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OIA research findings

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The OIA regularly commissions research designed to provide valuable market intelligence for its members.

Plans underway for NCCW

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This year's National Camping and Caravanning Week (NCCW) is set to be the biggest and best yet.

http://www.nccw.co.uk

Retail Employee of the Year Scheme update

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The initial request for nominations for OCC’s Retail Employee of the Year scheme (REYS), has produced more than sixty names. The scheme, supported by the Outdoor Industries Association and sponsored by Edinburgh-based distributor Anatom, is now in its third year and seems set to produce the biggest entry so far. After vetting the initial list of candidates – store-owners, part owners, managers that don’t spend the majority of their time dealing with customers and non-core outdoor independent retailers, are excluded from participating - the current list is now 43 strong. Over the next three months these and any other candidates proposed in the interim, will each be “mystery shopped” with the aim of producing a shortlist of ten before further assessed to produce the three finalists.

The scheme, which is aimed at celebrating excellence in outdoor retail sales reaches its conclusion at the OTS Show in Stoneleigh in September. There the overall winner will be announced along with the names of the two runners up. The winner will receive £1000, a holiday for two and a trophy. The winner’s employer will also receive £250.

Each of the runners up will receive a cheque for £500 and their commemorative trophy. Last year, Mark Barnes from The Climbers Shop in Ambleside was the overall winner picking up his award at a ceremony held at the end of the first day of OTS.

The list of REYS 2009 candidates is:

1. Chris Potter - Outdoor Traders, Abingdon
2. John Whitehead - Craigdon Mountain Sports, Inverness
3. Jill Robertson - Craigdon Mountain Sports, Perth
4. Alistair Fazakerley - Freetime, Carlisle
5. Salim Patel - White & Bishop, Northampton
6. Dave Cannon - Campcraft, Bolton
7. Simon Ashmore - Ultimate Outdoors, Skipton
8. Carolyn Little - George Fisher, Keswick
9. Eric Phillips - Gaynor Sports, Ambleside
10. Dave Gartside - Catsycam, Glenridding
11. Luke Sirdefield - Stafford Outdoor, Stafford
12. Cathy O’Connor - Up and Under, Cardiff
13. Lorna Owen - Craigdon Mountain Sports, Aberdeen
14. Pete Thain - Escape Route, Pitlochry
15. Ian Bridges - Summits, Dunfermline
16. Katie Gibson - Cairngorm Mountain Sports, Aviemore
17. Louise Reid - Ultimate Outdoors, Keswick
18. Nathan Angell - Cotswold, Cardiff
19. Grant Jones - Stewart Cunningham, Betws-Y-Coed
20. Sam Powell - The Kit Shop, Exeter
21. Mike Pickwell - Outside, Hathersage
22. Steve Haslam - Campcraft, Bolton
23. Sam Spence - Ultimate Outdoors, Skipton
24. Nick Cox - The Climbers Shop, Ambleside
25. Eric McConnell - BCH Camping, Trowbridge
26. Naomi Page - Penrose Outdoors, Truro
27. Charlotte Johnson - Foxes of Amersham, Amersham
28. Eileen Cartmore - George Fisher, Kendal
29. Nick Price - Taunton Leisure, Exeter
30. Chick Godsell - Trekitt, Hereford
31. Tom Grindey - Camp Four, Macclesfield
32. Steve Robinson - Lockwoods, Leamington Spa
33. Scott Matthews - BCH Camping, Bath
34. Tony Cox - Taunton Leisure, Bristol
35. Russell Coleridge - Escape 2, Warwick
36. Liz Holgate - Whalley Warm & Dry, Whalley
37. Verity Wood - Countryside, Stevenage
38. Simon Parry - Ellis Brigham, Leeds
39. James Steele - Ellis Brigham, Manchester
40. German Tortarolo - Ellis Brigham, Covent Garden
41. Nikki Cryer - Ellis Brigham, Westfield, London
42. Paul Armstrong - Tiso, Glasgow
43. Donna Stockhall - White & Bishop, Northampton

Innov_ex 08 winner reaches out to the Trade

Sat, 4 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lisa Alberti , a design teacher at a Manchester inner city school was winner of the 2009 Innovation for Extremes prize. She is using her prize experience to inspire 14-16 year old technology and design students to become the next generation of innovations . A group of 5 year 10 students (GSCE year) with little outdoor experience have been selected for her project and faced with the challenge of designing original eco-friendly and functional garments.

The project was piloted in her school last year and involves :

1. Introducing the students to the outdoors to carry out primary research to develop understanding of activities and functionality
2. Researching existing designs
3. Developing final designs and prototyping
4. Field testing
5. Bringing results back to Innov_ex 2010

She needs help from OIA members with materials – fabrics, zips buckles, Velcro etc. In addition if any one could offer their expertise in the area with garment demonstrations, presentations, or mini workshops that will aid the pupils all help gratefully received.

You can get in touch with Lisa on: lisa-alberti@hotmail.co.uk, or tel: 07984780551

For more information on Lisa's project or Innov_ex visit http://www.innovation-for-extremes.org/index.html

Wanted: businesses to give evidence on access to finance

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Small and medium sized businesses, banks, industry representatives, regional agencies, venture capital experts and academics were today invited to give evidence to the Rowlands Growth Capital Review.

The review will determine if Government intervention is needed to ensure adequate finance will be available to firms as the economy improves. Historically the period immediately following a recession is when small and medium sized businesses find it most difficult to access long term growth finance. It is also when demand for this type of finance is strongest.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: “Small businesses will play an important role in the recovery of the British economy. These businesses now have the opportunity to contribute to our thinking on the frameworks we will need to put in place for a competitive, thriving market.”

Christopher Rowlands, who is leading the review, said: "We are keen to hear directly from businesses to ensure our recommendations reflect their needs in an appropriate way."

The call for evidence is open until 17 July 2009.

This review is one of the first measures to be taken forward from the Government’s ‘New Industry, New Jobs’ strategic plan for Britain’s recovery.

To contribute evidence to the review, visit the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file51817.doc

The terms of reference for the Rowlands Growth Capital Review can be found at http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file51655.doc

Latest OIA research

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New OIA research highlights the resilience of UK outdoor consumer spend

New research by the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) has revealed encouraging news for the UK’s outdoor sector. Despite the economic downturn, 54% of core consumers do not intend to reduce their spending on outdoor products and only 13% will cut back (33% are undecided).

In a wide ranging survey conducted during May, the OIA canvassed the opinions of around 3,500 outdoor consumers across the UK. The results of the research support other evidence that the sector is more resilient than some in time of recession, and also highlights some developing trends.

Of those who completed the survey, 80% agree that outdoor products offer good value for money. Although the majority of people still intend to spend the same as in previous years, 64% will now look more closely at price when choosing outdoor products. However, for 77% of consumers, product performance remains the primary consideration over price.

The survey also asked respondents about the channels through which they research and buy outdoor products. Considering recent purchases, 70% have bought through specialist outdoor stores and 27% have used specialist online outdoor retailers.

