The colour-in caravan bringing joy to young Bristolians

She might only be small, but she’s certainly not afraid to be the centre of attention. Walking down a leafy street in Clifton, you’d be forgiven for doing a double take upon seeing Bertha sitting on the drive: an eye-catching and totally unique caravan covered in illustrations inside and out.

She’s the brainchild of Kate Edmunds, who, after completing a degree in graphics and illustration, worked as a graphic designer on a variety of television programmes in Bristol. When she had children, she began writing and illustrating children’s books, and then went on to set up her own business, Eggnogg, which stocks a full range of colouring-in products.

Bertha in all her glory. Photograph by Erin Thomas

“The idea for colouring-in products came to me in a restaurant when the kids were little. The waiters had put a sheet of paper on the table, but they were covered in adverts so there wasn’t actually much space to colour in,” Kate explains. “I thought I could use my graphics and illustration skills to create a product in its own right. The colour-in paper giant posters, which can be used as tablecloths, are now our best sellers. We currently stock in John Lewis, Harrods, National Trust as well as hundreds of independent shops home and abroad. It’s been a real success.

“We also do fancy dress, fabric picnic blankets, rucksacks, pencil cases – and, of course, now we have Bertha, the colour-in caravan, who is a great mascot for the business. She’s very popular at fairs and festivals – everyone comes to colour her in.”

Bertha comes with all the washable pens you could wish for. Photograph by Erin Thomas

Kate’s husband and brother helped to renovate the caravan into the magnificent colouring-in contraption she is now. “When we bought her from Ebay she was a wreck,” Kate recalls. “She was completely dilapidated and falling apart, and sodden inside because she’d been left outside in a garden for years.” With a bit of TLC she has been completely transformed into a space where children can run riot and let out all of their creativity in a safe environment.

“I just had this harebrained scheme to do a little caravan that kids could go inside and colour absolutely everything, because parents are always complaining about children drawing on things they’re not meant to. When our son was two, for instance, he grabbed some wax crayons and scribbled all over my husband’s prized stone sculpture, so I can relate!”

Children get to work making Bertha as colourful as possible at a festival

As for what the neighbours think of having Bertha parked on the drive, says Bristolians are very understanding. Kate has lived here since she left college – “I couldn’t get a job in television in London because it was so competitive. So I came to Bristol to do a week’s work experience, and here I still am!” she laughs.

“Bristol is just such a fantastic place and has a real artist base. It’s quite eclectic; the people here love great ideas and appreciate quirky little things, and I think Bertha is pretty quirky!”

Bertha can be rented for parties, weddings and special events from £300 for the day or £400 for the weekend. See Eggnogg’s full range of colouring-in products at www.eggnogg.co.uk