Press Release 13 January 2012

For Immediate Release

Nicola Earns Two More Nominations!

Nicola Kelsall is pleased to announce that she has been nominated for two further business awards this month.  Last month Nicola was nominated for the Shining Star Award at the Party Plan Conference and Awards.  Now she has learned of two further nominations.

Nicola has been nominated for the Social Media Guru award, also at the Party Plan Conference and Awards, for her work in marketing her Barefoot Books business through websites such as Facebook and Twitter and her own blogs.  The Party Plan award winners will be announced on January 28^th.

Further to this, she has been nominated for the Business Mum of the Year in the Mums Business Club Awards in Cambridge.  The shortlist for these awards is due to be announced at noon on January 20^th.

Nicola, from Sutton in Ashfield, spent 12 years in teaching but left to set up in business.  As an Ambassador for Barefoot Books, she promotes children’s literacy and brings stories from around the world to Nottinghamshire.   In 2011, she joined Precious Memories and combining the two avenues, began to build her own business.  Nicola works from home, with a studio at her home, from where she sells books and creates bespoke keepsakes for clients.

The books Nicola sells allow children to explore other cultures, our planet and themselves.  Living Barefoot is about making time for make-believe and letting imaginations run wild and free. Most of all, it’s about using the power of stories to nourish the creative spark in everyone and strengthen connections with family, the global community, and the earth.  Barefoot Books began with two mothers who wanted their children to have books that would feed the imagination, while instilling a respect for diversity and a love of the planet. Today, Barefoot Books is a world-wide community of writers, artists, storytellers, musicians, and others who are committed to providing timeless stories and captivating art that can help children become happy, engaged members of a global society.

As the Nottinghamshire franchisee for Precious Memories, Nicola creates 2D impressions and 3D casts – usually of baby’s hands and feet, but also of adults and pets.  She also creates pregnancy bump casts and helps clients design bespoke silver jewellery featuring the hand, foot or fingerprint of their child before sending the order and print to the Precious Memories jewellery team to be made.  This has allowed Nicola to build on her passion for crafting, as well as teaching her new skills (and letting her get her hands on some pretty hardcore power tools!)

Of her nominations, Nicola says, “ to be nominated for an award was an amazing feeling.  Being nominated for three awards feels like a huge validation of the work I’ve put in to building my business.  As anyone who works for themselves knows, it’s very hard work.  When you combine that with working at home with your children, it can be a juggling act, but one that is very worthwhile.  I feel incredibly lucky to be able to work from home and gaining this recognition for my efforts is a great boost.”

Nicola has two children, aged 6 and 1 and has been married to husband Tom for almost 9 years.  She enjoys crafting and cooking, including creating gluten free alternatives of family favourites.  Nicola also volunteers with her local NHS as a Sure Start Breastfeeding Peer Supporter and is the Vice-Chair of the PTA at her son’s school.

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Note to Editors

1. For more information on the nomination and outcome of the awards please contact Nicola Kelsall 07595 628379 nicola@barefootshop.co.uk nicolak@precious-memories.co.uk.
2. The Party Plan Guru, http://www.thepartyplanguru.co.uk, theguru@thepartyplanguru.co.uk.
3. Mum Business Club, Cambridge Conference and Awards http://www.businessmumevents.co.uk/index.php
4. The founder of the MumsClub franchise, Jane Hopkins, was awarded an MBE in the recent New Year’s Honours list for her services to Entrepreneurship.
5. Photos are attached: (1) Nicola Kelsall (2) Precious Memories logo (3) Barefoot Books logo