WORCESTER HOME AND GIFT SHOP NAMED BRITAIN’S BEST SMALL SHOP OF 2020

With many retailers struggling to survive, it’s lovely to report on a family-run, independent home and gift shop in Worcester which has been named as Britain’s Best Small Shop of 2020.

Cornucopia stocks British brands such as Emma Bridgewater, Plum & Ashby and Repeat Repeat. During lockdown it opened a Trouva boutique online with owners Clare and Hannah Bishop turning their garage into a distribution centre.

The Best Small Shops competition is

Packaging Business Boosts Environmental Credentials

Corrugated packaging specialist GWP has secured certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

The company has achieved FSC Chain of Custody certification which verifies its products back to “Well Managed Forests”, certified in accordance with the strict rules of the organisation.

The award means that the Cricklade manufacturer can o er customers FSC certified transit packaging, ecommerce boxes and point of sale displays. managed by the Independent Retailers Confederation, whose member trade associations represent approximately 100,000 independent UK retailers between them.

Established in 1993, and supported by WWF, Greenpeace and The Woodland Trust, the Forest Stewardship Council has certified approximately 213 million hectares of forests worldwide (accounting for 11 per cent of all productive forests globally). Around 40 per cent of the UK’s forests are now certified by the FSC.

Other shortlisted retailers from across the region included Cawthornes, a family business in Nuneaton which supplies print, graphic design, office supplies and promotional gifts, Sophie Sews, a soft furnishing shop in Horsell near Woking, Sound Records in Stroud and TH Burroughs, a family butcher and farm shop in Swindon.

01 Ambitious Kidderminster computer business appoints software director

OGL Computer has appointed Gary Reynolds as Software Director. Gary has more than 24 years’ experience in the software industry and in taking new software products to market.

02 Senior promotion for St.

Modwen

West Midlands-based St. Modwen Industrial & Logistics has promoted James Irwin-Singer to Senior Development Manager. James, who is RICS accredited, has been responsible for a number of successful deals since he joined in 2018.

03

New

MD

takes o at Gloucestershire Airport

Gloucestershire Airport Ltd has appointed Karen Taylor as the airport’s new Managing Director. Karen, who was previously Interim Managing Director and Commercial Finance Director at the airport, has already played a central role in developing its long-term vision.

04 Airbus boss to take control at UK Catapult

Katherine Bennett CBE, currently Senior Vice-President at Bristol-based Airbus is set to move to the UK’s High Value Manufacturing Catapult, taking on the role of CEO later this year.

05 Grundon strengthens Board with two appointments

Oxford-based Grundon Waste Management has added to its Board of Directors. Simon Arnold (above) has been appointed Finance Director, while Jonathan Harris (below) takes over as Technical Director, a role previously held by Stephen Roscoe, who has moved to the new position of Compliance Director.

06

Helen Peters, boss of Shakespeare’s England, the destination management organisation, has been named as one of 14 new board executives of UKinbound.

07

The UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, due to open this year near Coventry, has appointed Ian Whiting to the post of Commercial Director. Ian previously worked for brands including AMTE Power, Ricardo and QinetiQ.

08

New CEO for food and drink research company

Campden BRI, the food and drink technology research company based at Chipping Campden, has appointed Pete Headridge as its new Chief Executive. He brings years of experience in senior technical and quality roles at the Kellogg Company.

10 Mass photometry company Refeyn appoints CEO

Oxford-based Refeyn has appointed Anthony Fernandez as Chief Executive Officer. Anthony has experience in corporate and start-ups, with a specific focus on commercialising disruptive and innovative technologies.

11 Property firm promotes Harry to partner

National Chartered Surveyors

Bruton Knowles has promoted Harry Breakwell to partner. Harry is part of the firm’s planning and land development team based in Gloucester and will be instrumental in building its South West client base.

09

Dawn has a head for business at law firm FBC Manby Bowdler

Worcestershire law firm FBC Manby Bowdler has created a new strategic role to drive business growth.

Dawn Tuck has a background in banking and finance and becomes the firm’s Head of New Business.