A LINE of candle making kits created by Hexham-based Northumbrian Candleworks has been shortlisted for a Gift of the Year Award.

The candle making kits range has been listed in the home fragrance category of the annual awards hosted by the Giftware Association.

Peter Cooke is head chandler and owner of the business, which is based at the Hexham Enterprise Hub on Burn Lane.

“We’re absolutely over the moon that our candle making kits have made the shortlist for a national award,” he said.

“It’s especially exciting to make the list as, this year, the awards, which identify and celebrate the very best products on the market right now, received a record number of entries.

“We’re really proud to be flying the flag for the North-East and giving the rest of the UK a flavour of the great, innovative businesses that are based and continue to thrive here.”

The candle making kits come in a variety of fragrances and the range includes generic and occasion kits for kids, Christmas and birthday.

Each kit includes everything you need to make two candle tins at home.

Packaged in a stylish brown paper bag, each kit includes a selection of options for labelling the candle tin, allowing the tins to be adapted and personalised.

Peter explained: “The candle making kits came about after we received questions from our customers about how we make our artisan scented soy candles.”

The shortlisted entries for Gift of the Year were chosen by a panel of expert judges.

The next stage involves judging of sample products, which will be viewed in person, to identify three finalists per category.

The winners of each category will be revealed at Spring Fair, an annual gift and home trade event due to take place at the Birmingham NEC in early February.

Northumbrian Candleworks offers a range of scented soy candles and reed diffusers, all of which are hand-crafted at the Hexham workshop.