Home & Gift, Harrogate - Gift Focus magazine

heroes and challenges
Reporting from The Giftware Association’s annual general meeting and away day
The GA served up a feast
of advice and information
for members attending its
general meeting and away
day in Birmingham.
A packed programme of
speakers covered topical
subjects from making the
most of social media to sourcing from China
and business investment.
Chairman’s report
Presenting the association’s annual report,
chairman Michael Sweeney said that both
retailers and suppliers responded “very
positively” to the pan-industry survey
conducted last autumn, with 92% of members
stating they would recommend The GA to
other people.
New initiatives and highlights included:
• An extra 170 new members signed up to
the association last year and during the first
few months of 2011.
• High levels of retention close to 90% for
suppliers and 80% for retailers last year.
• Segmentation of the membership base to
provide a tailored service to the different types
of businesses within the home and gift industry.
• GA starter packs for those new to giftware
in order to provide essential background
information about the industry and how to
succeed within it.
• Refreshed GA website helping to bring in a
whole new audience.
• The GA selected as a finalist in the electronic
communications and member recruitment
categories of the Trade Association Forum best
practice awards in 2010.
Michael also issued a reminder that the
deadline for entries for next year’s Gift of the
Year competition was the middle of December
2011 and he urged all suppliers to enter as
many products as possible.
Your Office in China
Speaker Mike Josypenko revealed that British
Jewellery & Giftware International (BJGI) was
introducing a new service, Your Office in China,
to help its member companies source and
import products more effectively from China.
52 giftfocus
Mike, BJGI international services manager, said:
“The service and the partners will act as your
ears and eyes on the ground in China and
provide a link between you and suppliers. Your
Office in China will offer a support package
enabling businesses to work with existing or
new suppliers.”
He added: “Most importantly, we act only
on your behalf. We have no third party
agreements or arrangements with any
suppliers and our simple fee structure makes
your life easier.”
Challenges
James Robinson, investment manager for
Lloyds Development Capital (LDC), offered
some valuable financial advice.
On a positive note he said although 2008-09
had been “a very tough time” for business,
there was now more longer-term lending.
“I am sure you have come across various
challenges when you have tried to fund your
growth strategies recently,” he said. “But there
is now more competition in the debt market
and most banks are open for business again.
Hopefully, demand is increasing and we are a
bit more positive about the outlook.”
However, he warned that although
businesses might currently be able to negotiate
some improved lending terms, a pricing
increase was predicted in the next couple of
years which would bring new challenges.
The meeting also heard from Taz Thornton,
co-founder of PR company Turquoise Tiger and
the digital magazine Tweeting Times.
In a lively presentation she told members how
online services such as Twitter, Facebook and
Linkedin could be used to strengthen company
brands and attract customers.
Heroes
There was a moving presentation from the
founders of Help for Heroes, Bryn and Emma
Parry. They set up the charity in October 2007
to help wounded servicemen and women
returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
Ex-soldier Bryn explained that he and Emma
had been in the gift industry for 23 years.
In 2009 they sold their business, Bryn Parry
Studios, to concentrate on the charity, which
has raised around £97.5 million to provide
practical, direct support.
The charity is supported by the Help for
Heroes Trading Company, the giftware business
run by Emma, which was given the go-ahead
by trustees in 2008.
Philippa Allan receiving her
award from David Simons
In brief
David Simons a GA stalwart whose late
father, Elkan founded The Giftware Association
presented the Elkan Simons Award to Philippa
Allan, a director of Stone The Crows!, in
recognition of her outstanding contribution to
the gift and home industry. She chaired The
Giftware Association, became the first female
president of the BJGF, served on the managing
board of British Trade International and its
successor, UK Trade & Investment, and in 2009
received the OBE for services to business in
the East Midlands and international trade. She
steps down from the BJGF board this summer.
Mike Sartain of Hale Events and Sebnini’s
Gert Schyber were elected to the national
committee for 2011-12.
Two framed Help for Heroes T-shirts, signed
by Bryn and Emma Parry, raised a total of
£600 for the charity. g
Further information
The GA: www.ga-uk.org
Your Office in China: www.bjgf.org.uk/
international
Help for Heroes: www.helpforheroes.org.uk