About Our Billington Bears
Our bears are all handmade by us Barbara and Clare from the finest mohair materials. Each bear is a one only edition and is fully jointed. Unlike many other bears each one of our bears has Unique qualities. We don't charge huge prices unlike many other's as we believe that everyone should be able to afford to collect bears.
e-mail clare.harris10@ntlworld.com
About how we Started the Business
I started making bears at the age of 16,this was the year when I was attacked at school with a lazar
pen, this left me to see double and walk with a white stick.To peoples amazement my eyes look fine.
It was my mum "Barbara" who taught me how to make bears by feeling
the materials as i sew, I found it difficult at first but I
soon got the hang of it and felt I should turn it into a business I
called it Billington Bears after a bear my mum made
me 21 years ago when I was born. I called my teddy
MR.Billington and still have him today.
Me and my Mum have been running the
business for five years now and we haven't given up yet.
Even when we was robbed of all our teddy's in our
little market stall in July of 2002.We still kept going.
Billington Bears supplies many stores world
wide and has this little internet site for people to adopt our bears from. What people love about our
bears is that they have all their own names and birth dates on
their tags of which are placed on a Button on their Bottoms. Each of our bears are
handmade with love and are 1 only bears. We believe that
everyone should afford a bear so we have reasonable prices and you
can also pay in Easy Payments. My mum was Bear
Artist of the Month for Jan 2003 of which we
are very proud of. Please visit the site to read abit about
my mums work. She is very talented and the best mum in the world.
I recieved funding from the Sir Thomas White Loan Charity to help develop my business that had been running for three years previous. The Charity has helped my business expand from hand made collectable bears to also craft materials, such as bear kits, wool and accessories. This gives me a wider range of customers. Also i have set up contracts for more stores to take my bears, as i have the funding for materials and postage.
If it wasn't for the Charity i would have still been struggling and managing my business on disabled benifit. It would have taken me years to get where i am now, still not at the top of the ladder but at least i am on it. I found the Charity to take me seriously as many loans/banks dont as i have a visual impairment and walk with a white stick.
Now i have a great chance thanks to the Sir Thomas white loan charity. I hope to improve my business for my orginal customers and for furture ones. Also grow and expand my business over the next year.
What we are doing now
We sell just online now updating our site and eBay. We have many stores selling our mohair bear range . If you own a store and would like more information please email us at clare.harris10@ntlworld.com .
We would like to thank all our customers and friends over the years and hope that you continue to enjoy our bears.
Awards we have Won
Visit Barbara Bear Artist of the Month for Jan 2003
My Mum is also a World Wide Artist for 2004 ( 3rd Place).
Visit me ( clare ) Artist of the month for Jan 2005
Was Nominated 2002 Business Achievements Princess Trust
Was Nominated for Business Achievement ( overcoming all odds by Leicester Mercury )
We have helped the following.
PDSA, RSPCA, ANIMAL SHELTER, CANCER NURSES,
CANCER RESEARCH, BLIND SOCIETY,
LOCAL CHARITIES AND THE LOCAL CHURCH.
By giving or raffling our bears.
Best Wishes Barbara, Clare and all the Billington Bears
All OUR Designs have Copy right (C)
Billington Bears Mailing list Newsletter Below.