A large majority of people (70%) research potential outdoor product purchases on brand websites and 62% do that research to find the lowest price. Although 54% of outdoor consumers still make most of their purchases in store in person, only 28% now only buy their products in store.

The survey is part of an ongoing programme of consumer research that is being undertaken by the OIA and follows Shaping the Future, a major report published in 2008. This year’s research also tested attitudes towards environmental issues and explored consumer buying patterns and intentions relating to outdoor clothing and footwear.

Louise Ramsay, OIA director, comments:

“This research is very timely and offers some good news for Outdoor Industries Association members and the sector as a whole. As the economic downturn continues, it is heartening to hear that our consumers intend to maintain their investment in outdoor products. Clearly, getting the right balance between promoting product performance and value for money is crucial and we will focus on that in developing communications plans and support for members.

“From earlier research, we know that more people are staying in the UK this year and going on outdoor breaks, and campsites and outdoor activity providers are enjoying record bookings. Despite the prevailing economic conditions, this does offer opportunities for outdoor businesses and the OIA will continue to work hard to direct consumers to the products and services of our members.”

A full research report with be published in September and will be available FREE to all OIA members, along with supporting data. Material will also be hosted in the members’ area of the OIA website. Non members will be able to purchase the research upon request.

Retailer taken to court by Environment Agency

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Camping and outdoor clothing retailer Yeomans has been ordered to pay £17,000 in fines and compensation for packaging waste offences committed over a ten-year period.

At Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court last week, W Yeomans Limited pleaded guilty to nine offences, and asked for a further 21 offences to be taken into consideration, for a period spanning 1 January 1998 to 31 January 2008.
The company should have been registered with the Environment Agency and was obliged to recover and recycle a portion of its packaging waste, as well as filing a certificate at the end of each year to confirm it had met these obligations.

However, Yeomans, which handles packaging waste including paper, cardboard, plastic, steel and wood, did not register with the Environment Agency until 2008.

The court heard the company registered with effect from 1 January 2008 but the Environment Agency subsequently received a telephone call that Yeomans might have committed offences by not being registered previously.
An interview letter was written to Yeomans on 14 October 2008 and the company responded with turnover and packaging details which indicated it should have been registered since 1998.

Trevor Cooper, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said the company stated it had been under new ownership since March 2008 and could give no reason why it had previously failed to comply with the regulations.

By failing to register, Mr Cooper said Yeomans had avoided fees and other costs of at least £11,000.

In addition to a fine of £9,000, the Deputy District Judge ordered the company to pay compensation to the Environment Agency of £8,000 to cover the unpaid registration fees, as well as full prosecution costs of £1,398.38.

The court heard aggravating features of the case were that the offences had continued over a long period of time and that the company had saved money by not complying with the regulations.

The magistrate gave credit to Yeomans for an early guilty plea and accepted its mitigation that the company had no previous convictions for environmental offences, offences had not been committed intentionally for financial gain and that they had occurred at a time when the company had different owners.

Retailers left confused by EU Directive on Warranties

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The question has been raised again by UK retailers as to where the directive from the EU leaves them with regards to warranties (Directive 1999/44/EC). Whilst the directive clearly states that ‘a two year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU’ (this is the minimum that all EU states must adhere to) there is a stipulation in this rule which has created confusion.

Under the Consumer Sales Directive 99/44 consumers are entitled to expect that the goods they purchase will be in conformity with the contract for a minimum of 2 years. This means that consumers have rights against the retailer they purchase goods from for a minimum of 2 years. Under the Legislation a consumer's rights are referred to as a Legal Warranty. If a fault becomes apparent within the first 6 months of purchase the goods are seen by law to be inherently faulty (faulty at the time of purchase) and the burden of proof falls on the trader to prove that the goods are not faulty. If a fault becomes apparent outside of the first 6 months of purchase the burden of proof falls on the consumer to prove that the goods are faulty in order to claim a remedy. The 6 month ‘burden of proof’ (Directive 1999/44/EC article 5(3)) rule is the minimum requirement of all EU states. Portugal has chosen to extend this period to 2 years for example, in a similar way the UK has chosen to extend the return period from the EU directive’s minimum of 2 years to 6 years.

The concept of commercial guarantee, on the other hand, expresses the will of one person, the guarantor, who assumes personal liability for certain defects. The term "guarantee" covers only commercial guarantees which are defined as follows:

"any additional undertaking given by a seller or producer, over and above the legal rules governing the sale of consumer goods, to reimburse the price paid, to exchange, repair or handle a product in any way, in the case of non-conformity of the product with the contract".

Any (commercial) guarantee offered by a seller or producer will be legally binding under the conditions laid down in the guarantee document and the associated advertising. The guarantee must state that the consumer has statutory rights and clearly state that these rights are not affected by the guarantee. The guarantee must then state its content, in simple and understandable terms, and indicate the conditions for claiming under it, notably its duration and territorial scope and the name and address of the guarantor. The duration of a commercial guarantee is not stated by law and this is chosen by the guarantor.

The ambiguity seems to have arisen in the EU directive’s use of the term ‘guarantee’. This seems to have created confusions with ‘commercial guarantees’ that are offered on a voluntary basis by the seller; the Sales of Goods Act outlines consumer’s statutory rights.

There has been a large amount of enquiries about this ambiguity (according to the Euro consumer helpline) but UK law and the Sales of Goods Act is in fact in line with the EU directive. That is the UK does now comply with this.

Click here for further details

Specialist retailer from Hereford crowned best in UK

Tue, 6 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Chick Godsell of outdoor specialist Trekkit, located on Eign Gate in Hereford, has been named as the Outdoor Industries Association’s (OIA) sponsored Retail Employee of the Year for 2009.

Godsell was presented with her award last week during industry event, The Outdoor Trade Show. Along with a cut glass trophy, she received £1,000 and a holiday for two. As the store that produced the winner, Trekkit also picked up a cheque for £250.

The Retail Employee of the Year Scheme (REYs) is the brainchild of leading outdoor magazine OCC Outdoor and in 2009 attracted a record number of entries. Retail sales staff were nominated by reps and agents across the country and 42 were selected for a ‘mystery shopper’ stage. OCC news editor Alistair Phillips co-ordinated the process – he and his team covered almost 5,000 miles as they visited each of the candidates and whittled the list down to three finalists. After a six month search, which saw candidates from as far apart as Aberdeen and Truro assessed, Chick Godsell emerged as the overall winner.

Chick Godsell comments:
“It’s a great honour to receive the OIA Retail Employee of the Year Award and I’m really happy. I love my job. When I serve people who are off camping or going traveling around the world, I feel like I’m going with them.”

Alistair Phillips, who co-ordinates REYs, and carried out the majority of the mystery visits said:
“It’s always hard to put your finger on exactly what makes the REYs winner different from the other candidates. It would be obvious to anyone that Chick is outstandingly good at what she does - she’s polite, approachable, knowledgeable, humorous, confident, enthusiastic, all at once - but to win this award outright you have to have even more than that. What Chick has is hard to describe exactly, but if you could bottle it and sell it you could make a fortune.”

