BIJOU from Louise Mulgrew
l BLOCK PRINT CARDS from Paper Mirchi
l FLORINI from Rosanna Rossi
l JENNY FREAN BRUSH WITH NATURE from ArtPress Publishing
l THE NATURAL WORLD from Ohh Deer
l POWDER BLOOM from Claire Louise
l WONDER WORLD from Lola Design
l THE NATURAL WORLD
CATEGORY SPONSOR
l POWDER BLOOM
l JENNY FREAN BRUSH WITH NATURE
l WONDER WORLD
l THE BIGGER PICTURE
l HAPPY HOUR
CATEGORY SPONSOR
All photographic greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l DAVID GILLIVER’S IT’S A SMALL WORLD
in alphabetical order
l THE BIGGER PICTURE from The Art File
l DAVID GILLIVER’S IT’S A SMALL WORLD from Woodmansterne Publications
l HAPPY HOUR from Lola Design
l LONDON CARDS SERIES TWO from Eliot Siegel & The British Art Gallery
l NATURE TALES from Abacus Cards
l RSPCA from Noel Tatt
l SAY CHEESE from Ohh Deer
l THE SCOTT MORRISH COLLECTION from The Eco-friendly Card Co
l LONDON CARDS SERIES TWO
l NATURE TALES
l THE SCOTT MORRISH COLLECTION
that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l AWW! SO CUTE
l CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY CARDS
l LITTLE JOYS
l SMILIES
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l AWW! SO CUTE from Alljoy Design
l CHILDREN’S BIRTHDAY CARDS from Pear Tree Press
l LITTLE JOYS from Raspberry Blossom
l NEAPOLITAN from Little Roglets
l POPSICLE from Paperlink
l SMILIES from Stop The Clock Design
l SUNSHINE from Paper Salad
l TAKING SHAPE KIDS from Heyyy Cards
l NEAPOLITAN
l POPSICLE
l TAKING SHAPE KIDS
All greeting card ranges which demonstrate a current trend, be it in subject matter, terminology or production technique, that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l BIG TYPE
DOOZIE &
l LOST PLOTS DIE-CUT
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l BIG TYPE from LoveLossDiscoballs
l BOLD & ICONIC from Running With Scissors
l DOOZIE from Poet and Painter
l INKBERRY BY STEPHANIE DYMENT from Woodmansterne Publications
l JAMBOREE from Paper Salad
l LOST PLOTS DIE-CUT from Cath Tate Cards
l PALERMO PICNIC from Jessie Maeve Studio
l WAKE UP! from Stop The Clock Design
l INKBERRY BY STEPHANIE DYMENT
l JAMBOREE
Tel: +44 (0)7734 111633
www.progressivegreetingslive.com
Open to: All greeting card ranges which are either completely handmade or include 3D or hand-finished elements, that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l ALICE’S GARDEN
l EMILY SUTTON SHOPS
l FORM
l PICTURE THIS
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l ALICE’S GARDEN from Cinnamon Aitch
l EMILY SUTTON SHOPS from Art Angels Publishing
l FORM from The Art File
l LICENSED PAPER WONDER from Hallmark Cards
l MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE from Alljoy Design
l PICTURE THIS from Ohh Deer
l RIBBONS & ROSES from Five Dollar Shake
l TURNING PAGES from KDee Designs
l LICENSED PAPER WONDER
l RIBBONS & ROSES
l MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
l TURNING PAGES
l ATTIRELY GOOD
l COBALT EXTREME
l JOURNEY
CATEGORY SPONSOR
l BARBEQUE CHEERS
Open to: All non-humorous greeting card ranges aimed at male recipients that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
in alphabetical order
l HATS OFF
l ATTIRELY GOOD from Grace Jackson Design
l BARBEQUE CHEERS from Ricicle Cards
l COBALT EXTREME from Cinnamon Aitch
l HATS OFF from Heather Trefusis Art
l HUZZAH from The Art File
l JOURNEY from Rosanna Rossi
l TAKING SHAPE from Heyyy Cards
l TIMELESS from Rush Design
l TAKING SHAPE
l HUZZAH
l TIMELESS
l HUNKY DORY
l RISE & SHINE
CATEGORY SPONSOR
All relations and/or occasions greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l FLORINI
in alphabetical order
l AS GOOD AS GOLD from Lil Wabbit
l FLORINI from Rosanna Rossi
l HUNKY DORY from Paper Salad
l MODEL FAMILY CAPTIONS from Emotional Rescue
l RIBBONS & ROSES from Five Dollar Shake
l RISE & SHINE from Wendy Jones-Blackett
l TURNING PAGES from KDee Designs
l WISHES & DREAMS from Rush Design
l MODEL FAMILY CAPTIONS
l RIBBONS & ROSES
l WISHES & DREAMS
All Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter and Father’s Day greeting card ranges that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025 could be entered. Entries could be event-specific or cover a number of the Spring Season events.
