Person with knife (posed by model)

Retailers urged to do more to stop the sale of knives to under 18s

New test purchasing data published today shows that children have been able to buy knives from small independent stores and some of the biggest names on the high street, despite the major retailers pledging** to stop the sale of knives to children.

Of 2231 tests, carried out by Trading Standards in England and Wales between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019, retailers failed to prevent the sale of a knife to a child on 344 separate occasions (15%). Poundland, Home Bargains, Asda and Tesco sold knives to children at least 15 times each during the tests. Some retailers have taken action since the tests began to introduce new steps to help prevent the sale of knives to children.

Separately, 100 online test purchases were carried out; children were sold a knife on 41 occasions.

Person with knife (posed by model)
KATIE COLLINS/PA

Lord Toby Harris, Chair of National Trading Standards, said:

“Restricting the sale of knives to children is clearly a difficult issue for retailers, especially those with large numbers of outlets, staff and delivery partners, and I am aware that many retailers are working incredibly hard to train staff and introduce robust procedures to stem the flow of knives to children.

“But let’s be clear – it’s illegal to sell a knife to a child. Our tests show that it’s still too easy for a child to buy a knife in store or online. We know that young people are being cautioned and convicted for knife crime offences, and as such I urge all retailers to do more. Do you need to sell knives? If you do, can you remove them from shelves and have them available either from a locked cabinet or via a specific till for customers, as already happens with cigarettes – where this is a legal requirement? Are your procedures and those of your delivery partners robust? Can you do more mystery shopping of your own to test how well your own processes are applied?

“The Trading Standards community will continue to play our part by promoting best practice, providing advice to businesses, monitoring retailers’ activity and taking proportionate enforcement action. We need to make sure Trading Standards Services have enough funds to do this important work.”

National Trading Standards is publishing results from the test purchases, which were carried out by young people aged under 18, to encourage best practice and highlight the issue. National Trading Standards recognises it is very complex for businesses with multiple outlets to prevent sales of knives to under 18s and the law in this area is clear that if a retailer has adopted the correct procedures and ensured they are implemented, there is no offence.

Minister for Policing, Crime and Fire Kit Malthouse said:

“I am deeply concerned to see some retailers are breaking the law and I expect them to take urgent action to stop young people from getting hold of knives in the first place.

“Our Offensive Weapons Act will also help stop knives and weapons making their way onto our streets and being used to carry out appalling attacks.”

Local authorities have routinely undertaken test purchasing of knives. For the last two years the Home Office has provided additional funds to National Trading Standards to supplement this work. This is a pilot scheme and is just one part of a multi-faceted approach to reducing knife crime. The work of this programme is ongoing and will include further test purchasing. A range of enforcement powers are available including cautions, warnings and prosecutions.

In 2018 B&M was ordered to pay £480,000 in fines and £12,428 in costs after selling knives to children. Croydon Trading Standards has recently successfully prosecuted companies for selling knives online as part of this work.

  • In July 2019 Tool Supplies UK Limited of Heswell, Wirral, and Inifer Potter and Son Ltd of Hockley in Essex were fined £8,000 and each was ordered to pay costs of more than £2,000
  • SD International Trading Limited was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay over £2,250 in costs after pleading guilty at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on 25 June 2019 to selling a knife online to a child
GUIDANCE FOR RETAILERS

·       Consider if you need to sell knives at all.

·       If you do need to sell knives, store them securely in locked cabinets behind a specific counter.

·       Ensure all staff are made aware that knives are age-restricted products and receive regular training and refreshers on an ongoing basis.

·       Operate age restricted policies: no ID, no sale.

·       Sign up to and adhere to the voluntary Code to restrict sales of knives to childrenhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sale-of-knives-voluntary-agreement-by-retailers/sale-of-knives-voluntary-agreement-by-retailers

·       Carry out mystery shopping to ensure procedures are being followed.

·       For more information go to: https://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/underage-sales/knives-and-other-bladed-items

1 in 10 Parents Admit Throwing Dirty Nappies in the Recycling

A new campaign has been launched today to encourage parents to dispose of used nappies in their general rubbish bin, after one in 10 UK parents of under 3s admitted to putting them in with the household recycling.North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has revealed how lorry-loads of recycling have to be thrown away because they have so many nappies in them. The scourge of nappy contamination also forces recycling centre workers to pull filthy nappies off conveyor belts by hand so the rest of the recycling can be processed properly.NLWA wants to help parents do the right thing with used nappies and avoid causing these problems. Disposing of nappies properly not only helps the environment, it also helps reduce the staggering £1.5m cost of contamination met by north London taxpayers every year.The #BinYourNappy campaign reminds parents to put used nappies in their general waste bin.