Louise Ramsay, Outdoor Industries Association director, adds: “The role that frontline staff play is fundamentally important to all retail businesses and the Retail Employee of the Year scheme is a great way to celebrate excellence. Despite the challenging economic times, the outdoor sector is generally performing well and a big part of that success is down to the passion of the people who work in it and the high levels of customer service that many specialist retailers offer. Chick Godsell is clearly a deserving winner of the REYs and the Outdoor Industries Association congratulates her on this achievement, in heading what was clearly a very competitive field.”

This is the third year of REYs and Godsell joins 2007 winner Steve English of Mountain Spirit in Aviemore and last year’s winner, Mark Barnes of The Climbers Shop in Ambleside, the Lake District, on the roll call of recipients of the award.

Help needed from suppliers to take Designers of the Future forward

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lisa Alberti, a design teacher at Manchester creative and Media Academy was the winner of the OIA 2008 Innovation for Extremes prize. She is using her prize experience to inspire 14-16yr old technology and design students to become the next generation of innovators.

The project was piloted in her school last year and involves:

Introducing the students to the outdoors to carry out primary research to develop understanding of activities and functionality.
Researching existing designs
Developing final designs and prototyping
Field testing
Bringing the results back to Innov_ex 2010

And now the project is finally due to start!

Lisa, Project Tutor at Manchester Creative and Media Academy, said: "We have become a new Academy this year, so commencing the research into our design and make project has been put on hold until 1st November.We have selected our year 9 Gifted and Talented Design group, and are now looking for your help in acquiring existing waterproof jackets to analyse and evaluate.

We are looking for 15 garments to loan.

If anyone could come into school to discuss the garments with the pupils, that would be even better!"

Contact Lisa here

To find out more about Lisa's project visit Innovation for Extremes website.

The Textile Institute presents 'The Sustainable Way'

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Celebrity Lecture ‘The Sustainable Way’ will provide a fantastic opportunity to gain an insight into Defra’s Sustainability Roadmap and a way forward with REACh and Substances of Very High Concern (svhc’s).

Dr Dorothy Maxwell, Lead Sustainable Clothing Roadmap, Department for Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs (Defra) will bring the audience up to date on the UK Governments sustainability
initiative, while Asif Shah, Business Development Manager, Shirley Technologies Ltd will talk
about the legislation involved in REACh and substances of very high concern.

Taking place on the evening of Wednesday, 2 December at the Friends Meeting House, in
Manchester, from 6.30pm the event is FREE to everyone, but places are limited so anyone
interested must contact Dr Kim Gandhi, Chair, Manchester and Cheshire Section of The Textile
Institute Email: kim.gandhi@virgin.net or telephone: 0161 702 9483 / Mobile 0780 170 8878 or
Vanessa Knowles, Chair, Sustainable, Environmental and Ethical Special Interest Group
Email: vanessa@pebbleinternational.com or telephone: 01942 886402.

Full information is available at the Institute’s website: www.textileinstitute.org/EventsPage.asp#SustainableDec

BACKGROUND

The Sustainable Clothing Roadmap is a voluntary clothing industry initiative involving over 300
companies along the clothing supply chain and is co-ordinated by Defra to provide a platform for an
integrated approach to improving the environmental and ethical performance of clothing. While it originated in the UK - it has linkage with Asia (especially China and India), EU and USA to date as most UK consumed clothes have a global supply chain. The aim is to drive sustainability from retailers down through the clothing supply chain and fast track best practice through establishing sound science based evidence, prioritising actions (short to long term) and providing a platform for industry best practice cases in order to catalyse change throughout the sector. Dr. Dorothy Maxwell, Technical Director at Global View Sustainable Services – specialists on sustainable products – runs the Roadmap on behalf of Defra.

The Textile Institute, incorporated in England by a Royal Charter granted in 1925, is governed democratically by and on behalf of individual members throughout the world, registered as a charity and recognised as a non-profit association under the laws of many countries.

Dorothy Maxwell has an MSc and PhD in Environmental Science and 19 years professional experience
working in the environmental / sustainability arena in industry, government and consultancy in Europe, USA and Asia. For the last 12 years, she has focused on sustainable products related projects for industry, governments in several EU Member States, the European Commission and UNEP working on Sustainable Consumption & Production (SCP), Producer Responsibility, Eco-labelling, Life Cycle Assessment, Ecodesign and Green Supply Chain Management. She has been a policy representative (Ireland, Sweden and Holland) working on the development of EU and international products policy. She is currently Technical Director of Global View Sustainability Services Ltd. specialists in SCP/sustainable products. In this context she is a consultant to Defra on several SCP projects including leading the Sustainable Clothing Roadmap.

Shirley Technologies Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of BTTG Ltd, part of the British Textile
Technology Group. BTTG was formed during the late 1980’s from two globally renowned textile
institutions; the Wool Industries Research Association (WIRA) established in 1918 and The Shirley Institute; the latter set up to support the cotton industry in 1919. Shirley Technologies Ltd is a UKAS accredited laboratory providing competitive, independent expert textile testing, certification, advisory and investigation services across the traditional and specialist textile industries.

Asif Shah is a polymer graduate, who has worked within the technical textile industry for the last 15 years,
holding various technical and commercial roles. The majority of his experience has been involved in the
development of technical coated fabrics and their processes. Asif has also been part of teams that developed the worlds first inflatable curtain vehicle airbag and the development of an MRSA patient slide sheet. Asif is currently employed as Business Development Manager at Shirley Technologies which involves mainly promoting and developing the companies eco textile testing and certification schemes. These include REACh svhc, Oekotex 100 (Human ecology testing), PET (product eco testing) and “Made in green” (certification for ethics and sustainability of textile products and their supply chain).

Outdoor Industries Association statement regarding Blacks announcement

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Corry Taylor, managing director of Bradshaw Taylor and chairman of the Outdoor Industries Association Ltd, comments:
“The Company Voluntary Arrangement announcement made by Blacks earlier this week confirms what many in the industry were expecting. With the CVA meeting scheduled for late November, the industry will soon know what the future will hold for the largest retail player in our sector. A ‘yes’ vote will allow the company to restructure and give it a sporting chance of surviving. A ‘no’ vote will see it go into administration, with many staff losing jobs, suppliers losing money and another round of speculation over who will buy the business from the administrator.

“The OIA will continue to closely monitor the situation as it develops and, as required, we will offer support and advice to those businesses and individuals who are affected. The situation at Blacks, although by no means unique in the wider business community, does not reflect the overall health of outdoor industries in the UK. The current economic climate is certainly proving to be challenging for everyone, but the sector is performing well relative to others and I think that it is important to remember that context when assessing the difficulties that Blacks finds itself in.”

Andy Barker, country manager of The North Face, adds:
“Blacks has had, and I believe continues to have, a place on the high street as well as in outdoor retailing. It’s been clear that parts of the business have simply not been performing, the major problem being in the boardwear divisions, the other from what have been classed as exceptional circumstances. As a consequence, the outdoor side of the business, as well as the turn around strategy in which 'Cool air' plays a significant part, has been diluted.