l GOOGLY DADS
l MINE’S A PINT FATHER’S DAY
l HUNKY DORY
l SPRING
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l GOOGLY DADS from Cinnamon Aitch
l HUNKY DORY from Paper Salad
l MINE’S A PINT FATHER’S DAY from Emotional Rescue
l MOON & BACK from Stop The Clock Design
l RIBBONS & ROSES MOTHER’S DAY from Five Dollar Shake
l SPRING from Roger La Borde
l SPRING SEASONS from The Art File
l SPRING SEASONS from Sister Paper Co
l RIBBONS & ROSES MOTHER’S DAY
l MOON & BACK
l SPRING SEASONS (THE ART FILE)
l SPRING SEASONS (ROGER LA BORDE)
distributor/cash & carry channel that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l CLASSICS
l HANDMADE
l EVERYDAY IN-STOCK RANGE
l ISABEL’S GARDEN
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l CLASSICS from Sensations International
l EVERYDAY IN-STOCK RANGE from Out Of The Blue Studios
l HANDMADE from Tiger Feet
l HIP TO BE SQUARE from Tiger Feet
l ICONS from Kingfisher Cards
l ISABEL’S GARDEN from Simon Elvin
l MONOCHROME RELATIONS from Kingfisher Cards
l THE STUDIO COLLECTION from Simon Elvin
l ICONS
l HIP TO BE SQUARE
l MONOCHROME RELATIONS
l THE STUDIO COLLECTION
Where the outdoors finds its place inside. Autumn Fair and Glee come together for 2 days on 8th & 9th September 2026
All giftwrapping ranges (either ranges of sheet wrap or collections of co-ordinated wrappings such as boxes, bags, ribbons etc) that have been launched into UK retail (bricks and mortar and/or online) between 7 June 2024 and 6 June 2025. In the case of an ongoing range, only designs that have been launched during the aforementioned dates should be entered.
l THE BOTANIST CLASSIC BLOOM COLLECTION
l KATE MCFARLANE
l STEPHANIE DYMENT EVERYDAY
CATEGORY SPONSOR
l HANDCRAFTED ARTISAN COLLECTION
in alphabetical order
l THE BOTANIST CLASSIC BLOOM COLLECTION from Penny Kennedy
l HANDCRAFTED ARTISAN COLLECTION from Paper Mirchi
l KATE MC FARLANE from Glick Gift Packaging
l PAPER SALAD EVERYDAY from Glick Gift Packaging
l STEPHANIE DAVIES CHRISTMAS from Glick Gift Packaging
l STEPHANIE DYMENT EVERYDAY from Glick Gift Packaging
l TO BE FRANK! from Mint
l WILDLIFE BOTANICAL from Deva Designs
l PAPER SALAD EVERYDAY
l TO BE FRANK!
l STEPHANIE DAVIES CHRISTMAS
l WILDLIFE BOTANICAL
Open to: This award is for ranges that have stood the test of time having been published continuously for at least eight years. All winners of this award enter The Henry Cole Hall of Fame. The 2025 winner will join previous winners, which are Bestie from Paperlink, The Bright Side from Really Good, Camilla & Rose from Peartree Heybridge, The Country Set from Wrendale Design, Eric the Penguin from GBCC, Forever Friends from Hallmark, Giggles from UKG, Ink Press from The Art File, Me to You from CBG, Medici Cards Blue Label from GBCC, On the Ceiling from Emotional Rescue, Photo Captions from Cath Tate Cards, Pizazz from Nigel Quiney, Pop-Ups from Second Nature, Quentin Blake from Woodmansterne Publications, Quicksilver from Wendy Jones-Blackett, Rainbow from Ling Design, and Virtual Safari from Emotional Rescue.
from Pigment
Launched: 2013
“Since its launch in 2013, Pigment’s Alice Scott range has become a favourite with retailers and consumers alike. Created by celebrated designer Heather Flynn, the brand set out to break with convention, blending the dry wit traditionally found in the humour aisle, with casual, contemporary sentiment not often represented in trend, all under an elegant, minimal aesthetic. Creating a voice that could span all life’s moments, helping consumers say just what they want to say, with an honest and relatable tone, has proven a winning approach, driving the brand’s continued success and influencing the broader trend category as a whole. Launched under the banner of ‘Sometimes Silly, Sometimes Serious, Always Beautiful’, this remains a neat summary that captures the brand intentionone that continues to resonate 12 years on.
