Neelam corners the gift-wrap market

Most people think they can wrap presents — that is until they see Neelam Meetcha's handiwork.

The 41-year-old mother-of-two always had a knack for making gifts look just-so.

But now she has turned her hobby into a career, after jetting thousands of miles to the Czech Republic to learn how to become a professional wrapper.

Now she is keen to pass on her skills to those who struggle to give that special finishing touch to a gift.

Neelam, who lives in Rosemary Crescent West, Goldthorne Park, used to work at Walsall College as a specialist lecturer for deaf students.

She decided on a career change after illness kept her off work and gave her time to think about her options. Neelam says: "One evening my sisters and I were doing some wrapping at home, having a girl's night in, and it gave me an idea.

"I started researching gift wrapping services and found that there was a gap in the market — this was three years ago and that was when I decided to set up a business."

Neelam, who already ran Crystal Windscreens with her husband Karam Singh, set up All Occasions Gift Wrap at the office in Ettingshall Road, Wolverhampton. She added: "Looking on the internet I came across Radka Schzlechuak, who has wrapped the biggest and smallest gifts, which got her into the Guinness Book of Records. I emailed her and talked to her for a few months about what I wanted to do and she eventually agreed to train me, as no one else in England can do what she does.

"I grew up in Wolverhampton and didn't think I had any creativity and that I was more academic — but after a few days with Radka I changed my mind." Neelam completed a three-day course in the Czech Republic where Radka taught her, on a one-to-one basis, the skills of being a professional present wrapper.

Now Neelam helps people set up their own gift-wrapping businesses.

"For me it is not about keeping these skills to myself, I enjoy the teaching aspect to it," she said.

"When I got back to England I practised everything I had learned for around a month until I felt confident enough to set up by myself."

Neelam says that wrapping circular items, such as round tins of sweets confound most people.

However, she demonstrates how simple it is once you know how using good quality paper and some double sided sticky tape. Measuring beforehand is important.

Then using a fan-style folding technique Neelam covers the tin with the paper on each side.

Neelam says that she finds women want to get together as a day out and learn how to gift-wrap, or to perfect their techniques.

"I also do a luxury gift wrapping service, using ribbons and embellishments, at shops in Kensington as well as The Touchwood Shopping Centre in Solihull," she says.

"I have to say that around 98 per cent of people that come to me are men — they are generally not confident wrappers."

Since setting up her business Neelam has branched out into teaching people how to make fruit and cupcake bouquets, after completing a cake decorating course at Wolverhampton Adult Education College. And Neelam says she never regrets packing in her job and going it alone, adding: "I think it is important to empower women to start businesses and use their creativity."