“I believe the CVA strategy addresses the key aspects that could and should allow Blacks to not only stabilise the business but to also help it become more sustainable for the future, by eliminating some of the exceptional trading risks that brands have had to take during recent uncertain times. Certainly from a brand perspective, most importantly it will allow more accurate and confident planning and forecasting.”

“All things considered, the alternative options could have been less favourable, leaving brands to make potentially damaging decisions of how to make up lost turnover.”

Bringing clarity to sustainability standards

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

In an attempt to give some clarity to the different regulations, standards and labels associated with sustainability within the outdoor sector, the Standards and Regulations Committee (part of the Sustainability Working Group), will aim to compile the definitive industry resource in the form of an open
database. It will provide a one stop point of reference for the outdoor sector to understand what is mandatory and what is voluntary within the industry.

The Sustainability Working Group (SWG) was started in 2008 as an industry led initiative and the Standards and Regulations Committee is now the second committee actively working on key areas of concern for the outdoor sector. Chaired by Kilian Hochrein from W L Gore, the Committee has members from Vaude, Polartec, Deuter, BlueSign, Outdoor Industries Association (OIA), Shirley Technologies, Aku, Dialog Textil- Bekleidung, German Fashion (Association), DSM Materials, Häglofs and Ferrino.

The aim of the Committee is to provide the European outdoor industry (Suppliers, Brands, Retail, Media, Consumers) with practical awareness of relevant existing and emerging, product related Legislation, Standards, Labels, and Frameworks regarding chemical product safety (restricted substances) and environment. In addition it will also promote and support effective industry-wide, coordinated implementation.

Kilian Hochrein in discussing the aims of the Standards and Regulations Committee commented that “the industry is currently faced by diverse levels of information, it is extremely difficult for small and medium sized companies to have the resources to understand all that could be relevant and available to them with regards to sustainability issues, we hope that by working collectively we can provide a relevant tool that the whole industry will be able to make use of.”

Mark Held, Secretary General of the European Outdoor Group stated “As the SWG develops and grows it is vital to the relevance to the industry that we encourage as many companies and organisations as possible to become involved, all sizes and all parts of the supply chain through to retail are welcome. The website provides a vital link and acts as a resource for the industry. The more diverse and industry
representative the membership of the SWG is, the closer the results will be to a true industry solution.”

The work of the SWG is NOT exclusive to members of the European Outdoor Group; it is operating on an open source basis and welcomes involvement from all areas of the value chain.

Join up to waste saving initiative

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Manufacturers have just six weeks remaining to sign up to a free initiative that could help them unlock thousands of pounds in cost savings.

Rethink Waste, run by sustainable business experts Envirowise with support from manufacturers’ association EEF, will show companies how they can make significant savings by changing their approach to dealing with waste. Businesses can register for the scheme at www.envirowise.gov.uk/rethink – until 31 December.

Three advice-packed online modules will take businesses through the key steps of collecting benchmarking data, developing an action plan and then implementing a waste-saving strategy. Participants will also have access to a virtual factory tour, audiocasts and an exclusive web conference.

Envirowise experience has shown that manufacturers taking action to reduce waste and improve their resource efficiency can save up to £1,000 per employee. Across the UK, around £500-million could be saved annually.

Envirowise Production Specialist Michael Savage said: “Rethink Waste provides an excellent opportunity for manufacturers to improve their resource efficiency, and make cost savings, in a planned and measurable way. But with the deadline for registration fast approaching, companies need to act quickly if they want to take part in the initiative.”

Head of Environment at the EEF, Gareth Stace, adds: “Free initiatives such as Rethink Waste offer a practical and accessible route to resource efficiency and we are encouraging our members to take part.”

Manufacturers can register for Rethink Waste before 31 December 2009. Registrations can be made at www.envirowise.gov.uk/rethink.

ALERT to all suppliers

Wed, 2 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Extra vigilance is being called for after it has become apparent that a man masquerading as employees from various UK retailers is placing, and receiving, fictitious orders directly with suppliers. The individual, from the Liverpool area, is believed to be taking identities and company details from the web, and placing orders with some major UK suppliers, using a network of associates to directly collect from source.

It is also known that the man, going by the name of John, creates a gmail account to impersonate the retailer incorporating their name when orders are made via e-mail.

Several suppliers have been hit in this way and as a consequence lost up to thousands of pounds worth of stock. Suppliers should ensure that any supplementary orders or one offs are double checked with a known contact from the respective retailer before processing the order.

New routes to accreditation for adventure activity providers

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

OIA members who provide adventure activities or expeditions may find accreditation of value in demonstrating that they have been benchmarked against external standards. Until recently, this need was mainly met by the AALA License, with few options available to those who were out of scope of the licensing regulations. However, Adventuremark now offers nationally recognised safety accreditation to those out of scope of licensing. In addition, the Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC) Badge covers similar safety requirements but also audits the learning quality that is on offer.

Which route?

Both Adventuremark and the LOtC badge are “non-statutory” routes to accreditation. Each has been developed by the Adventure Activity Industry Advisory Committee (AAIAC) in response to a request from the DCSF for investigation of a non-statutory complement to the statutory licensing of adventure activities. Adventure Activity Associates are operating both non-statutory routes on behalf of AAIAC:

The LOtC badge is targeted at those providers who intend to trade with schools and other facets of statutory education. It covers both safety and the quality of the educational experience and is available across many sectors of which adventure is only one. It exists primarily for those wishing to work with schools in England but discussions are in progress about comparable initiatives in Scotland and Wales.

The Badge covers a number of sectors. This article refers only to the Adventurous Activities and Overseas Expeditions Sectors.

Adventuremark is targeted at those providers of adventure activities who intend to trade with adults, parents with their own children, private schools and so on. It can also be used by any organisation seeking external validation of their safety of operation.

Its scope is confined to the safety of the adventure experience and only applies to adventure activities (although these are defined broadly).

Each scheme has a similar approach to safety but Adventuremark does not attempt to assure educational quality because many providers who would use Adventuremark may have no need, for instance, to agree learning outcomes with their clients.

Extensive information on the badges can be found at:

www.adventureactivityassociates.co.uk

Access to Assessment

Providers can choose different routes to access assessment for the LOtC badge or Adventuremark:

Direct assessment by Adventure Activity Associates on behalf of AAIAC – the “Direct Route”
Assessment by an approved scheme (see below)
For existing AALA Licence holders, a “top up” route to LOtC accreditation exists. This assesses the additional criteria concerning educational and general quality.

Access to all can be found at:

http://www.adventureactivityassociates.co.uk/accreditation/accreditation.php

Scheme Approval

Direct Route and Top Up inspections for LOtC are operated directly by Adventure Activity Associates on behalf of AAIAC. The model of operation allows existing accreditation schemes to apply for “approval”.

Approved schemes:

can be confident that their processes and arrangements meet industry standards of good practice
will be able to award an LOtC badge or Adventuremark in conjunction with their existing accreditation.

Providers who gain an LOtC badge via an approved scheme can expect to find that this route is cost effective and has the potential to eliminate unnecessary duplication of inspection. An additional benefit is that their inspection is by specialists in the same type of adventure provision as themselves.

