This week as part of our regular UP CLOSE WITH feature we are getting to know Denise Woods, owner of Teddington business Dragon Toys.

Never has Teddington's nickname 'Teddy Town' been more apt than when speaking to our local soft toy specialists Dragon Toys.

There's a teddy for everyone here - from Charlie Bears to Steiff plushies, collectables to baby-safe designs.

The Teddington toy shop is online only and run by long-time resident Denise Woods from her home on Broom Road.

Denise, 65, moved here in 1986 with her husband when they both got jobs at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) near Bushy Park.

The pair have been highly involved in Teddington life while raising their two sons; they were treasurers for Teddington Together and Denise's husband still helps out with the local cub scouts.

"I love Teddington, it's such a lovely place to live," she beams.

But when Denise was made redundant from her job at NPL, she had to start a new chapter.

"I didn't know what I was going to do next," she recalls.

Denise, who previously ran a shop on Hampton Wick high street called Bohemia, decided to start a new venture online.

She focused on her passion for soft toys, which are "easier to bubble-wrap than ceramic," making them perfect for an online business.

Dragon Toys was founded in 2006 and it is truly a family enterprise - Denise's husband helps out and both her sons have worked or the company.

It's not just a passion project though, as there is a huge amount of work involved, Denise explains.

Toys are ordered direct from the makers whose locations range from Cornwall to Germany.

They are shipped to Denise's house, transferred to a storage locker, then gift-wrapped and sent out to customers across the UK.

Denise hired an assistant, Yvonne, in 2011 to help her with the workload and she is quick to sing her praises.

Yvonne looks after the packaging and inventory of the toys but to Denise she is also "a good friend."

The pandemic didn't affect Dragon Toys too badly, although the shop did have to shut for a couple of months before returning with covid-safe working practices in place.

"We were very lucky" says Denise.

She explained that the shop doesn't rely on local footfall as it has stores on sites such as Amazon.

Indeed, the shop is popular with people across the UK including both adult and child toy collectors.

But going forward Denise would like to reach customers more directly - including more locals in Teddington.

She is also confident in the future of soft toys, despite the rise in tech-related children's toys such as play stations and online games.

Teddy bears still hold a special place in many people's hearts, she says, especially so when children are young or newly born.

The traditional toys are often bought to celebrate a baby's birth and Denise has had plenty of orders this year for bears with "2021" on their feet.

These sweet keepsakes can then be treasured by parents when their little one is older.

The shop is now in its 15th year and Denise has no plans to stop soon - she enjoys running it too much, she says.

Her favourite teddies are the Charlie Bears made in Cornwall but really she loves them all.

And we're glad to know that teddies will still be in Teddington for the foreseeable future.

Dragon Toys and Nub News

Teddington Nub News is thrilled to announce our new partnership with Dragon Toys.

With their support we can keep delivering the high-quality journalism that Teddington deserves.

Nub News CEO Karl Hancock said: "We are so happy to have Dragon Toys on board as a sponsor of Teddington Nub News.

"They are a superb ambassador for Teddington's thriving independent business scene and we can't wait to work with them over the coming months."

You'll see the Dragon Toys banner next to all our articles which you can click on to learn more about the teddies of Teddington.

Or follow this link: www.dragontoys.co.uk to find out more.