Alice Scott has an instantly recognisable aesthetic and has enjoyed an enduring commercial success. Year after year, it remains a top-performing range – evolving subtly with design refreshes while keeping true to its original character and values.”
There are 46 designs and the cards have an RRP of £3.25
from Molly Mae
Launched: 2015
“The launch of Carried on the Breeze (CB) put Molly Mae on the map! In 2015 at Spring Fair we launched just 12 titles, they didn’t even have pride of place on a wall display board, just propped up on an easel at the edge of the stand, but they caught the eye of the buyers. We had a phenomenal show and every order started with a CB. CB03, a beautifully simple sympathy card quickly became our best seller and still is! We’ve
in alphabetical order
l ALICE SCOTT from Pigment
l CARRIED ON THE BREEZE from Molly Mae
l FABULOUS Dean Morris Cards
l GIN & FROLICS from Rosie Made A Thing
l NORBERT & VAL from Emotional Rescue
l PAPER SHAKIES from James Ellis
l SWING CARDS from Santoro
l WORDS OF WISDOM from Dandelion Stationery
not changed it, but we’ve lost count of how many times it’s been reprinted.”
There are 245 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.50.
from Dean Morris Cards
Launched: 2006
“Fabulous was launched in the Spring of 2006 and rapidly became the signature range of Dean Morris Cards and also a blueprint for the classic Dean Morris Cards’ look. There have been almost 600 designs in total since its launch 19 years ago. I continually refresh the collection, taking out old designs and bringing in fresh newness several times a year. We’re currently sitting at around 160 designs available and (partly out of sentiment, tradition and because I still like its message) the very first design “F*** off back to economy” is still available. It was also featured in the Noughties (no, not the naughty) section of the GCA centenary celebration!
Its look has evolved over the years to change with the times, but the essential design of a bold retro image and a short snappy message has always stayed the same. The range is known for being rude, but the reality is that most of the designs are perfectly clean and innocent.
I’m very proud of the longevity and popularity of Fabulous, a range that has grown with me over the last 19 years and I’m loving every irreverent minute of it.”
There are 160 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.50-£3.00.
CATEGORY SPONSOR
from Rosie Made A Thing
Launched: 2015
“Gin & Frolics range won its first Henries award (for Best Humorous Card Range) in 2016.
Since then, the range has won a total of eight Henries (four of which were for Best Humorous Range) and it’s still going strong today.
Over the years, we’ve added new characters and lots more silliness, but the naïve style of illustration remains (and I still can’t draw noses).
The humour is relatable and moves with times.”
There are 153 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.95.
from Emotional Rescue
Launched: 1995
“Norbert has been around since 1995, making it 30 years old! Starting as a 'nerd for the 90s', Norbert was then young and naive, these days Norbert is with Val and they have a family who are also a little naive and are a great vehicle for plenty of age-related and family-related jokes.
Unfortunately, we may soon be at the end of the road with Norbert as his creator, Mike, is unfortunately suffering from Alzheimer's and is no longer able to draw for us. So, we wanted to submit this range for a Henry Cole Classic award as a testament to the lifelong career his creator has dedicated to the greeting card industry.”
There have been over 2,500 everyday designs and over 1,200 seasonal in the range and the cards have RRPs of £1.75£2.75.
from James Ellis
Launched: 2005
“The Paper Shakies range is unique. The coloured confetti encapsulated within the cards means you can shake them around, adding a fun, tactile dimension. There are bright, colourful borders, striking illustrations and designs with a beautiful handmade finish. All cards are plastic-free and 100% recyclable.
Shakies first came about just over 20 years ago, when we experimented adding loose glitter and sequins to a cellophane inner bag that was then placed on top of an illustration and then concealed by a border. These proved very popular and the range continued to grow with great success.
We were extremely excited in 2019 to introduce our first 100% recyclable range of Shakies cards we called ‘Paper Shakies’. Through extensive thought and research, we swapped the cellophane, glitter and sequins to produce a more environmentally-friendly range using translucent paper, card and paper confetti, all of which are completely recyclable, biodegradable and plastic-free.
We are incredibly lucky that our lovely customers have stuck with us on our Shakies journey and embraced the changes we have made. Our Paper Shakies cards are as popular as ever and we hope this success continues!”
There are 111 designs in the range (including birthdays, occasions, relations, adult and children's ages) and the cards have an RRP £3.50.
“Celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year as true innovation in paper engineering that has stood the test of time, Santoro’s Swing Cards have broken boundaries and continue to remain a beloved industry favourite among both customers and retailers. What began as a passion project in a small studio three decades ago has grown into a globally celebrated range, selling over 20 million units and winning multiple prestigious awards for its innovation and creativity. In a world of throwaway greetings, Swing Cards stand out as timeless keepsakes. The range's designs are always evolving with changing tastes while still maintaining their signature engineering, precision, and charm. With a commitment to sustainability, the range is also designed and produced in the UK using sustainable production practices, and features plastic-free packaging!”