As more and more schemes seek and gain approval, the assessment of LOtC badges will be devolved to a level where it is strongly integrated into the fabric of adventure activity provision. Approved schemes include:

British Canoe Union (BCU)
Mountain Bike Instructors Award Scheme (MIAS)
British Activity Holiday Association (BAHA)

and approval is under way for:

Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC)
British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI)
Cyclists Touring Club (CTC)

Organisations that do not currently undertake accreditation of providers can establish scheme to do so. The approval criteria for scheme approval are, in effect, a blueprint for setting up a new scheme, and a number of national governing bodies are following this path.

Providers are very keen on gaining accreditation through a scheme. Schemes who are interested in seeking AAIAC approval can find further information on the routes at:

http://www.adventureactivityassociates.co.uk/accreditation/scheme-approval.php

Examples

• A small climbing school, frustrated by being unable to apply for a License, chooses to be inspected for Adventuremark so as to demonstrate the quality of its safety systems
• A multi activity outdoor centre operated by a charity and out of scope of the Licensing Regulations gains an LOtC Badge by direct route assessment. The inspector seeks evidence both of safe practice and learning quality.

• To support its future work with schools, an education authority centre currently holding an AALA licence gains an LOtC badge via the top up route. The inspector seeks evidence both of learning quality and the safe operation of any activities out of scope of Licensing.

• A canoe provider plans to seek assessment for both BCU Centre Approval and the LOtC badge via the BCU (an approved scheme).

• An independent school with a tradition of providing adventure activities for its own pupils applies to be assessed for Adventuremark as a validation of safe practice.

Badging of Expedition Providers

The Expedition Providers Association (EPA) is the awarding body for the Overseas Expeditions sector of the LOtC Quality Badge. Organisations providing overseas expeditions to young people can apply for the LOtC badge through EPA.

Assessment is against the EPA standards. These define good practice in the industry and incorporate the LOtC quality indicators.

More information can be found at:

http://www.epa.uk.net/

Bob Barton is a Director of Adventure Activity Associates Ltd.

He is a former Principal of Outward Bound Eskdale, an international mountain guide and the author of “Safety Risk and Adventure in Outdoor Activities”

Call for nominations to the Adventure Activities Industry Advisory Committee

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The AAIAC, which is supported by both CCPR and SkillsActive, is representative of a wide range of stakeholders from the UK adventure activities sector. It works with the industry to identify, develop and disseminate good practice, and to advise Governments and agencies accordingly.

The Committee consists of individuals with expertise, knowledge and experience of the adventure activities sector. AAIAC members are also understood as coming from broadly defined ‘constituencies’ with which they are expected to keep in touch, and of whose concerns and interests they are expected to be aware.

In accordance with the constitution, nominations are now invited for membership of the Committee (members are normally appointed for a period of three years: one-third of the members stand down each year – and may, if eligible, be re-nominated).

Nominees should have a knowledge and understanding of safety and good practice in adventure activities, whilst having a commitment to the AAIAC and its objectives. Committee members will need to be able to read, understand and comment on documentation including relevant consultations, legislation and good practice guidance. Members will be encouraged to participate in the AAIAC working groups and contribute to the development of good practice guidance. Nominees should be able to participate constructively in open discussions, while respecting the views and roles of members and observers.

An information pack and nomination form can be obtained from Martin Key, AAIAC Secretariat:

By email: mkey@ccpr.org.uk

By post: CCPR, Burwood House, 14-16 Caxton Street, London, SW1H 0QT

All nominations must be with the Secretariat by 5.00 p.m. on 1 March 2010. The AAIAC Appointments Committee will meet mid March 2010, following which successful nominees will be notified.

AAIAC is keen to increase the diversity of its members and welcomes nominations from all sections of the community. Copies of this advert and the application pack are available in large print.

Public advised to buy wisely

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Businesses in the outdoor clothing and equipment sector are reporting a very strong start to 2010, helped by the prolonged winter weather. The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) has been receiving news of brisk trading from members across the UK, as consumers rush to buy warm kit to combat the low temperatures. The big freeze is benefiting large and small retailers alike and the OIA is advising the public of the importance of visiting specialist outlets and choosing products that will not let them down in the challenging conditions.

Sales of insulated items such as down jackets, fleeces and hats and gloves have been particularly high, but the OIA has warned the public to be careful when shopping for outdoor kit. Products that look warm and technical on the shelf don’t always deliver that promise outside. Consumers are strongly advised to seek professional advice in one of over 1000 specialist outdoor stores in the country.

Louise Ramsay, chief executive of the Outdoor Industries Association, has this advice:
“As temperatures continue to plummet, it is really important that members of the public who have to go outside are properly equipped. If for any reason you get caught outside – or in your car – in the worst conditions, you could seriously regret not investing in garments that use genuine cold weather performance materials and construction techniques. All Outdoor Industries Association members, whether retailers or manufacturers, are experts in this field and can offer outstanding guidance based on their deep experience of preparing people for all weathers.”

Specialist outdoor retailers are already experiencing a January rush, with one major chain enjoying a 10% boost in immediate business. Similarly, outdoor brands are also finding that demand is high for new supplies of products to replenish rapidly emptying stockrooms. The outdoor sector has always been very sensitive to short term weather patterns, and so is well prepared and able to adapt to the circumstances, ensuring that the right types of products are available for the general public.

Ken Reeve, buying and merchandising director for retailer Cotswold Outdoor, comments:“Trading has been excellent with the arrival of the cold weather, with all locations showing good increases. We have seen significant growth on cold weather clothing items including hats, gloves, fleece and down as customers look for proper outdoor kit to protect themselves against the cold. For the more active customers, sales of ice related products, such as crampons, ice axes and sledges, have also been very strong.” 

Mark Brigham, of outdoor retailer Ellis Brigham, comments:
“The weather has helped sales - a combination of cold weather and Christmas presents ensured that we had a pleasing end to what had been a slow few months. Unsurprisingly, most interest has been in winter essentials such as gloves, hats, socks, down jackets, thermal underwear and hand warmers.”

Leading outdoor clothing company Regatta has experienced an increase in turnover of over 30% for December 2009, compared to 2008, partly due to the recent cold and snowy weather conditions. Top selling Regatta products have included waterproof insulated jackets, fleece products, overtrousers, waterproof shell jackets, hats and scarves, socks, gloves, base layer, boots and ‘soft shell’ jackets.  

Outdoor brand Berghaus is also performing strongly. Brand president Richard Cotter comments: “We enjoyed a very busy end to 2009 and that trend is continuing. Berghaus benefits from its high profile in the UK – because it’s long established and so well known, consumers request the brand in store. Of course, it helps that so many TV reporters have, out of necessity, been sporting their Berghaus jackets during outside broadcasts in the last few weeks. However, what is really allowing us to make the most of the weather is the hard work that our customer services team is putting in to keep our retail customers supplied with a stock of winter products.”

BBC Learning launch campaign to get more people into the outdoors

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

BBC Learning is launching a brand new, multi-platform campaign to encourage individuals and families to try out a new adventure activity. By joining forces with BBC One’s Countryfile and a range of external partners, the ThrillSeeker campaign will enable people to search out exciting events taking place across the UK.

