Meet the
Sign Maker Team

Poppy-Lea Price

At The Sign Maker, there is a certain amount of keeping it in the family! Poppy-Lea Price is the daughter of directors, Kate and Shaun, and can be found across numerous departments of The Sign Maker. 

As our manager and backup spray-painter, Poppy spends a large amount of time in the workshop. However, she also graduated with a first-class honours degree in business studies, so she is well-versed in all things marketing and business management too.

Poppy ensures that our operations are as seamless as they can be!

Caroline Johnson

Caroline has had an incredible journey with us at The Sign Maker. Starting in our office, she eagerly embraced the opportunity for more hands-on work and has since trained extensively in working with stone. Now, with years of experience under her belt, Caroline has become our main stonemason.

Her expertise spans every stage of the process - from selecting the right stone to cutting, polishing, and applying sandblasting rubber. Caroline’s meticulous craftsmanship shines, especially when sandblasting intricate lettering into hard granite, a task that requires exceptional precision. Her keen eye for detail ensures that we produce our finest signage and memorials.

Kate Hartas

Kate is our lead carpenter, and with wooden signage being one of our specialties, she’s always in high demand. When raw timber arrives - whether it’s oak, iroko, sapele, cedar, or Douglas fir - Kate takes charge of selecting the best pieces and applying her expert craftsmanship to transform them into beautiful signs.

From timber selection to the final product, Kate’s skill and attention to detail ensure that every sign is a work of art.

Kate also picks up various jobs across the workshop. Her flexibility and multifaceted skillset are ideal for her role at The Sign Maker and we are grateful for her hands-on approach to all that we do here

Debbie Stevens

Debbie has been a vital part of The Sign Maker for many years. She initially led the vinyl department, but when we acquired WheelCover.com - Debbie was ready for a new challenge. We soon discovered her exceptional skills as a seamstress, and with a few tips from the original owner, she quickly adapted to making wheel covers.

Now, Debbie runs the wheel cover workshop at The Sign Maker, overseeing both outgoing orders and ordering the materials. She also actively seeks new trade outlets. Under her leadership, the business has expanded, offering custom-sized soft wheel covers for both trade and individual customers.

Paul Weeks

Paul Weeks, a senior carpenter, has been with The Sign Maker almost since day one. Initially, he helped with more complex carpentry tasks just one day a week. As The Sign Maker grew, Paul transitioned to full-time, playing a key role in collaborating with Shaun to develop much of our larger wooden signage.

Unfortunately, Paul had to take time off due to illness, and his absence was deeply felt. We are thrilled to have him back to handle the most complex signs, even if just one day a week.

Lee Newton

Lee is a relatively new addition to The Sign Maker team and is quickly becoming an invaluable member. Although he might sometimes feel outnumbered in our predominantly female workshop, he always has a smile on his face.

Lee's primary responsibility is packing orders ranging from small memorial plaques to large wooden signs on posts and from heavy granite memorial tablets to orders of a hundred wheel covers. He does an excellent job ensuring that your order arrives safely at your door.

Anna Skinner

Recently returned from maternity leave, Anna now works part-time in the vinyl department.

As the daughter of Kate and Shaun, Anna has grown up immersed in the business, giving her a solid understanding of all aspects of the company.

She prefers working in the vinyl room, where she excels as a skilled vinyl weeder and applicator. Additionally, she is highly proficient in applying wrap vinyl full-wrap wrap wheel covers, a task that demands significant expertise.

Emma Hill

Our workshop staff often transition from office roles to hands-on positions, and Emma is no exception. Initially working in the office, Emma brought valuable experience as a varnish sprayer from a furniture factory. Seeking a change and filling a need for a skilled paint sprayer, she embraced the challenge.

Starting with lettering & base coats, Emma honed her skills and she now applies flawless top coats without sagging or drips. She ensures each sign receives the perfect coat of paint, demonstrating great skill but making it look easy.

Annie Damms

Annie began her journey at The Sign Maker in an administrative role, but when we took on WheelCover.com, we quickly discovered her practical skills and talent as a seamstress.

Annie and Debbie are now responsible for manufacturing all of our wheel covers. They expertly craft the durable vinyl fabric skirts and sew them onto the hard plastic disks.

Some of our commercial clients, like Urban, order over 100 covers every month, showcasing the high demand for their quality work. They also craft soft covers for a growing number of companies.