There are over 60 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £7.49.
from Dandelion Stationery
Launched: 2014
“Heartfelt words and sentiments with the occasional splash of humour, hand-finished with subtle sparkle, the Words of Wisdom range was created in 2014 and started with just 12 birthday cards. Over the years it has grown to encompass over 400 designs, covering pretty much every occasion and relation. The collection evolves every year with some designs being retired and new ones being brought in to capture current trends. It remains our best-selling collection 11 years later.”
There are over 400 designs in the range and the cards have an RRP of £2.95.
Open to: This award recognises the pivotal role publishers play in providing a good service to independent retailers. The finalists in this category were arrived at as a result of an exhaustive poll, involving 1,750 independent greeting card retail stockists, who were each asked to nominate their top three card suppliers on the service front over the last year. These responses were then correlated, awarding three points to all first choices, two points to those mentioned as second choices and one point for all third choices. These points were then totalled to arrive as the 12 finalists. There are three awards in this category – a Bronze, Silver and ultimate Gold, that will be presented to the top three scoring suppliers in the retailer poll.
CATEGORY SPONSOR
in alphabetical order
l ABACUS CARDS
l THE ART FILE
l DANDELION STATIONERY
l INTERNATIONAL CARDS & GIFTS ( IC&G )
l JONNY JAVELIN
l NOEL TATT
l OHH DEER
l PAPERLINK
l PIGMENT
l UK GREETINGS ( UKG )
l WOODMANSTERNE
l WORDS ‘N’ WISHES
very special accolade that is awarded to an individual in recognition of the contribution they have made to the UK greeting card industry. Nominations are sought for this award and no finalists are announced. Nominees can come from any aspect of the industry, including retailers, publishers, designers or suppliers.
Some of the previous winners of this award are…
2024 - Miles Robinson and Nigel Williamson, co-owners of House of Cards.
2023 - David Greaves, co-owner of Emotional Rescue.
2022 - Alan Harnik, founder of Notes & Queries.
2021 - Paul Taylor, managing director of Cardzone.
2020- Cath Tate, founder of Cath Tate Cards.
2019 - Simon Elvin, co-founder of Simon Elvin, who received a special GCA Outstanding Contribution award.
2018 - Ged Mace, managing director of The Art File.
2017 - Rod Schragger and Trevor Schragger, coowners of Second Nature.
2016 - Gary Rowley, former ceo of UK Greetings
2015 - John and Jennie Procter, co-founders of Scribbler.
2014 - Louise Tighe, founder of Paperlink.
2013 - Beth Genower and Matt Genower, co-founders of Five Dollar Shake.
2012 - Lynn Tait, former owner of The Lynn Tait Gallery and founder of The Ladder Club - sadly now deceased.
2011 - Giles Andreae, creator of Purple Ronnie, Edward Monkton and co-creator of Happy Jackson.
2010 - Timothy Melgund, former chief executive of Paperchase.
2009- Keith Auty, former marketing director of UK Greetings.
2008- Mike Bugler, former managing director of Clinton Cards.
- Dennis Podmore, former chairman of Windlessadly now deceased.
CATEGORY SPONSOR
2007- Debbie Lewin and Clinton Lewin, former directors of Clinton Cards.
2006- Chris Dyson, former joint managing director of Cardgains buying group.
2005- Duncan Spence, business angel with an investment in Carte Blanche Greetings and Moonpig.
- Stephen Haines, founder of Carte Blanche Greetings.
2004- Peter Reichwald, founder of The Great British Card Company.
2003- John Charlton, former chief executive of UKG and senior vice president of American Greetings.
- Stuart Mackay, former managing director of UKG and Birthdays, former chairman of Paper Rose and former director of Simon Elvin.
2002- William McCracken, a former GCA special advisor, former managing director of Ling Design and founder of one of the four first specialist card chains.
- Paul Woodmansterne, chairman of Woodmansterne Publications .
2001 - Simon Elvin, co-founder of Simon Elvin
2000- Andrew Brownsword, founder of Andrew Brownsword Collection and former owner of Gordon Fraser.
1999 - John Condon and George Pomphret, former directors of Clinton Cards.
1998 - Don Lewin OBE, founder and former chairman of Clinton Cards – now sadly deceased.
1997 - David Hicks, founder of Really Good and Soul – now sadly deceased.
1996 - Stewart Stott, former owner of Nigel Quiney Publications, awarded posthumously.
