Mothercare is a name that has been on everyone's lips these last few weeks. For a start, the company has been in the news because it has just paid a reputed £85m for the holding company of the Early Learning Centres.

This year's BPA Baby and Child promises to deliver to visitors fresh and innovative concepts new to the nursery industry with first time exhibitors to the UK signing up for the show.

Who are we?

The NPD Group is a leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries especially known in the UK for its toys and games service.

Daisy & Tom created a scene this Easter with a Guess How Much I Love You spectacular, by bringing the charming Nutbrown Hares from the classic story book to centre stage with window displays featuring bespoke Easter illustrations from the Daisy & Tom book illustrator Atholl McDonald, along with Rainbow Design's plush 40cm and 20cm characters.

Lullabys recently instructed Magicalia Group to build their new web site. The brief given to the designers was to retain the 'feel' of the old site but with improved navigation and content, to facilitate easier use and to provide a better service for Lullabys rapidly growing customer base.

Following on from an amazingly successful Harrogate show, Sunshine Kids are pleased to announce the launch of their new trade-only web site. Designed specifically for retailers, the new web site, www.sunshinekids.co.uk, offers a wide range of product, marketing and sales information.

A Tiny Love Gymini Activity Mat supplied exclusively to Mothercare by East Coast Nursery Ltd was featured for nearly all of a recent episode of Emmerdale, while twin babies played happily on it.

The BPA Retail membership scheme launched at Harrogate Nursery Fair continues to grow in popularity as retailers recognise the valuable benefits of official BPA endorsement, and of the host of membership exclusive services that are on offer.

400,000 new businesses start up each year in the UK. Yet as many as one fifth of these cease trading within their first 12 months. It is vital to recognise the successful new companies who continue to grow despite these astonishing failure rates.

Ulrike Henschke- Mayer has joined Learning Resources® as European Sales Manager strengthening the International Sales team in Germanspeaking and adjacent territories. Justin Kingseller joins as Sales Director following a distinguished career in the same role at GLS Educational Supplies in Enfield.

The Verbier Travel System from Little Shield can be used from birth with its Group 0+ rear facing car seat which can also be used as a baby carrier and rocker.

The most important customer in our industry is, of course the parent. However there is another group of people with different needs - but with attractive spending power… the 'gift buyers.'

Q - When and where were you born?

A - 1983, Basingstoke, a town renowned for its roundabouts and not much else.

Q - Education?

A - Graduated in Business Studies (BA: Hons) from the University of the West of England in 2005.

Fiesta Crafts is flying the flag for the toy industry by reaching the finals of the national grocery industry's 'Re:Fresh' Awards for the '5 a Day supporter of the year' category. All of the main fresh food suppliers are represented at Re:Fresh and include Tesco as a key sponsor.

World of Wonder, a national chain of 34 independently owned toy stores in Ireland have announced the winners of their Annual Toy Industry Awards for 2007. Awards were presented during the retail group's 22nd annual AGM and retailer conference in the Castleknock Hotel and Country Club, Dublin.

BPA Baby and Child is one of the nursery industry's highlights of the year, giving retailers a chance to see the most upto- date nursery products from some of the most prestigious names in the business. However, there is an area that even the smallest of companies who are exhibiting for the first time can use to make a real impact too - Launchpad.

All companies take risks. New accounts. New products. Doing business abroad. These all present risks we accept in the normal course of business.

Shaun Rhodes has been involved in the nursery trade for many years and for the last six years has been working in China to ensure that the products are being manufactured in the right way. Here he explains what life is like living and working in China.

With online shopping taking customers away from retail stores, it is important for retailers to create exciting and dynamic retail environments. The physical experience must outweigh the ease and convenience of shopping on the Internet.

Kooltrade has been in business for 21 years, pioneering next day delivery as the needs of retailers changed. Now as retailer needs have changed again, Kooltrade is the distributor for six major brands.

This American brand was bought recently by a big name in sports goods brands. The new company has taken what was best in the old designs and improved on them, bringing in its expertise in the design and manufacture of sporting goods. One example is that the wheels on the Baby Jogger are uniquely solid aluminium to give added strength.

Combi has adjusted its UK pricing policy for the current range. The new 2007 models have been designed with the UK in mind with the funky new Townlife buggy now retailing at less than £80. One of the most popular models in the Combi range is the Caterpillar tandem.

First Wheels are a Dutch company who export world-wide. The City Elite has all the features you would expect from a premium high quality stroller. The seat is reversible, so a young baby can face and interact with mum. It has a lightweight aluminium frame complete with suspension for a comfortable ride.

My Child is designed by Kooltrade's in-house designers for the consumer who wants quality and style without sky high prices. When it comes to looking good, it is the detail of the design that is important.

This is the mass market range from Kooltrade for everyone including independents, department stores and multiples. Shown here is the On Board. This fully featured stroller board amazingly retails for under £40 and is one of the many lines in the Scallywags range.

The Inglesina brand is famous throughout the world for its glamour and sophistication. The range was trialled in the UK throughout last year and a new collection, designed for the UK market is being launched in June which will be supported by advertising in the consumer press.

Feeding baby can be very stressful for mothers. Often the transition from breast to bottle occurs when mum is also thinking about returning to work. They relish the time spent at home with their baby and are reluctant to hand their precious bundle over to someone else to care for. Should they choose a childminder, a nanny or the local nursery? Should they continue to breast feed in an evening and express during the day? It's all pressure.