NLWA has launched the campaign after carrying out new research, which found there is widespread confusion about correct nappy disposal; 10% of parents of under 3s think nappies should go in a bin other than general waste. And of those who have put nappies in the recycling, more than a third say it’s because the outer packaging shows the ‘recycling logo’, whilst a fifth say it’s because they are termed ‘disposable’.

With labelling on nappy packaging at the heart of the confusion, NLWA is calling on manufacturers to make it clearer on-pack, and through their marketing communications, that nappies must go in the general rubbish bin.

Chair of NLWA, Councillor Clyde Loakes, said: “It’s hard to overestimate the scale of this unsavoury problem. We know parents want to do the right thing. That’s why we’re asking parents to put used nappies in the general waste bin. Contamination of recycling damages the environment, is costly for taxpayers and leaves recycling centre staff having to remove soiled nappies by hand.

“Our research shows that there is huge confusion about the labelling on packs. We’re calling on nappy manufacturers to come on board and make things clearer for their customers and help parents’ understanding.

“The estimated cost of dealing with contaminated recycling in the next year in north London alone is nearly £1.5million – money which I’m sure most taxpayers would prefer was spent elsewhere.”

Steve Oulds, National Commercial Manager at Biffa Waste Services Ltd, a Materials Recovery Facility which deals with recycling from households across north London, said: “We see millions of nappies arrive at our facility each year. Contamination is the single biggest challenge we face on a daily basis.

“Nearly half of parents in the survey didn’t know that recycling is sorted by hand. I hope that this knowledge helps encourage everyone to dispose of every nappy in the general rubbish bin.”Further confusion has been found around nappies marketed as ‘biodegradable’ or ‘compostable’, with half of all respondents believing these are recyclable in some form. Some respondents also thought whether a nappy is clean, wet or soiled makes a difference to whether it can be recycled. In fact, it is not currently possible to recycle any type of nappy through mainstream council recycling services.

The ‘Green Dot’ symbol (two intertwined arrows forming a circle) has been shown to be the most baffling for parents. Of those surveyed, 55% thought that this meant the outer packaging could be recycled and 13% thought it meant that either clean or used nappies could be recycled. In fact, the symbol only indicates that the producer has made a financial contribution towards the recovery and recycling of packaging in Europe and does not mean that the outer packaging or its contents are recycled or recyclable.

At the heart of the #BinYourNappy campaign is a video which helps explain the problem to parents – set to the tune of a familiar nursery rhyme.

As well as working with nappy manufacturers, NLWA will be enlisting the help of health services, toddler play centres and parenting groups to help spread the #BinYourNappy message. You can watch our campaign video, which explains the problem of nappy contamination here.

Visit wiseuptowaste.org.uk/binyournappy to find out more about the campaign.

Fashion retailers leading sustainability trend by trialling new business models

The London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) and QSA Partners have today announced that they are working with a number of fashion retailers to develop and pilot a range of new circular economy business models such as clothes hire, product resale, repair and rental services. The retailers – including Ted Baker, Farfetch and FW – will be exploring more sustainable ways of operating through the Circular Fashion Fast Forward project.

Each retailer will explore its own bespoke approach to becoming a more circular business, developing new business models which will be trialled and ultimately, if successful, brought to market. Projects like this also create great opportunities for learning, so case studies will be created and shared once the project is complete to help other fashion retailers and brands develop and adopt their own circular business models. 

More and more businesses are realising the competitive advantage that circular business models can bring.  Consumers are increasingly demanding more sustainable options from the brands they love, and circular approaches offer companies a real opportunity to create more value and profit whilst reducing their environmental impact.

Resale is a particularly strong growth area for fashion businesses to consider: a recent report by thredUP1 puts the value of the second-hand market at $24 billion, a figure which is expected to double in the next five years. The Business of Fashion report, “The State of Fashion, 2019”2 highlights that resale is growing nine times faster than traditional retail and The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that an industry-wide move towards circular fashion could add €160 billion in value by 2030.

