Bedford twin sisters crowned eBay award winners for their unique headbands

Bedford twins Charlotte Slinger and Lydia Hyams have been announced the winners of the coveted Resilience Award at this year’s eBay for Business Awards.

Charlotte and Lydia, co-founders of Head Over Heels, are one of 11 eBay sellers to be recognised for their entrepreneurial success in the nationwide awards.

The pair started their business in 2014 after searching for bridesmaid accessories for Charlotte's wedding. They worked hard to start a small bridal range and sold through a local wedding shop, as well as setting up on eBay.

But their sales came to a standstill during lockdown - however, they quickly adapted.

Thinking on their feet, the duo created a range of rainbow headbands, donating 20 per cent of their sales to NHS Charities Together, and a new range of elasticated headbands designed to be worn with face coverings. Despite the initial challenges at the beginning of lockdown, sales soon started to grow as children prepared to go back to school.

Charlotte and Lydia said: “It’s always been a dream of ours to run a successful business together as twin sisters. We never imagined it would become a reality and we would be recognised for our hard work with an amazing award like this.

"Starting from just a handful of items, we now have over 1,000 listings of hair accessories to complement every occasion – from weddings and fancy dress to everyday wear. eBay has enabled us to make our products visible to millions and provided valuable support along the way.”

Each of the category prize winners will receive a £5,000 prize to invest in their business.

The eBay for Business Awards is an annual event designed to recognise and celebrate the most inspiring sellers among eBay UK’s community of 300,000 small and medium-sized businesses.

Murray Lambell general manager of eBay UK, said: “Entrepreneurs like Head Over Heels are a critical part of the UK economy and a reflection of the entrepreneurial spirit that helps this country thrive. It has been a privilege hearing their stories of resilience and determination, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next year brings for these inspirational sellers.”

Visit Head Over Heels on eBay here