Claire Watt-Smith, Founder and CEO of BoBelle London, Finalist for DediPower Award

DediPower Short List Four Entries For National Digital Awards - Winner Announced on Monday 1st March in London

Reading, UK – 15 February 2010: Four top finalists are short listed for the DediPower Digital Awards 2010, after entries from across the UK flooded in, all aiming to claim the first prize worth over £50,000.

The four finalist entries are:
Claire Watt-Smith, Aged 26, for BoBelle
Anita Moss and Paul Norman, both aged 29, for First Tutors
Stuart Varrall, Aged 28, for Fluid Pixel
Andrew Fidler and Gordon Bennell, both aged 28, for Student Aid

The DediPower Digital Award 2010 will be awarded at a special ceremony in London, on Monday 1st March, as part of EU e-skills Week. There is also a judges’ special “Digital Innovation Award” for an excellent entry, displaying outstanding inventiveness and creativity.
The finalists have been invited to the Telegraph Media Group headquarters, in London, on Wednesday, 24th February, to present their idea and business plan to a panel of judges which includes:

Kamal Ahmed, Business Editor, The Sunday Telegraph
Catherine Doran, Director of Corporate Development, Network Rail
John Redwood, MP for Wokingham and former cabinet minister
Karen Price, CEO, e-skills UK
Craig Martin, CEO, DediPower Managed Hosting

The DediPower Digital Awards’ first prize is up to £25,000 cash investment, plus £2,000 in development funds and a further £25,000 worth of business mentoring & free Internet hosting. There is also the special Judges’ Digital Innovation Award to stimulate the development of other great digital ideas.

Craig Martin, CEO, DediPower Managed Hosting and Chairman of the judging panel comments: “Choosing just four finalists from the high number of entries was a tough task. The calibre of entry was pleasingly high as well. This is the first year of the Awards and it really seems to have captured the imagination of young people aged 17 to 30 years.

“The campaign has had tremendous backing from e-skills UK and has been promoted by the Sunday Telegraph. It is all helping to recognise the young talent in the UK and to encourage innovative and determined young people with getting a start in their careers. It is often nearly impossible to get a good idea off the ground, so these awards are trying to change that dynamic and stimulate the entrepreneurial spirit in this country.”

BoBelle Ltd, entered by Claire Watt-Smith (age 26), is a retailer and wholesaler of ethically handmade Eel skin leather fashion accessories. It incorporates style, fashion and luxury with ethics and affordability.

First Tutors, entered by Anita Moss (29) and Paul Norman (29), helps families and adult learners to find private tutors. The web site uniquely features previous client feedback on the 10,000 tutors listed from across the UK.

Fluid Pixel Ltd, entered by Stuart Varrall (28), is a media development studio specialising in mobile devices, dedicated to Flash Lite and iphone platforms. It offers innovative applications, games and interfaces for mobile phones, the web and desktop computers on a customised basis.
Student Aid, entered by Andrew Fidler (28) and Gordon Bennell (28), is an engaging media information service for university students, parents and staff and aims to be the “voice of the student market”. Student-aid.co.uk provides a localised portal for student life and provides digital and offline media channels to universities for interaction with students and staff.
Further details about the DediPower Digital Awards 2010 can be found at: www.DediPowerDigitalAwards.com.
Click HERE to see the BoBelle London feature

BoBelle London as seen in The Guardian

BoBelle London was today seen in The Guardian, as recommended by Kate Carter. Click HERE to read the full mention.

Kate advises that BoBelle London's gorgeous and unique Ravishing Red Hemera Handbag should be top of your list for spring/summer. Hit the right trends with this gorgeous hand made and ethical eel skin leather handbag; nautical, army and bright. What more can a lady desire?

ps, perfect for Valentine's Day too....