Brands connected to the project are motivated by the chance to prove the benefits of circular business models. Thomas Berry, Director of Sustainable Business at Farfetch, says: “Circular models like resale or rental are big commercial opportunities for Farfetch. They are a very natural extension of our long-standing vintage offer, and we have started to pilot a few new models. Since 2018 our Browns retail store has been in partnership with rental platform Armarium, and we have just launched Farfetch Secondlife – a handbag resale service for our customers. We are excited to be working with LWARB and QSA to build the business case to accelerate our work in this area. 

Customers are also the main motivation for Kate Wakeling, Ted’s Conscience Manager at Ted Baker, who says: “Ted Baker are excited to be exploring opportunities within the circular economy and are pleased to have teamed up with QSA Partners and LWARB. Ted’s wholly unique way of looking at things means we look forward to delivering something very special and meaningful for our customers.

FW is an exciting new outdoor brand launching in Autumn 2019. Anna Smoothy, FW’s Senior Marketing Manager, emphasises that sustainability is at the core of what they want to achieve: “FW’s approach to sustainability is an open-ended conversation. We are constantly searching to refine our materials and reduce our impact. At FW, quality is sustainability. We make products to last while incorporating eco-materials that are proven to be durable like Oxford Recycled Yarn. We are not just making eco-friendly products destined for landfill – we would like to underline the fact that we are developing a Repair Program with QSA and LWARB so that our fans invest in FW for life.” 

Megan McGill, Programme Manager for the C&A Foundation, is pleased to see these important projects underway: “The fashion industry needs to rapidly adopt new business models that increase the use of clothing and stop the use of unsustainable materials. This is a critical step towards a circular fashion sector. The Circular Fashion Fast Forward project and the participating brands will demonstrate what can already be done today and inspire more industry players to follow.” 

A day with NHS Digital

Our NHS has been a major talking point across the country this year. Work to mark its 70th birthday continues, as is the work to sustain it for another 70 years. It’s a key challenge facing No. 10, Whitehall and Skipton House. Whilst we don’t yet have the answer, it’s clear that digital transformation will play a leading role.

Communication is critical to the development, implementation and success of digital enablers in the NHS. This is true both in terms of encouraging people to use existing digital services – such as GP online services – to the more long-term opportunities enabled by technology. A paper-free NHS and integrated patient records. Smartphone apps and digital clinical engagement. The widespread use of digital medicines. Remote monitoring and care, such as harnessing the Internet of Things to improve prevention.

Successful multi-platform communication and engagement campaigns are needed to make all of these possible. People need to know about them and also need to have faith in them. It’s an old adage, but many of these need communications to help win hearts and minds.

NHS Digital – Shadow Me programme

That’s why I was delighted to take part in NHS Digital’s ‘Shadow Me’ programme, launched by Rachel Royall, Director of Communications. Objectives were two-way: for me to see first-hand the challenges facing a national body’s Director of Communications, but also to recommend ideas from my own experience.

It was quite the day to shadow. Media had broken a confidential story the day before. The Secretary of State was visiting its offices later that week. Important changes affecting patient interactions with the NHS were being planned. All issues that are vital to the organisation’s reputation. All areas that will support efforts to give the NHS a clean bill of health for the future.

Despite the external priorities, Rachel also found time to liaise with the different elements of the communications team, who are split between London and Leeds. She also found time to introduce new starters. The emphasis on internal communications and professional development was clear to see – not least by involving me in such a hands-on way.

So, what key lessons did I learn about being a Director of Communications in the NHS?

  1. Never let a media issue get in the way of your people. In fact, do the opposite. Wherever possible, use it as a chance to provide valuable learning opportunities for your team – it’s invaluable development experience.
  2. Crisis comms? Lead from the front. At all levels. Your leaders need you to provide your expertise, experience and guidance calmly in the face of a crisis. Highlight tangible implications and scenarios and demonstrate how you’re handling them.
  3. In-house communications consultancy, on demand. I was reminded how communication teams span pretty much every workstream in an organisation. It’s a vital enabler across all the major programmes. Comms professionals on the agency side should always remember how much time their clients/in-house comms leaders and teams spend advising their colleagues across the organisation and representing their team internally. It’s not all about your project!
  4. Does comms have a role here? Almost always the answer is yes. Think about the programme in the context of the end user. How will it land? Always strive to get communications at the table from the outset.
  5. Develop new leaders. Perhaps by launching a shadowing programme! It provides valuable insights and learning and brings tangible benefits for both parties.

