Our story

It started with a cup of tea, a draughty Yorkshire house and a grandad who refused to give up doing things for himself.

Carrying two mugs of tea up the stairs with one hand using the Topple Tray, the other hand on the bannister

7 hours

to hit our Kickstarter goal

1,200+

trays in homes in 2022 and 2023

Dragons' Den

as seen on the BBC

2 years

warranty on every product

Grandad's tray

In the early 1980s my grandad, Andrew Townson, wanted to carry his tea round the house and still have a hand free to shut the door behind him. So he built a tray he could hold from above, with one hand, that kept the cup steady as he walked.

It worked. He used it for years. Long after he was gone, I kept thinking about how something so simple had kept him independent. That idea is behind everything we make.

How we got here

Early 1980s · Yorkshire

Grandad builds the first one handed tray.

2020 · Kickstarter

I refine his idea into the Tipsi Tray. Backers fund it in just seven hours.

2021 · Dragons' Den

I pitch to the Dragons. No investment, but the publicity sends sales flying.

2022 to 2023 · The Topple Tray

Your feedback shapes a lighter, simpler tray. Over 1,200 find a home, and QVC places an order.

March 2027 · The relaunch

After a factory closure, we're back with a new manufacturer, full stainless steel and two new mats.

What we believe

Independence first

Making your own cup of tea and carrying it to your chair matters. We design for those small moments.

No grey plastic

Daily living aids don't need to look clinical. Ours look at home in your kitchen, café or pub.

Built to last

Stainless steel, simple parts and plastic free packaging. Made to be the last one you buy.

"My grandad built the first one because he wanted to keep doing things for himself. We're still a small family business, and that's still the whole point."

Robert Simpson, founder and grandson of the original tray maker