Golden Bear Founder and Vice Chair Christine Nicholls has announced her retirement. She founded the company with John Hales in 1979 with the mission to manufacture high-quality, soft toys.
Nicholls and Hales founded Golden Bear after working at the Chad Valley Toy Company; Nicholls had graduated from Birmingham Art College with a Bachelor of Arts in fashion and textiles. Golden Bear’s early clients included Mothercare, Boots, British Home Stores, and Woolworths. The toys were designed and manufactured in Telford, England.
“Christine has been a driving force and influence as co-founder of Golden Bear and has blazed a path for women in the toy industry. It has been my privilege and honour to work with her closely over the last 14 years,” says Barry Hughes, Managing Director of Golden Bear. Her contribution to both Golden Bear and the toy industry has been a true inspiration and everyone at Golden Bear wishes Christine a long and happy retirement.”
Today, Golden Bear is known for its high-quality licensed toys. IPs include Thomas the Tank Engine, Peppa Pig, In The Night Garden, and The Teletubbies. In 2012, the company was chosen as the official licensee for the 2012 Olympic Games, held in London.
Nicholls, who won the BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, Progressive PreSchool Outstanding Achievement Award in 2016, Play Creators Outstanding Achievement Award in 2023, continues to serve as a shareholder and director. She will represent the company in her role on the BTHA Council, which she has held for more than 20 years.
“It has been a fantastic journey which John and myself embarked on over 46 years ago, and we’ve had some good times and some challenging times, but we’ve always had lots of fun and feel very proud of the Golden Bear legacy,” says Nicholls. “I’ve made some amazing friends in the toy industry, especially through working with the BTHA, and look forward to keeping in touch with everyone at future events. I will always be passionate about creating toys, and I’m privileged to have enjoyed such an illustrious career alongside the fantastic team at Golden Bear.”