Written by James McCollum, Associate Director, Barley Communications. With thanks to Rachel Royall, Director of Communications, NHS Digital, for providing us with the opportunity to shadow for the day.

Stopping weight stigma: World Obesity Day 2018

Stigma around health conditions is nothing new. Over the years, HIV, diabetes and mental health have all led individuals to be seen and treated differently or negatively purely because of their health.

Thankfully, significant strides have been made to change society’s views in many areas. But this is not yet the case with obesity. Weight stigma continues to be an issue – whether conscious or not – ranging from subtle degrading to outward hostility. Around the world, it’s evident in the media, among politicians and even within healthcare.

The narrative needs to change. Obesity is a complex disease that stems from an interplay of multiple underlying factors: a dysfunctional food system, genetics and barriers within health systems are all part of the rising obesity rates. Patients are not culprits.

That’s why we’re proud to support the World Obesity Federation to help tackle stigma on 11 October for #WorldObesityDay. Here’s why it’s important:

  • Weight stigma in health services deters people from getting help with weight management
  • Stigma undermines people’s broader health: internalised personal blame for the disease causes anxiety, depression and low self-esteem
  • Changing the narrative around diseases and conditions (such as HIV) can transform public perceptions and improve quality of life and outcomes for patients.

We’re excited to be involved and look forward to engaging stakeholders – including the media – to help change the existing narrative and end weight stigma.

Unleash the benefits of sport

Like much of the developed world, Wales faces the challenges of a population that is getting more overweight and growing old. Add to this mix areas of entrenched poverty – which has been shown to magnify health inequalities – and there is a recipe for a public health crisis that could last decades.

Recognising this the Welsh Government asked Sport Wales to pull together a vision for sport.  Unlike other national strategies this was to be owned by the nation and not just by those people that run sport.

Today is the launch of this vision and I am proud to have played some part in its development working alongside Barley Communications.

So, what is so different? For the first time a country has embraced a truly cradle to the grave approach to sport. This vision is as much about keeping the pensioners fit as it is about giving children the skills to live active lives. This is a significant shift.

When we talked to citizens about what they wanted, it was pretty clear plenty of people want the chance to get fit but don’t currently have the confidence to take part in ‘traditional’ sport. This is why the vision focuses on enjoyment rather than simply meeting health targets.

For too many people the idea of sport is a deeply engrained negative one. This often is a consequence of off-putting childhood experiences. Preaching at people about the benefits of sport or promoting unrealistic role models also isn’t going to work. Giving people a range of fun opportunities that are easily accessible will. For some this might mean training for a marathon, but these people will always be in a minority. Most people have lower expectations and want to take part in an activity that they enjoy and feel safe doing. For some this might be practising yoga in their bedroom, for others it might be football ‘golf’. It’s these kinds of activities that need to be encouraged, even if at the start they don’t necessarily achieve huge health benefits.

We would like to take the credit for developing the vision but in reality, we were just the simple ‘water carriers’- albeit ones that delivered this vision on time and underbudget.  Creating the vision was a real team effort. What was surprising was everyone from the top down were willing to take risks.  Those people who worked and volunteer at a community level shaped the vision and set its tone but were also encouraged by the Welsh Government officials and the board of Sport Wales who pushed for radical and innovative approaches.

But is it achievable? We believe it is. Wales has fantastic national resources, deep community spirit and a genuine national love for sport.  The vision sets the right path, it is owned by the people, developed by those who love sport and supported at the highest levels in government.

The vision will however only become a reality if focus on creating fun accessible experiences. And to do this we all are going to have to get out of our comfort zone.

Gwilym Morris

Guest blog – Making Veteran Homelessness a thing of the past

Getting the system right is vital. Identifying those people who may struggle and making sure they get the right advice is critical

Crisis issued a report setting out their plans to make homelessness ‘a thing of the past.’ Reducing homelessness to zero is absolutely the right objective and one we share in the veterans’ sector. We are also optimistic that it can be done.