Visitors to the ThrillSeeker website at bbc.co.uk/thrillseeker, will be able to look up thousands of adventurous activities. By entering their postcode an Event Finder feature allows users to narrow down their search to reveal exciting activities taking place within their local area.

Activities are tiered according to their level of difficulty, from hiking and cycling to canyoning and kite surfing, so there really is something for all ages and abilities. Trying out a new activity doesn’t have to be expensive as most which are found using the Event Finder are free or charged at a cost recovery reduced rate. All events are organised and run by external partner organisations who are specialists in their field.
The campaign also includes the ThrillSeeker Adventure Pocket Guide which can be downloaded from bbc.co.uk/thrillseeker, requested by post and will be available at all ThrillSeeker events. The guide includes both child and family focused activity ideas for creating mini-adventures at home or within the local area. It also contains information on the benefits of getting active and adventurous.

“Recent research carried out by the BBC found people had a real desire for more adventure in their lives. It’s my avowed hope that the ThrillSeeker campaign helps people fulfil that desire by offering a wide range of free or reduced price adventures for all.” Sean Kirkegaard, Development Executive, BBC Learning Campaigns

The campaign launches on January 31st on BBC One’s Countryfile, presented by Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker.

To become an event partner, please contact Ian Lewis.

Scottish Natural Heritage engages with retailers to get the message out

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Scottish Natural Heritage is offering Scottish retailers and their staff free Scottish Outdoor Access Code training.

Access rights and the Code are unique to Scotland and SNH have a duty to promote them and the enjoyment of the outdoors whenever possible. We’ve used various communication methods such as TV and outdoor advertising, but we believe retailers could also play a big part in our communications.

The training has been devised specifically for retail staff and covers the basics of the Code as well as how the staff can use this information in their everyday job. It’s fun, brief and to the point lasting just thirty minutes so that staff are back on the shop floor as quickly as possible. Furthermore our experienced trainer Peter Braidwood will come to each store at a time that’s convenient.

Benefits include:
• Staff development – increased staff knowledge and awareness of the Code. Each staff member will receive a certificate to acknowledge training attendance
• Revenue potential – promoting responsible camping equipment such as camping stoves, tents and trowels could increase revenue
• Create a Unique Selling Point – differentiate the store through additional staff knowledge
• No cost – all training is provided free of charge
• Convenient – training will be arranged in store to suit your staff cover.

All SNH ask is for the display of their Responsible Camping leaflets in store and use of their Code swing tags on selected camping equipment when possible but specifically during the fortnight outdoor advertising promotion in summer 2010 (exact dates to be confirmed).

For more information please contact Peter Braidwood on info@thepeopledevelopers.co.uk or 01786 823246 / 07990 647873.

General public calls for greater political focus on the outdoors

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The UK population wants politicians to do more to encourage people to participate in outdoor activities, according to new research by trade organisation the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA). More than 77% think that the Government should make it easier for people to participate in outdoor activities. In addition, over 60% stated that they would probably (47.2%) or definitely (13.1%) support a political party that had a serious, defined policy commitment to encourage the population to participate in outdoor activities.

The OIA survey reveals that a majority of respondents view their outdoor experiences as either more valuable to them than their other leisure activities (27%), or even their most valued (31.5%). Participation in outdoor activities is significant. Research from 2009 (TNS Omnibus from 6–8 January 2009, of 1017 people aged 16-64) identified the level of participation in outdoor activities within the general UK population. Walking came out top, with 51% of all adults participating, while camping (21%), road cycling (14%), longer distance hiking (11%) and mountain biking (10%) are also popular. While 37% of people either never or very rarely take part in outdoor pursuits, 20% participate in outdoor activities two or three times a year and 43% do so at least once a month or every week.

In recent years, the popularity of the outdoors and outdoors based activities has consistently grown and 28% of people who completed the OIA survey spend more than £1,000 on outdoor activities every year, contributing to a multi-billion outdoor economy. Organisations such as the Camping & Caravanning Club have experienced a significant rise in membership and during the recession, the trend for ‘staycations’ led to more people spending time in the UK’s landscapes.

However, despite a raft of national initiatives, such as the Staying Safe Action Plan, Outdoors for All and Change4Life, the general public believes that not enough is being done to promote outdoor activities in the UK. A key role of the OIA is to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors responsibly and the association is calling on political parties to better represent the outdoors through policy commitments.

Louise Ramsay, chief executive of the Outdoor Industries Association, comments: “We live in a society in which obesity rates have been soaring. Almost a quarter of adults are classed as clinically obese, so getting people active is more important than ever, and simple pastimes such as going for a walk can be a great part of nearly anyone’s healthy lifestyle. The outdoors can play a huge role in improving the fitness of our population, but at the moment not enough is being done to make the most of that opportunity.

“The Outdoor Industries Association is willing, ready and able to work with any of the main political parties that is prepared to take the outdoors seriously. This survey clearly shows that the general public supports our aims and objectives and wants politicians to do likewise. There have been some attempts by the Government to engage with the outdoor community during the last few years - we now look forward to seeing what serious, sustained commitments politicians are going to make during the General Election campaign.”

The OIA recently published its own manifesto for 2010, outlining a plan of action for the year. Key priorities include: providing accurate and useful market intelligence; setting standards for retail training and sales through developing a retail skills qualification; encouraging people to consider careers in the outdoors through outreach programmes; working with UK and European government on issues and legislation that impact the sector; and collaborating with organisations to establish practical and commercial sustainability best practice models for outdoor businesses.

The new OIA survey also revealed that 68% of respondents believe that current regulations and legislation, while important, do not get the balance right between risk and adventure, and can discourage people from enjoying a full outdoors experience.

Experiential learning charity The Outward Bound Trust supports the sentiments expressed through the survey. Established more than 65 years ago, the Trust focuses on boosting personal learning and development through a programme of challenging activities in the outdoors.

Nick Barrett, chief executive of The Outward Bound Trust, comments: “In experienced hands, there is a clear link between adventure in the outdoors, the intensity of the experience for young people and the quality and lasting impact of the learning. Put simply, adventure in the outdoors is a powerful and effective way of learning and the term ‘adventure’ implies an uncertainty of outcome and the ability to assess risk.

“The future success of our society, our economy and our personal happiness depends on creative, enterprising and skilled risk-takers. Unless we educate young people about risk, help them to understand it, to embrace it and to exploit it, then we will fail as a society. The Outward Bound Trust has long believed that the general public fundamentally understands this and the OIA survey clearly demonstrates that to be true. I urge the political parties to take notice.”

The Outdoor Industries Association conducted the survey in early March, in partnership with the Camping & Caravanning Club. Over 1,000 adults from across the UK completed the survey questionnaire.

Nothing Ventured … balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors

Mon, 3 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

“Nothing Ventured … balancing risks and benefits in the outdoors” is a new publication aimed at teachers and other children’s services professionals. Written by Tim Gill, a well known author in the field of children’s play, it encourages readers to take a reasonable and proportionate approach to safety and reassures them that a degree of risk, properly managed, is positively desirable in helping young people to learn to manage their own safety. A risk-averse approach is discouraged. Instead, readers are encouraged to balance the risks and the benefits from an activity.

