BRISTOL ANIMATION STUDIO SCOOPS NATIONAL AWARD

Bristol independent animation studio, A Productions, has scooped a national TV industry award for an iconic series that it says has broken new ground in pre-school programming.

JoJo and Gran Gran: It’s Time to Go to the Hairdresser’s won the Best PreSchool Programme category at the Broadcast Awards, which celebrate the best in British TV programming.

The programme, which is the first UK pre-school animation to centre around a black British family and is based on the books by Laura Henry, was created by the BBC Children’s In-House Productions in collaboration with A Productions for CBeebies.

Katherine McQueen, joint managing director of A Productions, said: “This fantastic recognition is testament to the entire team who have thrown their hearts and souls into this important show.

“We hope this series will help to pave the way for better representation in pre-school programming and beyond in the future.”

The studio’s 150-strong team is based in Bristol and specialises in traditional and digital 2D stop frame, CGI, AFX, Flash and live action.

Bristol beachwear brand launches new sun protection vests

A beachwear brand born in Australia which relocated to Bristol in 2016 has launched a new range of lightweight shirts for men and boys to wear when swimming, to protect their skin from sun exposure and sand abrasions.

Tom & Teddy’s rash vests offer UPF50+ protection, and the fabric is resistant to chlorine and saltwater, so it won’t break down or go baggy after swimming.

Father and son beachwear brand Tom & Teddy was inspired by the beach lifestyle of Sydney, where husband and wife team Jelle de Jong and Michelle L’Huillier lived.

Michelle said: "In 2010 I moved to Singapore having spent 10 years in Sydney. For the first Father’s Day for my husband and 11-month-old son, Tom, I had my heart set on buying matching father and son swim shorts.

“After failing to find something I liked, the idea of creating a fun, high-quality product took hold. I had learned a fair amount about swimwear but even in beach-fanatical Australia, there was little choice for men or boys beyond the baggy knee-length, surf-brand boardshorts. There was definitely room in the market for a more flattering and versatile swim trunk.”

Post-pandemic production of aerosol seals surge at Avon Group

The production of aerosol stem and gasket seals used in the manufacture of aerosols has gone into overdrive at Bristol-based Avon Group since the onset of Covid-19, with seven billion shipped around the globe in the last 12 months alone.

The company has been able to meet the huge surge in global demand for sanitisers, cleaning products and soaps thanks to investment in new plant before the crisis.

Avon Group is now the largest manufacturer of these valve and stem gasket seals in Europe, and one of the largest in the world.

Kevin Harrop, group operations director, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic sparked a sudden, massive increase in global demand for these products, which are used in literally billions of household and industrial aerosols.”

Avon Group was established in Bristol in 1979. The company, which is still under the same family ownership, now has manufacturing sites around the UK.