It’s that time of year again – everyone’s back from their holidays, and all eyes in the office are firmly focused on Giving & Living 2024! If you’re not familiar with the show, we thought we’d show it to you through a fresh pair of eyes. This year our digital marketing apprentice Joe attended the show for the first time, so we asked him what he thought…over to him!
Introduce us to Giving & Living!
The Giving & Living trade show is unique to the South West, bringing suppliers together who are proud of the products they design, produce, import, and supply. Exhibitors have three whole days dedicated to showcasing their gift, coast, and home products to local visitors and those who have travelled hundreds of miles to visit the show, and those visitors can discover new products and ideas. It’s also great starting position for anyone thinking about starting their own business or wants to see what’s happening in the market right now.
Of course, it’s a serious day out, for everyone involved, but it’s also been made to be an enjoyable day out and one you can look forward to. It’s definitely one for the diary for anyone in the industry, that’s for sure.
What was it like preparing for your first trade show?
As a first-year apprentice with the organisers at Hale Events, I was surprised by the high level of planning that is done to create and run this show. Upon my first visit I was impressed by the sheer scale of the place and how much effort and preparation that exhibitors put into the buildup of the event.
Walking through the empty halls, soon to be filled with people, I recognised well-known businesses such as TY and their cuddly toys, as well as British Fossils who are known for their colourful range of rocks, and minerals. It became clear to see that each exhibitor’s stand had been set up super well, and these businesses really do take their time investing in the setup of their stands, before the doors open to the public.
I was a part of the team responsible for setting up the Coastal Product Revealed area, the place where selected products from the Coastal Path are showcased. I put together the white shelves for items to sit on and tagged them with the company names and stand numbers. It seemed like everyone had a specific job during buildup and they did it well.
What’s the show like?
The show’s opening day was fantastic. Witnessing everything come together was even more rewarding since I’d played a part in it. The halls were buzzing with trading. My main role at the show is to ensure everyone stays well-informed and up to date with what’s happening at the event, posting live updates across our social media platform pages, like Facebook, Instagram, and X.
I walked the hall regularly during the event, discovering new products that exhibitors were presenting, and posting about their cool and interesting displays. I even posted updates about the live artists presenting their work. One of my favourite parts about my apprenticeship is getting to chat with the exhibitors and having the chance to glance at their new ranges of products, it’s like a glimpse into the future!
Exploring the world of gift and coast
I got to meet some cool people, and we had some great conversations about their products. It opened my eyes a lot to all the unique and creative minds in the South West, and I got a sense of understanding how businesses operate at trade shows. Businesses can network with potential customers and strengthen existing relationships and even have the opportunity to launch new products.
The owner of Time and Tide Aerial, who is a landscape drone photographer, has turned her hobby into a thriving business. What stood out to me was how she’s transformed her passion into a success story. That takes determination.
Another exhibitor, Bennett Gifts had crafted normal mugs to represent coastal animals. I thought a mug was a mug, but I was wrong, this mug had a handle crafted to replicate a crab arm! I thought it was just genius! A question for any seaside lover out there; how cool would it be to drink your morning coffee with that? Not only does it represent sea life, but it showed how creative some of the minds who exhibit at the show are. The Giving & Living experience isn’t one you forget!
Trends and innovation
If you’re in the South West and looking for coastal products or just seeking the latest gifts and trends, this is the place to be. I don’t think you can find this focus anywhere else, especially not all under one roof. The great thing about Giving & Living is that there are fresh and exciting products every year, making the event one not to miss.
Challenges and learning
One tough thing was how fast the days flew by. It was quite a challenge making sure the live show updates were staggered but being posted at the right time and providing our audience with up-to-date information. I learned to think quickly on my feet as the show is a busy environment, and visitors and exhibitors can need assistance, at any time, with anything!
I also got a great firsthand insight into how businesses set up their booths and attract customers, I met many people in the gift industry, and improved my social media skills for keeping the show’s audience in the loop.
If you’re reading this, I do recommend checking out the show, it’s a fun day out and there are always new things to discover there. You’d be surprised how many creative minds are in the South West, that’s for sure!
What are the team like?
Hale Events are a great team of organisers, they love working together, not only with the team but with the exhibitors too! Having years of experience, they know what they’re doing, and have created and maintained long-standing relationships with clients, as well as being really good at looking after new clients, so the show felt really friendly.
Working as part of the team at Hale Events I’ve had a great insight into the behind-the-scenes of planning and executing a successful event, all from one office. I’m looking forward to seeing the event second time around and having a chance to see all the latest ranges of products again!
And there you have it – a new view of Giving & Living for you! Take a look around the website for more details if you’d like, or why not just register to attend now? Now you’ve ‘met’ Joe, say hi if you see him at the show in January!
sarah DUMONT says
WE look forward to welcoming you back to Westpoint!