A number of myths relating to outdoor activities are demolished. For example, an encouraging account of the current legal position shows that fears of a growing compensation culture are unfounded and that courts do in fact take a common sense view. The publication has been endorsed by HSE and ROSPA and will be very reassuring to teachers who wish to give their pupils an adventurous experience. Published by the English Outdoor Council, it is a 28 page, full colour publication designed to complement the EOC publication “High Quality Outdoor Education”. A pdf is available at http://www.englishoutdoorcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Nothing-Ventured.pdf and hard copies will be available from the Institute of Outdoor Learning bookshop.

"The next generation is tomorrow’s workforce. Helping young people to experience and handle risk is part of preparing them for adult life and the world of work. Young people can gain this experience from participating in challenging and exciting outdoor events made possible by organisations prepared to adopt a common sense and proportionate approach that balances benefits and risk. I support this publication for the encouragement that it gives to everyone to adopt such an approach."
Judith Hackitt CBE, Chair, Health and Safety Executive

"Developing confidence and risk judgement among young people is crucial if we are to structure a society that is not risk averse. We need to accept that uncertainty is inherent in adventure, and this contains the possibility of adverse outcomes. A young person’s development should not be unduly stifled by the proper need to consider the worst consequence of risk but must be balanced by its likelihood and indeed its benefits. Counter-intuitively, the key to challenging risk aversion among leaders and decision makers, is the application of balanced risk assessment. It is only by objective analysis that the benefits and
opportunities of an activity can be weighed against their potential to go wrong. Indeed I feel that the terminology should be changed to ‘risk/benefit assessment’. For the most part, as previous generations have learnt by experience, it is rare indeed that a well planned exercise leads to accident. It will instead be most likely to bring a sense of enterprise, fun and accomplishment, so vital for maturity, judgement and well-being, which must nearly always offset the residual and inevitable risk. Our mantra at RoSPA sums up this approach: We must try to make life as safe as necessary, not as safe as possible. This is why I am
delighted to support the work of the OEAP and Tim Gill with Nothing Ventured. We welcome the debate this will promote."
Tom Mullarkey OBE, Chief Executive, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

Women's winter climbing trouser wins Innov_ex Design Prize 2010

Wed, 5 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The OIA, in sponsoring Innov_ex with its student prize, is genuinely investing in the future of the outdoor industry" Professor Mary Rose, LUMS

The Innov_ex Design Prize has a growing reputation and this year there were 6 finalists and the standard of entry was high. Tthe winning design came from Veronica Legg a student at Manchester Metropolitan University for her Winter Climbing Trousers.

The innovation is a pair of winter climbing trousers designed specifically for female mountaineers, with zoned insulation to provide warmth without the need for an additional underlayer, and a double end opening fly zip to facilitate toilet stops. The trousers aim to provide a single layer legwear solution for a wide range of winter conditions, which eliminates the need for other layers (underneath or over the top). Multiple layers create compatibility problems that prevent effective openings for toilet stops.

Judges reactions:
Mark Pedley (Smartlife Technologies)
The reason this won was that it combines other innovative technology (the Shewee) albeit we all felt the market is very limited. Innovation should not have to be thought about – it should be like a light bulb so that the reaction of customers is’ why didn’t we think of that?’ This is what happened in this instance. We felt there were a couple of design challenges but these would be addressed very easily.

Chris Townsend (TGO Gear Reviewer)
These trousers look functional but not that unlike other similar products. However the extended double-ended fly zip to allow use of a female urinating device is innovative and meets an obvious need. This zip makes the trousers stand out from other winter trousers for women. It’s simple, practical and has an obvious market.

Veronica said of her win: "My inspiration for the winter climbing trouser with a Shewee compatible fly zip was born out of frustration from my personal experiences of incompatible clothing. I’d lost count of the number of times I’d cursed having long johns under my trousers, making using a Female Urinating Device impossible; or being tied into a belay and unable to remove my harness. I found myself limiting my fluid intake to avoid this issue, but was acutely aware of the impact dehydration has on physical performance and mental judgement: two of the most crucial elements of winter climbing. There had to be a solution; it came in the form of a double-ended zip.

Winning the Innov_ex Prize is a dream come true – I still can’t quite believe it’s real! I have been following Innov_ex and the stories of previous winners for some years now, and finally being in a position to enter was a milestone in itself for me. I’m not a competitive person by nature: putting my work ‘out there’ for others to judge was a very daunting proposition. I’m glad I took that risk now, and I would encourage anyone else to do the same. You might be pleasantly surprised by the outcome, as I was!”

The 2010 finalists were:
Francis Fox Hydro Tec Impact Cushioning System
Karthick Govarthanam : Slash and Abrasion Resistant Fabric for garment
Veronica Legg Womens' Winter Climbing Trousers
Oliver Nissen Business Model combining technologies
Albi Schneider CU Belay Glasses
Ian Whitehead Rescue Aid

Read the full conference update here

Time for Change in Outdoor Learning

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The English Outdoor Council (EOC) has released its latest publication 'Time for Change in Outdoor Learning' which delivers hard evidence on the value of the outdoors and a challenge to deliver fair access to all. This new publication will be presented to Parliament today.

Read the publication here.

Members of EOC: Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres. British Activity Holiday Association, Christian Camping International, Institute for Outdoor Learning, National Association of Field Study Officers, National Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Outdoor Education Advisor's Panel, Outdoor Industries Association, Young Explorers' Trust

Ethical Consumer Magazine publishes report critisising the outdoor industries

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The recently published report accuses companies of not taking enough accountability for what is essentially at the heart of our industry. There is some debate as to how accurate and up to date the information reported on is. The OIA's response however to the recently published Ethical Consumer magazine report to the media is as follows:

Louise Ramsay, Chief Executive of the OIA commented: "The report touches on important issues and highlights some of the huge challenges that every business now faces. Contrary to the report, the outdoor industry is well aware its environmental and ethical responsibilities and takes them very seriously. These must be balanced however with a very real responsibility for ensuring product performance and safety for the end user. The outdoor industry is already working in a very collaborative fashion to address these issues with long term sustainability in mind, and is making clear progress to the benefit of all. A vast majority of those companies mentioned in the report, several of which are Outdoor Industries Association members, are actively involved in this work which is being co-ordinated on a European level by the European Outdoor Group.

The Outdoor Industries Association's membership represents all parts of the UK outdoor sector. Along with other existing and planned initiatives, the OIA’s ongoing sponsorship of the Innovations for Extremes conference is central to our commitment to the sustainable, ethical development of the UK’s outdoor industry. We also continue to play a role in the sustainability projects being undertaken by the European Outdoor Group.”

Volunteers required by the Sustainability Working Group

Thu, 5 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The EOG's Sustainability Working Group's (SWG) Regulations and Standards committee is
in the early stages of a very exciting project for the outdoor industry European wide. They are creating a web-tool, which will bring all the available information about the regulations, standards, labels and frameworks into one place, which companies can quickly and easily search through.

It is a massive job however to collate all the necessary information and therefore the SWG is looking for any assistance from the outdoor industry.

