University of Brighton graduate starts gift box business

Vix Fuller, a University of Brighton graduate based in Eastbourne, co-founded Send a Smile, a gifting company that creates thoughtful wellbeing gift boxes for people facing illness, bereavement, or emotional hardship.

Ms Fuller co-founded the business after supporting a close friend through a life-changing diagnosis.

She said flowers and off-the-shelf gifts "barely reflected how much I cared."

She gathered a box of her friend’s favourite things instead.

That small act became the basis for Send a Smile.

Ms Fuller said: "I just didn’t know what to send. Flowers felt too predictable, and everything I found barely reflected how much I cared or what she was going through.

"In the end, I teamed with another friend to gather all her favourite things and chucked them into a box to send to her. She loved the gift and it made her smile.

"It meant a lot to her, and we were really glad to have been able to curate something meaningful for her.

"I have seen the impact that meaningful gifts can have on those who receive them.

"People want to be there for each other, but they don’t always know how. I wanted to make it easier to send something that genuinely means something, without overthinking it.

"My training as a midwife taught me how important it is to meet people where they are, especially during vulnerable moments. That’s exactly what I’m trying to do with Send a Smile."

The service helps people show care and support with curated, personalised gifts.

Thelma Lackey, course leader for midwifery at the University of Brighton, said: "Vix’s journey is a powerful example of how the values at the heart of midwifery – compassion, empathy and truly understanding people’s needs – can extend far beyond clinical practice."

Since its launch, Send a Smile has helped to send thousands of gifts across the UK.

The start-up was named a Small Business Sunday winner in 2025, securing access to business support and networking opportunities.