Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Visits Yorkshire Farm and Factory, Presenting King’s Award to Luxury Bedmaker Harrison Spinks
4th November 2024
Awards
HRH The Princess Royal takes a tour of our farm in York, and mattress and bedmaking factory in Leeds.
A King’s Award for Sustainable Development was presented to us during the royal visit.
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was given an exclusive behind-the-scenes look on Wednesday 30th October 2024 at how our beds go from farm to factory.
The visit began at our farm, where The Princess Royal met the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Mrs. Jo Ropner, and the Harrison Spinks team including Chairman and family member Simon Spinks. Her Royal Highness learnt about Harrison Spinks’ sustainable farming practices, including its award-winning Wensleydale sheep and pioneering use of hemp and flax, which is processed into its own luxury mattress fillings.
The Princess Royal’s visit
During the visit, we demonstrated our environmentally friendly processes, including our use of homegrown hemp and responsibly-sourced natural materials such as traceable British wool, our innovative ethical manufacturing practices, as well as our commitment to protecting the local environment and dedication to biodiversity on our farmland.
Afterwards, The Princess Royal was taken on a tour of our Leeds manufacturing site with the Lord-Lieutenant of West Yorkshire, Mr. Ed Anderson CBE, where they experienced the bespoke craftsmanship behind our luxury beds and mattresses, including a live demonstration of the traditional hand side stitching, tape edging and tufting techniques, which we have been championing for 180 years.
Simon Spinks, our Chairman of Harrison Spinks, expressed his pride in the visit – he said:
“We are deeply honoured and grateful to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to our farm and factory today, and thank her for taking the time to learn about our sustainable practices, meeting with our hard-working team, and presenting us with the King’s Award for Sustainable Development, which is an incredible privilege.
This recognition reflects our team's unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation at every stage of production, from our farm to the final product. As a family business, we take so much pride in leading the industry towards a more responsible future, and we remain dedicated to making a positive impact on our local communities and the environment.
Sustainability is at the core of everything we do, so The Princess Royal presenting us with this incredible award and taking the time to learn how we’re continuing to push the boundaries of what it means to be a sustainable business, has been a really special day for our entire team.”
We have recently been awarded the title of Bed Manufacturer of the Year at the 2024 National Bed Federation Awards, being commended for our commitment to sustainability and focused environmental achievements.