My Safe Place Southern Wins Prestigious Theo Paphitis #SBS Award
We are delighted to announce that My Safe Place Southern has been recognised nationally after winning the prestigious Theo Paphitis Small Business Sunday (#SBS) Award.
Receiving an #SBS Award is a significant achievement for any small business, and we are incredibly proud that our mission to make holidays more inclusive for neurodivergent families has been recognised by one of the UK's most respected entrepreneurs.
National Recognition from Theo Paphitis
The Small Business Sunday (#SBS) initiative was founded by retail entrepreneur and former Dragons' Den investor Theo Paphitis to celebrate outstanding small businesses across the UK.
Each week, Theo personally selects just six winners from businesses that share their stories on social media.
After sharing the journey behind My Safe Place Southern on LinkedIn, our Managing Director, Karen Mason, was selected as one of the week's winners, with Theo personally reposting our business to his audience of more than 800,000 followers across LinkedIn, X and Instagram.
This incredible exposure has helped shine a spotlight on our mission and the importance of creating truly inclusive holidays.
A Mission Inspired by Experience
My Safe Place Southern was founded by Karen Mason, who has more than 36 years of experience in the holiday park industry.
Inspired by her own family's lived experience supporting neurodivergent loved ones, Karen recognised that many families faced unnecessary barriers when booking and enjoying holidays.
That experience inspired a simple but powerful mission to help holiday parks become more welcoming, understanding and accessible for neurodivergent guests.
Since launching, we have worked with holiday parks and manufacturers across the UK to improve accessibility through consultancy, staff training and practical solutions that make a genuine difference to guest experiences.
Driving Innovation Across the Industry
Earlier this year, we proudly launched the UK's first purpose built neurodivergent friendly holiday caravan, designed specifically with sensory needs, comfort and accessibility in mind.
Alongside innovative accommodation, we also provide:
Accessibility reviews for holiday parks
Neurodiversity awareness and staff training
Specialist consultancy
Practical recommendations to improve inclusive tourism
Our aim is simple, to ensure every family feels welcomed, supported and able to enjoy their holiday with confidence.
What the Award Means to Us
Winning the #SBS Award means joining an inspiring community of more than 4,000 successful UK small businesses, providing valuable networking opportunities, national recognition and continued support.
Karen Mason, Managing Director of My Safe Place Southern, said:
"Winning Theo Paphitis' Small Business Sunday Award is an incredible honour and fantastic recognition of everything we have worked so hard to achieve. As a small business, gaining national visibility can be challenging, so having someone with Theo's reputation recognise our mission means a great deal.
Our goal has always been to make holidays accessible and enjoyable for neurodivergent families by working with holiday parks and manufacturers to create truly inclusive accommodation and guest experiences. This award helps us reach more people, raise awareness of the importance of inclusive tourism, and continue driving positive change across the industry. We are extremely grateful to Theo and the #SBS community for their support."
Looking Ahead
Receiving the Theo Paphitis #SBS Award is an incredible milestone, but it is also motivation to continue pushing for positive change across the holiday park industry.
We are passionate about helping more parks embrace accessibility, supporting more families to enjoy stress free holidays, and proving that inclusive tourism benefits everyone.
As awareness of neurodiversity continues to grow, we hope our work encourages even more businesses to recognise that accessibility is not simply an added feature. It is an essential part of creating exceptional guest experiences.
Thank You
We would like to thank Theo Paphitis and the entire #SBS community for recognising our work and supporting our mission.
Most importantly, we would like to thank the families, holiday parks and industry partners who continue to believe in what we are trying to achieve.
Together, we are helping build a future where every family can enjoy holidays that are welcoming, inclusive and unforgettable.
