Portsmouth woman wins award for Jumanji board game

A Portsmouth board game designer has been jointly awarded this year’s Game of the Year Award by the Toy Retailers Association (TRA) for the Jumanji board game.
The Jumanji board game.The Jumanji board game.
The Jumanji board game.

Rachel Lowe, who has created board games, puzzles and playing cards for 17 years, launched the Jumanji game in December 2017. It quickly became top of the UK Amazon ranking in board games for two years running, alongside Cards Against Humanity and other bestsellers.

‘I was absolutely delighted,’ says Rachel, 42, from Portsmouth.

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Spin Master received the award for the Jumanji board game at this year’s Toy Industry Awards at January’s London Toy Fair. It was revealed after the ceremony that Ms Lowe had jointly distributed the product in the UK and was therefore entitled to the joint recipient of the award.

Rachel Lowe receiving the award from Alan Simpson, chairman of the Toy Retailers Association.Rachel Lowe receiving the award from Alan Simpson, chairman of the Toy Retailers Association.
Rachel Lowe receiving the award from Alan Simpson, chairman of the Toy Retailers Association.

Ten months later, the Game of the Year Award was presented at this year’s DreamToys event on November 13 at St Mary’s Church, Marylebone, London, by TRA chairman Alan Simpson.

Mr Simpson said: ‘We are sorry that Rachel’s role in the success of Jumanji did not come to light until after the toy industry awards, but we are pleased to be able to retrospectively present this well-deserved Game of the Year award.’

Rachel, who has also created games under licence for Call The Midwife and Laurel and Hardy, said: ‘The award recognises the hard work and effort I put into getting it to the number one ranking on Amazon when I launched it two years ago and also the hard work of my distributor, Heathside Trading, who achieved volume sales throughout the duration of my contract with Sony.

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‘I was very proud with the success it had on Amazon – even Chris Evans mentioned it on his radio breakfast show.

‘It’s quite an achievement.’

Rachel is known for creating the Destination brand of board games, which started with Destination Portsmouth and then expanded with Harry Potter and Downton Abbey versions. During her career in the toy industry, Rachel has created games under licence for Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc and more.

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