Kirstie Anstee

Kirstie is a key member of our vinyl department, where she handles everything from wheel covers to vinyl-printed signs. Despite the fast-paced nature of the work, Kirstie consistently delivers outstanding results, thanks to her meticulous attention to detail. Her contributions make her a valued part of both the department and The Sign Maker family.

In addition to her vinyl expertise, Kirstie is a talented artist. When a sign requires hand-painted images, it’s Kirstie who brings those designs to life with her artistic touch.

Martin Huggins

When Paul was away, Martin, who owns a small holding near Yelland Farm, stepped in to help. Given his expertise in crafting bespoke wooden kitchens, we were confident he could manage our extensive range of wooden signage—and we were right. Martin happily took on everything from oak hockey stick signs to wooden headstones.

Now a valued part-time member of our skilled carpentry team, Martin brings not only a wealth of experience and a keen eye for detail but also a "can-do" attitude that perfectly complements The Sign Maker team.

Davey Chivers

As The Sign Maker expanded, it became clear that Shaun needed help to handle the design work for all our signs, memorials, and wheel covers. When a local sign maker ceased trading, we seized the opportunity to bring Davey on board.

He describes himself as a journeyman typographer with design and artwork experience spanning five decades.

He collaborates closely with our office and crafting teams to transform our clients' ideas into stunning signs, memorials, and wheel covers. On top of his design skills, Davey also enjoys keeping the kitchen tidy and making a good cup of tea!

James Kendrew

James Kendrew, an apprentice-trained blacksmith, has been crafting ironwork since 1988. He specializes in forging hot metal and shapes, bends, and twists it into various forms.

Over fifteen years ago, James started by just making simple brackets for The Sign Maker. Since then, our range has expanded, with most of his creations now made for us. Beyond brackets, he also produces tree stakes, lecterns, plaque holders, hooks, and hangers. Collaborating closely with our office on custom projects, James has become a key member of The Sign Maker team.

Jackie Morrison

Jackie is one of the friendly voices you’ll hear when you reach out to us about your signage needs. Whether you’re placing your first order or just have a few questions, Jackie is here to guide you through the process with ease.

Curious about your sign’s progress? Jackie will find out and keep you informed. Need to make changes to your proof? She’ll ensure the designer clearly understands your requests.

From processing payments to updating delivery details, Jackie handles it all, making sure your experience with The Sign Maker is smooth and hassle-free.

Danielle Pullen

Danielle, Kate and Shaun’s eldest daughter, is an invaluable member of our office team.

She specializes in cast metal and polyurethane signage, as well as engraved plaques, signs, and memorials in a wide range of materials.

While our office team can assist with most inquiries, Danielle’s in-depth knowledge of these specific signage types allows us to provide even better guidance and support when you’re choosing signage from The Sign Maker.

Her expertise makes a significant and positive impact on our work.

Kate Price

Alongside the large task of being our company director, Kate Price works across The Sign Maker's finances, websites and digital marketing. 

Kate’s considerable experience in website building allows us to have an informative website, our Online Sign Shop, and the separate dedicated sites - UK Memorials and WheelCover.com 

Kate’s background in business has also led her to be the driving force of The Sign Maker’s sustainable ethos. From tree planting to habitat restoration and protection, Kate’s dedication to wildlife and the environment is unique to our business as a sign manufacturer!

Alice Redford

Alice, one of our Sales Assistants, is likely to be one of the first person you'll speak with when inquiring about our signs. She’s ready to assist with any questions and will help you find the perfect sign to meet your needs.

Alice specialises in vinyl signage, sign boards, as well as aluminum and fibreglass signs.

Beyond handling customer calls and emails, Ali monitors the progress of signage orders, coordinates with couriers, and arranges international shipping, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish.

Louise Snell

Louise leads our quotes department for all wooden and stone signs and memorials at The Sign Maker. She understands the pros and cons of the different timbers and stone types we offer.

Specialising in bespoke products makes this role challenging, but Louise’s experience and expertise make it seem effortless.

Her deep knowledge of our signage, which she gained through her work on quotes, is an invaluable resource for the entire team.

 

Jake Price

Jake Price, son of Kate and Shaun, is our technology guru. Originally a designer, Jake transitioned into business software development and created the software that keeps every department at The Sign Maker running smoothly. From sending quotes to generating production lists, his work ensures our operations run flawlessly.

While Jake continues to manage The Sign Maker's software needs, he also develops custom software for other businesses.