The question is how? Every year over 1,000 ex-service personnel need urgent support to find accommodation – that’s a lot of lives, a lot of associated mental health problems, a lot of affected families and friends. There are all sorts of reasons why former members of the Armed Forces end up being homeless. For Alan the trigger was relationship breakdown, for Brian it was unemployment and lack of money, for Ian it was a combination of living with PTSD and his erratic behaviour, which made his relationship untenable.

All three of these gentlemen have a home now. But they and many others have spent time being homeless that could have been avoided. Time spent living under a bridge by the River Thames, looking in bins for food, sofa surfing.

Working in partnership with other organisations which provide accommodation for ex-servicemen and women – we developed a Call to Action to highlight the key issues that need addressing if we are to avoid more people like Alan, Brian and Ian being homeless:

  • The Ministry of Defence needs to ensure that every single service leaver, whatever their circumstances, is asked about their housing options after service. Those identified of being at risk of homelessness should be given bespoke advice.
  • All Local Authorities and other agencies in the ‘civilian’ sphere must establish if a person seeking housing support is a veteran and then have a clear plan to respond to the veterans they identify.
  • The signs are positive. The Ministry of Defence is developing a new veterans’ strategy and we are working with the Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Tobias Ellwood MP, to ensure tackling homelessness is included.

We are also taking some practical steps, such as introducing the Veterans Housing Advice service telephone support for homeless Veterans and launching a vacancies dashboard that lists all the available properties across the country that have been ring-fenced for Veterans.

Getting the system right is vital. Identifying those people who may struggle and making sure they get the right advice is critical.

But we also have to address the actual shortage of affordable social housing for Veterans. Research by the University of York identified that the garrison town of Aldershot faces a specific shortage of housing for Veterans and that is why I am so pleased that this week we have opened 34 new homes in the town for Veterans to rent. We are working to ensure that anyone who serves their country has an appropriate place to live – a place to call home where they can rebuild their lives.

Veteran Craig Wheatley served in the Army for 11 years and is due to move into his new home. He told me that he’s ready for the next step, to move into his own flat and that without help he didn’t know where he’d be today. A new flat gives Craig a fresh opportunity for the future.

The new homes, to be opened by Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, are called Centenary Lodge to mark 100 years from the end of World War One – and 100 years since our organisation was formed. The project has taken us a step closer to reducing homelessness to zero and enabling more Veterans to lead fulfilling and independent lives. I hope it will take a lot less than 100 years before we have enough suitable homes for all the Veterans who need them.

You can support the campaign to reduce homelessness to zero by signing up here. This blog can also be found on Huffington Post.

Guest blog from Ed Tytherleigh, Chief Executive of Veterans’ charity, Stoll

North London Waste Authority appoints Barley Communications to help north Londoners waste less and save more

North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has appointed a communications consultancy to encourage local residents to reduce the amount of waste thrown away in north London. Barley Communications will deliver three waste prevention awareness campaigns targeting local consumers, which will support NLWA’s aim to reduce 20,000 tonnes of waste in north London by 2020.

Through its Waste Prevention Plan 2018-20, NLWA is minimising waste across seven boroughs in north London. Barley Communications has been appointed to build on this strategy by devising and delivering campaigns to encourage behaviour change. The campaigns will focus on three key waste streams – plastic, bulky items and food waste – and will involve media coverage, social media activations and community engagement.

Speaking about the appointment, Councillor Clyde Loakes, Chair of NLWA, said:

The 2018 – 2020 Waste Prevention Plan is an important part of the work NLWA delivers and aims to reduce the amount of waste north London creates.  This not only saves the individual money, but preventing waste in the first instance is the best way to reduce the amount of waste requiring processing at either a MRF (Materials Recycling Facility) or a EfW facility (Energy from Waste). To support NLWA in delivering this two year plan, we have appointed Barley Communications to help change residents’ behaviours with the aim of preventing waste.”

Sam Williams, Partner at Barley Communications, said:

“We’re delighted to have been appointed by NLWA to help reduce 20,000 tonnes of waste in north London. We’re passionate about sustainability and the environment and are firm believers that communications and behaviour change are crucial in preventing waste. NLWA has established a terrific ‘Wise Up To Waste’ programme and we look forward building on this with engaging consumer campaigns that resonate with local residents and have a lasting effect.”

The campaigns will be delivered throughout 2018-19, with the contract running from May 2018 – March 2019.