Pictured above is the beautiful Hemera Eel Skin Handbag in Ravishing Red from BoBelle London; Fashion with Ethics

Claire Watt-Smith, Founder of BoBelle London, featured in The Daily Mail

Claire Watt-Smith, the Founder of BoBelle London, http://www.bobelle.co.uk/, has been named as Britain's Inspiring Entrepreneur. Click HERE to read the full article at The Daily Mail online.

Claire Watt-Smith founded BoBelle London with the goal to develop a brand that sold ethically produced yet fashionable, durable and sophisticated fashion accessories. As such, all of the fashion accessories at BoBelle London are hand made using eel skin leather. This unique, luxurious and gorgeous leather is perfect for accessories. Being a by-product of the food industry in Asia, the eels are extensively farmed for their meat and the skin is discarded. It is wonderful to put this otherwise wasted product to good use.

New designs for SS10 are coming soon which is all very exciting. Having signed with Fenwick's department store, BoBelle London hope to expand further this year. To speak with the team about new styles etc, please contact sales@bobelle.co.uk.

Photographed above: Hemera Handbag in Deep Purple, Aphrodite Wallet in Deep Purple, NEW Demeter Wallet in Light Grey, NEW Aphrodite Wallet in Mocha, Hestia Keyring in Midnight Blue, Hemera Handbag in Light Grey.

BoBelle London in The Times newspaper

The Times is one of the most read newspapers in the UK and BoBelle London was ecstatic to be featured in their Ethical Christmas Gift Guide. Whether you are looking for the perfect handbag and matching wallet to 'wow' her, or the perfect stocking filler to treat her, you will find exceptional quality, ample choice and superb customer service at BoBelle London.
The Gaia Purse at BoBelle London was hand picked by the Editor of The Times as their perfect gift this Christmas. The Turquoise Blue was their favourite, with the Ravishing Red following closely behind. Don't forget BoBelle London's signature deep red lining is seen in all of our hand made and ethically crafted accessories. With the burnished gold antique finidhed clasps, all of BoBelle London's accessories are sure to put a smile on your lady's face.

Stuck with ideas for Christmas? Fret not. Our Sales Team are more than happy to offer personal advice which is specifically tailored to your needs and budget. Please email sales@bobelle.co.uk or call +44 (0) 7870 199 101 or +44 (0) 208 743 7308 to speak with our Sales Team.

Furthermore, all accessories are complimentary gift wrapped in acid free tissue and tied with natural raffia. We currently use Recoded Delivery via Royal Mail, unless requested otherwise. Hand deliveries can also be made if required - again, please contact the Sales Team for further information.

We look forward to welcoming you this Christmas to BoBelle London - Fashion with Ethics. http://www.bobelle.co.uk/.

Looking for a stocking filler? Our Nyx Baby Coin Purse is ideal:

Or why not try our Gaia Purse - vintage double clasp and luxurious lining, as recommended by The Times...

Or really spoil her this Christmas with the Deep Purple Hemera Handbag....

Please contact us if we can help you further.

Many thanks

Claire

www.bobelle.co.uk

Christmas is coming...

Although it may be just over 30 days until the big 'C' comes, we have never been so prepared at BoBelle London. We have two new deliveries in preperation for the festive season, which includes new Athena Purses, Gaia Purses, Hemera Handbags and adorable Hestia Keyrings.

Our collection of fairly traded and ethical eel skin leather fashion accessories from BoBelle London certainly tick all the boxes for suprising loved-ones with a unique gift:

• Ethical? Check
  
• Hand made? Check
  
• Great colours? Check
  
• Individual? Check
  
• Fashionable? Check
  
• Recommended by magazines? Check

If you need help this Christmas deciding which pieces to go for at BoBelle London, please do contact our Sales Team who will be more than happy to help you. In addition, we do offer exchanges and gift receipts so if your loved-one would like to exchange, the option is there. furthermore, with complimentary gift-wrapping we save you time as well!

