We’ve been shortlisted for The Henries Awards!

Well this is exciting! We’ve been shortlisted for an award at The Henries in the “Best Diversity and Inclusion” range.

The Diversity and Inclusion category is fairly new, and this is the first time we’ve entered the prestigious award ceremony. We’ll find out if we become a finalist in the next few weeks, and then the award ceremony will take place in October.

The range we entered with are our new Diwali cards, which we are particularly proud of. These cards are foil and emboss finished, and are part of our greener no-cello range. And as they are printed in the UK, they carry less carbon-miles too!

We’ve used FSC accredited board and vegetable based inks for many years, but we’re on a drive to become even more environmentally conscious. We’re implementing changes across our ranges, including a brand new cello-less multipack design for Diwali, Eid and Jewish occasion multipacks.

What is The Henries?

The Henries is best described as the Oscars of the Greeting Card Industry. It’s a lavish black tie event held every year in the Royal Lancaster hotel, London. I’ve been attending The Henries for a number of years and it’s definitely the place to be if you want to rub shoulders with the who’s who of greeting cards. At The Henries you’ll find publishers, manufacturers & retailers of all shapes and sizes, from the biggest players to micro-start ups. It’s always a night to remember, especially as you get to meet peers and associates in a very relaxed yet glamorous setting.

The evening starts with a drinks reception, followed by a fine-dining three course meal and then the awards ceremony commences, compared by a different celebrity each year. At the end of the ceremony you either hit the bar or the dance floor – or both! Often you’ll find a hardcore contingent still in the upstairs bar of the Royal Lancaster in the early hours.

I remember the first time I attended The Henries, I think it was in 2015. I was a bit daunted at first – we were about to party with industry idols! But it didn’t take long to feel at home, mainly due to the super friendliness of everyone you meet who’s involved in greeting cards. I’ve looked forward to the night ever since.

Bollywood at The Henries

In 2016, Davora got the opportunity to sponsor a Bollywood themed Henries. We helped arrange the event. The event was compared by Tommy Sandhu, and had Bollywood dancers, a sitar player an auto-rikshaw photo booth and much more. We’re proud that we helped make it one of the most memorable Henries of the decade.

Through all the fun and frolicking, The Henries has a well established altruistic side too. The evening has a charity raffle raising money for The Light Fund. Over the years, The Henries have raised in excess of £1.7m for good causes.

So as you can see, being shortlisted for a Henries award is a big deal for us! The competition is high though, but we’ll keep you posted on how we get on!