A Workington-based business has been selected as one of 18 UK enterprises to receive a free exhibition stand at Spring Fair 2027.

Go Your Own Way, founded by Rachel Stewart, produces bespoke 3D wooden contour maps and personalised Ordnance Survey map artwork. The firm was chosen from hundreds of applicants in a nationwide competition run by the Spring Fair in partnership with retail entrepreneur Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday (#SBS) initiative.

The prize provides Go Your Own Way with a platform to present its products to retail buyers from independent shops, department stores, and major high street brands at the NEC Birmingham from 7–10 February 2027. The exhibition, which attracts over 40,000 retail professionals annually, is a significant destination for the home, gift, and fashion sectors.

This initiative, now in its eighth year, aims to support emerging independent businesses in accessing the broader retail market. To date, the partnership has facilitated exhibition space for over 100 brands.

Fay Tranter, Event Director at Spring Fair, said: “Every year we're inspired by the incredible creativity, passion and entrepreneurial spirit within the #SBS community, but this year's entries raised the bar once again. The quality of applications was outstanding, making the judging process incredibly difficult. Go Your Own Way is a fantastic example of the innovation and originality that independent businesses bring to the retail industry. We're delighted to welcome them to Spring Fair 2027 and look forward to introducing their products to thousands of retail buyers from across the UK and internationally. We can't wait to see where this opportunity takes them.”

Theo Paphitis, retail entrepreneur and Small Business Champion, added: “The partnership between #SBS Small Business Sunday and the Spring & Autumn Fair team has now been running for eight years, and with this year’s competition we will have awarded over 100 free stands to small business owners. Year on year, the connections and relationships formed within the #SBS Village demonstrate just how valuable this opportunity is for growing businesses. It is a genuinely business-boosting experience, and I am already looking forward to meeting this year’s 18 finalists. Spring Fair continues to be a hub of opportunity, fresh thinking and new connections.”

The winning businesses will occupy the largest #SBS Village to date at the 2027 event. For Go Your Own Way, the opportunity represents a strategic step toward accelerating wholesale growth and establishing new stockists across the UK and international markets.