Need some more inspiration for gifts further than BoBelle London? Why not look at Ella Georgia - she has some gorgeous one-off jewellery pieces with rings, brooches, necklaces and more. She also has a gorgeous selection of ethical cashmere (without the high price tags!).

Another one-stop-shop for the family is Javari - they have a great selection of shoes and accessories, so perfect for Christmas Day walks! Below left is on sale at French Connection at Javari...click here to see!

If it is something truly ethical you are after, have a look at Fashion Conscience - I love the ruched Rani Jones bodycon skirt...gorgeous! They also have lovely tops and t-shirts, dresses, Terra Plana shoes and more:

If definite fashion is your key, have a browse through Eternal Envy - I love their silk dress here from Traffic People - unique, it won't be seen on anyone else and is supporting small designers. The leather jacket is a true investment that will never go out of fashion... What more could we ask for? (Aside from the Theia Ravishing Red Clutch from BoBelle London to match...well, an outfit isn't complete without accessories...)

I hope you like a few of our festive ideas for Christmas! Please do contact sales@bobelle.co.uk if you have any questions about BoBelle London or about shopping for your loved one in general.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Best wishes

Claire

BoBelle London - Fashion with Ethics

http://www.bobelle.co.uk/

Future 100 Award Ceremony

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DAY: Carbon offsetter and belly dancer named among top 100 young social entrepreneurs
20 November 2009
by Chrisanthi Giotis

From ITV to a philosophy of it's not just about me - Sophie Mei, belly dancer turned social entrepreneur
One hundred of the most promising young social entrepreneurs were honoured at a London event on Social Enterprise Day.

The Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneurs Award, which is organised by enterprise support organisation Striding Out, celebrates young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35 who 'demonstrate entrepreneurial flair and innovation in progressing a responsible business venture'.
The winners include Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Sophie Mei Lan Slack, who has made use of her belly dancing talent by developing a social enterprise focusing on self-esteem, culture and health, and Dan Lewer, founder of Carbon Retirement, a 'carbon offsetting business that doesn't believe in carbon offsetting'.

Lewer said: 'Carbon offsetting is like paying the RSPCA so you can kick your dog.'
Striding Out will provide the Future 100 winners with opportunities to network, raise their profile through media and PR training, and gain mentoring support.
One of last year's Future 100 was Claire Watt-Smith, founder of BoBelle, which makes fair trade eel-skin bags and wallets.

Speaking at the event last night she said the award lead to a major breakthrough in her business. Striding Out helped her gain an introduction to people from high street fashion chain Top Shop and the products are now stocked in 60 stores.
'Once you start telling people about the award, doors will open for you,' she said.

Women's Enterprise Day

A few statistics about women in business:

• There are around 680,000 majority women-owned businesses in the UK generating £45 billion to the UK economy.


• Of the 4.7 million UK enterprises, only 15% are led by women (BERR, 2009). Women starting up in business will tend to provide a more immediate contribution to the economy: around one in five women come into self-employment from unemployment compared with around one in fifteen men ( Annual Small Business Survey 2003, SBS)


• When women represent 30% of the Board of Directors the profitability of a company increases threefold (Women Executives in the UK, Gavurin Intellience, Feb 2008)

We need to inspire more women to get into working for themselves and for women to work together.

Having founded BoBelle London in late 2007, I can safely say the road of entrepreneurship is not easy, but it certainly is enjoyable! No two days are the same, you meet so many different individuals, you have complete autonomy over your work and what you do is yours!!

I have nurtured and loved BoBelle London from the day it was born. It is mine and I will work all the hours until it no longer needs me. Having secured a luxurious department store as a new stockist for December 2009, as well as over 50 boutiques in the UK and Ireland, BoBelle London is certainly getting there! My team working with me are fantastic and today, as everyday, we shall be celebrating our achievements and embarking on new ventures to expand BoBelle London.

Happy Women's Enterprise Day!

Claire

www.bobelle.co.uk

Claire Watt-Smith, Founder and CEO of BoBelle London