Every year, Notonthehighstreet.com (NOTHS) run The Make Awards to celebrate the the achievements of the Partners who sell through their site. Bombus have been a Partner since 2007. In 2011, we won 'Gift of the Year' for our  Bespoke Map Heart, which was wonderful as this category was voted for by customers. This year, we decided to enter 'Partner of the Year'  "This award recognises the star performer who truly embodies a life less ordinary and whose products both inspire and achieve tremendous commercial success." Our application was based around our brand continuity. Just as NOTHS has remained faithful to their founders' original business ideal Bombus has also remained faithful to and evolved from one strong creative concept, originally developed in 2003 and which still forms the basis of the majority of our handmade products today. The concept of inviting you to choose  a map location for our original and celebrated signature product, The Bespoke Map Heart still applies today and we have grown our bespoke map range considerably. Once the application eventually came together (pushing that deadline to its very limits!)  we were quite proud of it and then understandably excited to learn that we had been short-listed. I went to the ceremony at The Berkeley in London taking my son, Louis as my 'plus one'. Check out Louis' NOTHS branded colour trousers. He had a great time, particularly enjoying the fabulous taster pudding and the giant balloons. But we didn't win Partner of the Year... ...to our amazement we only went and won the 'Lifetime Achievement Award!' This award celebrates ..."a long-time member of the notonthehighstreet.com community, this prestigious award recognises a true advocate for the business." As soon as it was announced Louis ran up and grabbed the award almost before I'd even left my seat!

With a mixture of charm, mischief and nimble fingers, Louis managed to secure one of the balloons from the stage. We struggled to get it in a taxi and then on a commuter-filled Tube, only for the darn thing to burst dramatically almost immediately we'd walked through the door as it got caught on a nanna's and grandad's chandelier in the hallway.