With its prime location at Westpoint in Exeter, Giving & Living is renowned for being the leading show in the UK for coastal gifts and souvenirs, unique on the exhibition circuit for its dedicated Coastal Path. This makes it an essential show for retail and hospitality businesses that are located close to tourist hotspots and want to fully tap into the tourist trade in those areas.
Whether it’s puffin art prints or seascape greetings cards, seashell jewellery, driftwood sculptures or souvenirs, the Coastal Path at Giving & Living will reveal a treasure trove of brands and products, many of which are unique to the show, due to run from Sunday 12th -Tuesday 14th January.
Of course, the wider show is as varied as the beautiful British landscape and our incredible towns and cities. Whilst the Coastal Path is a major theme of Giving & Living, complementing this unique product trail is a strong countryside focus which taps into the show’s audience of garden centres, farm shops, heritage centres and other rural tourist destinations. Cathedral towns, city museums and souvenir shops are also well served by the versatile and eclectic mix of exhibitors who understand local markets and different consumer demographics.
Exemplifying the ethos of the show is local designer-maker, Hannah Wisdom Textiles, a Plymouth-based artist who uses rescued fabrics sewn onto historic admiralty charts. Hannah also creates beautiful, original artwork, which features on greetings cards, gifts, soft furnishings and other homeware. A coastal dweller through and through, Hannah works from a gallery and studio located in the old seaplane hangars at Mount Batten. Visitors are sure to fall in love with her charming collection of work.
Also running alongside the inspirational Coastal Path is a strong sector of exhibitors whose products are ‘Designed & made in Britain’, including both representatives of the exceptional Cornish craft scene and others from further afield.Sustainability Stars – a new feature for Giving & Living in 2025 – also figure highly in the exhibitor portfolio, with eco-friendly and organic production techniques bringing a breath of fresh air to the event. Look out for these signs as you walk around the show!
Mike Anderson, our MD, says: “Our unique location close to the beautiful coast at Exmouth means the Coastal Path at Giving & Living is one of our most crucial show sectors. This special focus attracts an eclectic mix of buyers, with many visitors from the hospitality trade attending the show alongside our vital independent retail audience.
We also want to show people that the coast in general, and particularly in the South West, is about more than just beach life. It also taps into a wide range of outdoor and indoor activities, from hiking and bird-spotting to surfing and cycling. It also offers countless heritage opportunities, visits to stately homes, museums and castles, show gardens and historic piers. This is especially true during seasons when the weather is less than ideal, which we’re well used to in Britain!”
With so many exhibitors who are exclusive to Giving & Living, it isn’t just buyers based in the South West who can benefit from paying a visit to this very special show. The Celtic heartlands of Wales and tourist hotspots all along the south coast of England will also find plenty to love, whilst visitors from further afield can look forward to discovering brands and products that they won’t find at any other show. If you’ve never been to Giving & Living before, 2025 might be the year you realise what you’ve been missing!
Attendance is free for trade buyers, and you can register here. If you’re interested in exhibiting, you can find out more by calling 01934 733433, emailing [email protected] or visiting the website at givingliving.co.uk.
To follow the Coastal Path, look out for this sign as you walk around the show.
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