It was early 2008 and my Nanna was turning 80 in the December. What do you give someone who’s turning 80 and already has everything they need?
I sifted through hundreds of photos, asked family members to help me and even drove around to all the different houses she had lived in to take photos and include them in this unique gift I was creating. I had no idea that what I was putting together would end up being over 30 minutes long. To date, it is still the longest piece of work I have produced.
The end result was a DVD with memories from her childhood, her wedding, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and the places she has called home.
The big day arrived. She unwrapped my present that I had presented in a personalised DVD case. I don’t think she quite understood what it was at first; all she saw was photos of herself on the cover and it wasn’t until we explain what it was that the look of astonishment appeared on her face.
Amongst her family and closest friends, I pressed play. As we watched the DVD I don’t think I was quite prepared for the response I received. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as photos from the past brought memories flooding back.
I lost count of the number of times she said she watched it and that it meant the world to her. I knew I had created something unique, but I didn’t realise I had created something that would be cherished for many years, by my Nanna and the extended family.
And so it began… requests for personalised DVDs from family and friends followed and here I am 10 years later having created a business that started as a simple gift idea for someone who meant the world to me. Thank you for your love, inspiration and encouragement Nanna… xxx