Polly Highchair Chicco's multi-award winning, Polly Highchair, has a clever two-phase seat. It features an outer padded jacket which offers extra support and comfort to younger children, then as their growth demands, this can be removed to reveal the second phase seat cushion, no less comfortable but giving more space.

The Babycook from BEABA is a versatile four in one appliance that steams, blends, minces, chops, defrosts and reheats food for babies and children simply, easily and most of all healthily. With a typical cooking time of between seven and fifteen minutes dependent on the food being cooked the Babycook is also a great timesaving appliance for today's busy parents.

Teething is a difficult time for both babies and their parents! Although many doctors claim that teething produces nothing but teeth, those of us who are parents know that it also produces, fretful babies and overtired, stressed adults.

Cuddle and Chew Pals are new for this year and provide four colourful teething surfaces on a soft bodied companion. Choosing from a Lion, Zebra, Monkey or Giraffe any teething toddler will be happy to cuddle, squeeze and gnaw on these cute pals. What's more they have a ribbon tag trim which infants and toddlers love exploring with fingers and tongues.

Prince Lionheart has built a reputation with consumers for developing the highest quality safety range on the market. Prince Lionheart's Cot Rail Teether is made from a non-toxic soft plastic which easily slips over any standard cot rail.

The MAM oral care range was specifically designed to ensure that good oral care is introduced right from the start with babies and young children.

Designed to start using even before the first tooth appears, which is often easier with a receptive baby than an independent toddler, the range provides hands on learning for tender gums and precious first teeth.

The First Years, part of Learning Curve's nursery portfolio, knows a thing or two about teething - they have been providing babies with successful teething relief for decades. Their comprehensive ranges of teethers have something to suit everyone - from innovative vibrating teethers to soothe and massage sore gums, cleverly designed bristle teethers to encourage new teeth on their way right through to good old fashioned teething rings and keys.

The popular Summer Infant Essentials Baby Care Kit allows parents to prepare for every eventuality and offers them a unique combination of key items required to look after baby's health. The kit provides 16 essential baby hygiene and care items including:

The Summer Infant Dental Care Kit with Calgel provides everything parents need when baby is first teething through to when the first set of toddler teeth is to be cared for. The kit has been carefully conceived to contain the perfect items for teething problems:

Over the last three years using a baby carrier has become more popular. In 2004 research by Mintel found that only 34% of mothers used a baby carrier or sling. Wilkinet's research this year* shows that nearly half of mothers (45%) have used a baby carrier with a further 14% saying they plan to get one soon.

Now more than ever, the need for child safety harness is ever increasing.

The 2-in-1 Harness Buddy is not only a harness but also a backpack and a friend to any toddler.

With the two new additions to its award-winning range, the Bushbaby collection now includes six high specification carriers to suit the different needs and budgets of its customers.

The Travelite has all the features of the standard Lite carrier, but has the added advantage of a support leg that gives it great stability - ideal for loading or feeding a baby.

One of the main reasons parents shop at their local independent nursery retailer is “to find something different.”*

Many of our retailers tell us they love the Wilkinet because it offers parents the ideal combination of stylish and conventional appearance but with a more ergonomic and comfortable tying design.

Developed together with international ergonomic experts, the You & Me offers great comfort and safety for baby, and at the same time maximum comfort for the parent. The parent harness is designed to alleviate strain on the wearers back, especially for the lumbar region. The harness design aids air circulation and breathability, reducing perspiration.

The new I-GO from Cybex is the ultimate Baby Carrier. Developed with the help of paediatricians, the I-GO is designed so that baby is carried horizontally for the first four months, giving crucial support to the still developing spinal column. From approximately four months to one year baby can be carried vertically, facing the parent or facing forward.

Close Baby Carrier, the UK's fastest-growing organic baby carrier, is launching a new campaign to highlight the parent-friendly nature of the product.

Designed to slip over the head of the wearer and adjust by a simple ring mechanism, Close Baby Carrier allows parents a new freedom to get out and about with baby.

To achieve their dominant position in the US soft baby carriers market, Infantino has developed their range to respond to key consumer requirements. Parents want stylish products that offer excellent quality and functionality. In addition parents want choice to be able to identify the right option for them.

The innovative, soft and pliable solar-shade™ is the latest addition to the award-winning range of Outlook 'out and about' comfort products. A multi-fitting, maximum rated UPF50+ sun canopy that adjusts to fit any stroller, pram or car seat with a canopy, this handy little shade offers up to 99% UV protection for children on the move.

Hot off the streets of Amsterdam, Stockholm, Paris and Berlin - the City Traveller is just one of the new products from Dutch brand XAdventure, now available in the UK. A huge seller in Europe, City Traveller's lightweight contemporary hoop frame and small front wheels make it a stroller to be seen with.

Established in Holland for six years and widely distributed throughout Europe, the sensational Lodger range of slings, baby wraps, blankets and pram snugs is now available in the UK exclusively through leading UK distributor, Cheeky Rascals.

Little Shield offer a range of travel cots each designed to make holidays, weekends away or overnight visits stress free for parents and comfortable for babies.

Sunshine Kids have added more great new products to their pushchair accessory range, all of which will undoubtedly be best sellers offering fantastic add-on sales opportunities for retailers.

Buggy-Buddy attaches securely to the handle of a pushchair and has several pockets for all those essentials that mums need close to hand.