Craft Focus - Aug/Sep (Issue 68)

craft focus 7 industry news A roundup of latest news from the crafting industry industry news CRAFT RETAILER RAISES £1M FOR CHARITY High street retailer Hobbycraft has raised £1 million for children’s hospices, with customers and staff working together in support of its charity partnership with Together for Short Lives. The milestone comes in the same year that Hobbycraft also hit one million transactions through its till-point ‘pennies’ donation scheme. The partnership also won the craft giant recognition at the Business Charity Awards. In an effort to raise funds, the Chief Executives of both organisations scaled a 175ft cliff in the dark and abseiled back down through fog. Staff members also took part in the fun, with 38 employees embarking on a 22-mile trek through the South Downs. “We were ecstatic to learn that we’d won a Business Charity Award for our work with Together for Short Lives,” says Dominic Jordan, Chairman and CEO. “We’ve been working together for many years and it’s an inspirational charity. We were up against some tough competition, so it’s great to see crafting come out on top.” Visit hobbycraft.co.uk for more information. CRAFTER’S COMPANION INVESTS IN RETAIL GROWTH Crafter’s Companion has appointed a new Head of Retail after experiencing a 12 per cent increase in UK sales from 2016/2017 to 2017/2018. Helen Hollings joins the multimillion-pound business from Joules clothing and will be responsible for introducing commercial retail practices and improved workshop programmes across the company. Drawing on a wealth of senior retail management experience, Helen will take ownership of the team’s professional development, and will also help to improve product selection and optimise spending. “Helen’s appointment as head of retail will ensure that the business continues to move forwards in terms of retail development,” says Crafter’s Companion founder, Sara Davies MBE. “Our existing stores, coupled with our ever-expanding product portfolio provide us with an excellent foundation for growth, and Helen understands that our people-oriented culture is key to this. I look forward to working with her in supporting and investing in our team in order to expand Crafter’s Companion’s estate and ultimately keep increasing our turnover.” Helen adds, “The craft industry is fascinating to me and I’m thrilled with the opportunity to work on developing retail as part of our multi-channel business. I’m experienced in reshaping in-store operations and I am impressed with the growth opportunities that exist at Crafter’s Companion. I’m confident that I can help take the business to a higher level in terms of current retail contribution.” The company opened two retail outlets in Newton Aycliffe and Chesterfield during 2016 and a third store in Evesham in 2017, complementing its presence online and in thousands of stores around the world. The business currently employs more than 160 staff, selling products online, through its own outlets and independent retailers, as well as presenting workshops and demonstrations in store and on TV in the UK, US and Germany. Visit crafterscompanion.co.uk for details.