Gift Focus inc Attire Accessories - May/June 2020

10 THE CREATIVE RETAIL AWARDS PARTNERS WITH LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL Due to COVID-19 the Creative Retail Awards has re-scheduled its Awards ceremony from June 4 th to September 17 th , taking place at Proud Embankment, London. The Awards are now a partner of The London Design Festival, running from 12-20 September, celebrating and promoting London as the design capital of the world. The schedule includes the Global Design Forum, exhibitions including 100% Design, Focus/20 and a whole host of design programmes throughout the capital. Alongside The Creative Retail Awards, London Design Festival is supported by a number of institutions such as the Mayor of London, British Land, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. In light of the Awards postponement, entries to the Awards have been extended to 31 st May and The Creative Retail Awards continues to give free entries to retailers. According to a press release, “The Creative Retail Awards have quickly become one of the most distinguished accolades within the retail, leisure and hospitality industries and recognise projects and products that have demonstrated the very highest level of innovation and excellence within retail. The 2020 Awards will introduce new categories including Omni- Channel Experience, Bar and Restaurant Design and Best Shopfitting/ Fit-Out. There is also a new category specifically for retailers to vote for their favourite suppliers - the Supplier of the Year Award. The whole of the Industry has united to support the Creative Retail Awards, with the three major Industry Associations championing the best in design, display and fit-out. “The Creative Retail Awards are the only Awards to be supported by the Shop & Display Equipment Association (SDEA), National Association of Shopfitters and Interior Contractors (NAS) and the British Display Society (BDS) - who all want to encourage the very best the industry has to offer. Now is the time to promote your company and be recognised for your hard work to a worldwide audience. Winning an Award puts you centre stage with the world’s most visionary and influential retailers and designers, including Chanel, Vodafone, Topshop, Joseph and Pandora amongst others.” Visit www.creativeretailawards.com no w to find out more and enter. SIF JAKOBS JEWELLERY LAUNCHES RETAIL AFFILIATE PROGRAMME TO SUPPORT RETAILERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC To support its UK stockists during the government enforced Covid-19 retail close-down, Sif Jakobs Jewellery has announced the launch of its Retail Affiliate Programme (“R.A.P”). The scheme will initially run until 30 th June, 2020. Following strict social distancing and all other statutory protection measures for the safety of their customer service and warehouse staff, Sif Jakobs Jewellery is opening the stockroom doors and its e-commerce platform based in Copenhagen to support its UK retail stockists. Participating stockists will be given a unique promotion code and supplied with a website banner and invitation email to send to their online customers. Orders placed on the www.sifjakobs.uk w ebsite will qualify for 15% discount, free delivery to a UK postal address and free 90 days returns. A monthly statement will inform the stockist of orders placed using their unique promotion code and their promotion earnings, which will then appear as a credit on their wholesale account. Commenting on the new programme, Director UK & Ireland, Mark Riddle, said “We are delighted to offer this special service to our UK retail stockists at this challenging time. We had a think about how we could put together a support programme that generates sales and our stockists can participate in without physical access to their premises, stock, staff or e-commerce system. If they can simply add the supplied banner to their website and / or send the invitation email to their on-line customers, they can give their customers access to our full range and stock in Copenhagen and generate some revenue. It’s a win, win, win offer”. Retail stockists of the brand will receive an invitation to take part in the next few days and will just need to send a reply to a given email address. www.sifjakobs.uk THE BRITISH HALLMARKING COUNCIL TEMPORARILY CLOSES FOUR OFFICES The UK Assay Offices has temporarily closed four offices following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. According to a press release from the British Hallmarking Council, “Any business that requires product hallmarking or needs advice should contact the Assay Office they usually use and guidance will be provided. “The British Hallmarking Council is maintaining an overview of the situation and further information will be issued when Government restrictions are lifted.” Contact London: unhallmarked@ assayofficelondon.co.uk; Birmingham: customerservice@theassayoffice. co.uk ; Sheffield: info@assayoffice. co.uk ; Edinburgh: enquiries@ edinburghassayoffice.co.uk WHAT MORE UK BEGINS PRODUCTION OF PARTS FOR FACE MASKS TO ASSIST NHS What More UK has announced it will be doing its part to save lives and protect the NHS, by going into production of parts for face masks. In response to the national health emergency the company has announced that it will be producing parts for safety visors at a rate of 60,000 week, “until the country has enough” says Managing Director Andy Holt. According to a company press release, “Not since the dark days of war have the country’s manufacturing companies been called upon to support the greater national goals. What More UK have jumped into action out of a sense of national duty.”In years to come we will be able look back with pride at how we responded to this challenge. Some put rainbows in their windows, many have joined in national rounds of applause, and now What More UK has contributed its expertise and production capabilities behind the national effort.” Tony Grimshaw OBE, company director, said: “In situations like this, times of national emergency, everyone has to play their part. We are proud of the way the nation has responded to this challenge and we are pleased to be able to offer our skills and expertise” In just 20 years What More UK has gone from being a small start-up, to exporting to 73 countries around the world. The company is behind the very popular home storage brand Wham, whose storage boxes can be found in most houses in the UK, and they also produce housewares of all varieties; bakeware, cookware, gardenware, and products for the home laundry and utility rooms. Visit www.whatmoreuk.com