Inside the pen

This little sheep went to market…

Little Beau Sheep came about in the most unlikely way. At the time, I was a mum of two little girls living in a small flat with no garden. So I was reliant on a tumble dryer to get a quick turnaround on all that babywear.

In a spin over tumble drying

To speed things up, I’m now ashamed to say I bought plastic tumble dryer balls. The noise was unbearable, however, and they soon showed signs of damage. Plus, I really didn’t want to add to the world’s plastic woes.

Wool and lanolin: a natural solution

I was taking a course in felting at the time and looked to nature for inspiration. Being in the Dales, sheep became my muse. I already knew about the softening power of lanolin as I’d used it on my babies’ skin. The penny dropped and my felted sheep took their first silent fluffy tumble in the dryer.

Up and away

With support in the early days from my wonderful local Women’s Institute I was soon up and running. Activity centred around my own little Etsy shop supported with stalls at everything from school fairs to farmers’ markets. It seemed folk had a soft spot for sheep. Which encouraged me to extend the range from dryer balls to laundry and skin care products.

Mums’ army

The beating heart of Little Beau Sheep is my clever and crafty mums’ army of makers and doers. Together we create by hand the woolly dryer balls that are still a firm favourite with customers around the globe. Sisters are doing it for themselves!

Flying the flag for British Wool

As a passionate believer in the power of British Wool, it’s always heartening to see its importance recognised and celebrated. So when I won the Small Business Sunday Award in 2019, I was quite frankly, over the moon. Only around 1% of the hundreds of thousands of entries win, so it was a very special feeling – especially when Dragon’s Den icon Theo Paphitis presented the award.

Turning the tide on plastic.

Like me, you’ve no doubt been horrified by coverage of plastic in our oceans. That’s why in 2018 I ran a Crowdfunder campaign to help me put in place a plastic-free policy here at Little Beau Sheep. So many kind-hearted and generous people came out in support, I was able to remove all plastic and packaging and wrapping from our product range. So you can enjoy all the benefits of wool without any nagging worries.

Little Beau Sheep on TV!

One of my TV faves is Countryfile. Along with countless others, tuning in on a Sunday evening has become something of a weekend ritual. So imagine my excitement when Little Beau Sheep was invited to be on the programme!

Not only was I interviewed by fellow Yorkshire lass Anita Rani about our dryer balls, she also tried her hand at felting.

The story kept unfolding when I shared the stage at a Countryfile Live event at the stunning Castle Howard. I was alongside Baa Stool’s Shepherdess Michelle and the renowned TV presenter and archaeologist Jules Hudson!

Helping rare breeds survive

Part of the Countryfile feature covered how we’d made a limited edition set of dryer balls using rare breed wool from the sheep at Crowkeld Farm. As a champion of sheep in every shape and size, the Rare Breed Survival Trust is a charity close to my heart.

I’m hugely proud to say that Little Beau Sheep customers raised £375 for this essential initiative. As an interesting aside, the RBST was set up by the father of one Adam Henson – another Countryfile presenter. Small old world!

A helping hand from Theo Paphitis

I was lucky enough to be one of 12 small business owners to win a stand at the Autumn Fair in the NEC Arena in Birmingham. Sponsored by none other than – who else – Theo Paphitis, the event attracts over 20,000 people. As one of the biggest home and gift trade events for suppliers and retailers, it gave my business a turbo-charged rocket boost. Besides getting face-to-face advice from Theo himself, it helped get the Little Beau Sheep range in to so many more outlets across the country.

Recognised for services to wool

By now, you’ll have gathered that I love wool. For me it’s the most amazing natural resource with so many uses and benefits. So when I won a Rural Business Awards ‘Wool Innovation Prize’ it was quite over-whelming. The whelms kept coming, however.  I received it from the fabulously named ‘Worshipful Company of Woolmen and The Company of Merchants of The Staple of England’. Could life get any better I ask you?

Huge thanks to my faithful flock

Little Beau Sheep would never have got up and running without the belief and support of my amazing customers and committed suppliers. Not to mention my woolly colleagues in the fells and fields of Britain! Wherever you are in the world, thank you all for coming on my journey with me – can’t wait to see where we go next.

Best wishes,

 

Sarah signature

 

BBC Countryfile

Little Beau Sheep as seen on CountryfileRBST Supporters Logo The Campaign For WoolMake it British Member

wool innovation prize Small Business Sunday Award Rural business awards