ABOUT

 

 

 

 

 

 

"OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN THE UK AND AROUND THE WORLD TO READ TOGETHER AND THEN TO GO OUTSIDE AND EXPLORE. WE BELIEVE CONNECTING WITH NATURE GIVES YOU THE WONDERFUL DUAL BENEFITS OF BETTER PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH." GARETH AND BEN (MARCH 2022).

ORIGINAL CONCEPT

The loveable Colin the Cow, originated in the Dedham Vale when Gareth Bates, a crazy and cool uncle to his young niece, saw how much fun she was having when looking at and interacting with the family farm Hereford cows and their calves.

After reading numerous books together, slowly but surely with a 4 year old, an idea brewed in Gareth's mind..."the world is ready for a modern day cute cow revolution!"

RISE TO THE CHALLENGE

With no background in creating a children's brand, Gareth was apprehensive at first but set out to self-publish a collection of beautiful picture storybooks that have real personality and keep any reader glued to their pages.

Gareth's experience on the family farm and campsite since 2014 had given him the confidence to push ahead with the project, but who else could help?

 

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY...

Having spent many years together at school in Essex, Gareth knew exactly the right man who could bring Colin the Cow to life. The book is written and illustrated by Ben Somers, a legend of underground music artwork who has worked with the likes of drum'n'bass' very own Goldie. Gareth re-connected with Ben back in 2018, after a 21 year break, and after many bumps in the road the Colin the Cow project slowly began to take form. As Ben now lives around the Bristol area he is known as the "Banksy of children's artwork." Many people even suspect that he could be Banksy himself.

BOOKS - ENCOURAGING LITERACY

Gareth and Ben hope that their fun characters and stories will keep children and adults engaged all the way from the beginning to the end of the books. Everything is carefully crafted to help children enhance their reading skills over time whilst allowing parents to be entertained along the way.

"As children have different levels of reading, even at a young age, we believe that just one book can inspire a child to read more and more. If we can make reading and exploring the outdoors something that both parents and children look forward to then we will have done our job."

T-SHIRTS AND MUGS - SPREADING THE MESSAGE

Along with books, Gareth's favourite collectables are arty t-shirts and mugs from places around the UK and the world.

"I want to be proud of our Colin the Cow books and merchandise and can't wait to wear the Colin the Cow t-shirts with pride and to have a nice cup of tea from our mugs to help spread the message."

EXPLORE OUTSIDE

Whether you one day want to climb Mount Everest or are happy to slowly walk up your local hill, Gareth and Ben believe that getting outside and exploring can be great for your fitness and your mental health.

Going camping, leisurely rambling through woods, swimming in a river or even biking through the countryside can be a fun and a cost effective way to stay healthy and learn about the environment.

WHAT'S NEXT ON THE JOURNEY?

"We are very lucky to live in the Dedham Vale on the Suffolk and Essex border and we want all children: whatever their background, heritage or circumstances to understand what happens here. 

Thankfully, wherever you live in the world, you can now join us with our fabulous Colin the Cow storybook adventures!"