They are looking for volunteers to do a quick write up on some key industry Regulations and Standards e.g. ISO 1420 (environmental Product Declaration). So if someone in your organisation has knowledge and works within these areas, the SWG would be hugely appreciative of a bit of their time, even if it's only one write up in note form.

For a full list of the R&S's and more details on how to help, please contact Tim Hudson at the EOG.

Eco Index pilot launches

Fri, 6 Aug 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Outdoor industry companies invited to test beta version of industry-wide environmental assessment tool

During OutDoor in July and Outdoor Retailer in August the European Outdoor Group’s Sustainability Working Group and the Outdoor Industry Association’s Eco Working Group held information sessions to introduce brands, designers and suppliers to the Beta Phase 1 version of the outdoor industry’s Eco Index and encourage participation in its pilot testing program this autumn.

The Eco Index pilot program is open to all outdoor companies and will begin in late August 2010. A series of webinars will also be held throughout the autumn for pilot program participants.

Feedback will be gathered from pilot program participants via the Eco Index website as well as through the webinar series, with the Phase 1 Index scheduled for formal release in early 2011.

A first for the outdoor industry, the Eco Index is designed to help companies benchmark and measure their environmental footprint, allowing them to identify areas for improvement and make informed sourcing and product life cycle decisions. In development since 2007, the Eco Index tool encompasses guidelines, performance indicators, footprint metrics and a comparative scoring system against a six-stage lifecycle approach.

The aim is to enhance transparency within the supply chain and allow for easy adoption of best business practices. The Eco Index framework is modular, so companies can start small and work their way through it as they are able based on their level of knowledge and resources.

The success of the outdoor industry is directly linked to the health of the planet and the continued existence of places to play outside. The industry has a responsibility to lead the move toward implementing more sustainable business practices that protect the livelihood of the industry and the environment.

Suppliers, brands, and retailers alike are facing increasing pressure to reduce the impact of their products throughout the product life cycle. The Eco Index provides guidance, methodology, and tools for outdoor companies to assess their current practices and prioritise their efforts to implement more sustainable solutions. For outdoor retailers in particular, another challenge is wading through the wide variety of brand-specific sustainability measurement systems and labels currently in existence. The Eco Index will provide retailers with a common language to identify the environmental impacts of the products and brands they carry.

“I think so many companies want to do the right thing environmentally but not every company has the ability to understand what the right thing is,” remarked Jill Dumain, Director of Environmental Strategy at Patagonia, Chair of the US based Eco Working Group Advisory Council and a member of the Steering Group of the European Sustainability Working Group. “We’ve been able to bring together the best minds and the best ideas and come up with an index that is really progressive and that everyone has agreed upon. Partners along the supply chain can work towards the same goal and change within the industry will happen at a quicker rate.”

The Eco Index beta website is available at, www.ecoindexbeta.org – the site has been developed on behalf of the Groups by California-based SourceN and Oya Group.

If you would be interested in Beta Testing the Eco Index please email vanessa.knowles@europeanoutdoorgroup.com

NICs holiday scheme for new businesses launched

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The ‘Regional Employer NICs Holiday for New Businesses’ offers substantial reductions in employer NICs for new businesses in those parts of the UK most reliant on public sector employment.

Under the three-year scheme, eligible businesses will be able to take a ‘holiday’ for each of the first 10 employees they hire in their first year of business. Each holiday will last for the first 52 weeks the employee is in post (providing these weeks fall within the three-year holiday period).

New businesses who take advantage of the scheme will be able to save up to £50,000 in employer NICs – £5,000 per employee, up to a maximum of 10 new employees.

Within the UK, the regions and countries that will benefit are the North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, the South West, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The scheme is open to new businesses set up on or after 22 June 2010, and will run until 5 September 2013.

Launching the scheme, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke, said:

“We need to rebalance our economy, which has become over reliant on public spending and jobs provided by the public sector.

“The NICs holiday for new businesses, in addition to cuts in corporation tax, will help provide a valuable boost to start up businesses, and help foster the private sector led recovery that will drive growth in the UK over the coming years.”

To find out if they are eligible for the holiday, and for further information on the scheme, new businesses should visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/nicsholiday and read the guidance. Eligible businesses should then make their application as outlined in the guidance.

Trainers or boots?

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A national survey has been launched to find out if members of the general public are suitably equipped and prepared for their time in the outdoors. As autumn and winter approach and the weather becomes even less predictable, the leading trade organisation for the outdoors and the UK’s most popular walking magazine have teamed up to find out exactly what people wear on the hills, and how prepared they are for those times when the weather turns against them.

This summer has seen huge numbers of people heading into the outdoors in the UK. As the ‘staycation’ trend continues to gather momentum, more individuals and families than ever are choosing to stay in this country and explore the landscape around them. Campsites are more popular than at any time in recent memory, but at the same time, the UK’s Mountain Rescue teams are finding that they are being called out to incidents more than ever.

As part of a campaign to make sure that people are properly equipped and prepared, the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) and Country Walking Magazine have joined forces to run a national ‘census’ of the public’s approach to the outdoors. The research takes the form of a simple online survey – at www.surveymonkey.com/theoutdoors - that asks some basic questions about attitudes to the outdoors and product choices. The results will influence a range of OIA initiatives designed to encourage more people into the outdoors, and provide them with appropriate advice and support, through platforms such as the ‘Public Zone’ on www.oia.co.uk.

Louise Ramsay, chief executive of the Outdoor Industries Association, comments:
“We think that this survey is really important. While it’s great that more people are choosing to explore the UK’s fantastic outdoor locations, it’s essential that they are properly equipped and prepared when they do so. I’ve frequently witnessed people walking in the hills in totally inappropriate kit. They may get away with that in good summer weather, but as we approach autumn and winter, that approach can have disastrous consequences.

“Good, reliable outdoor kit is easy to find these days and doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The Outdoor Industries Association hopes that this survey will provide us with insights that we can use to better focus our campaign activity, as we try to help the public enjoy the outdoors, responsibly and safely.”

Jonathan Manning, editor of Country Walking magazine, adds:
“Staying warm, dry and comfortable is a cornerstone of a happy walk. With the right advice from your local outdoors shop or from a specialist magazine you can easily weatherproof your walks without breaking the bank. Outdoor clothing is built to last, so a small investment will give years of protection from whatever the elements can throw at you.”

OTS Novel Awards winners announced

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

OTS Novel Awards 2010 winners

Accessories
Progress Importers – Silverpoint Sensormatic Headtorch

Camping Equipment
Lyon Equipment – Petzl CORE Lithium-ion polymer rechargeable battery

Clothing
Rosker – Fjällräven Eco Trail Jacket

Footwear
Sidas – Hoka Mafate Trail Running Shoe

Sleeping Bags
AMG – Vango Planet

Backpacks
VauDe – Splock

OTS, Stonleigh Park, Warwickshire. Open to trade only.

Rising popularity of the outdoors fails to inspire activity holiday boom in the UK

Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The recent rise in popularity of outdoor activities and pursuits has failed to encourage the UK public to go on activity holidays or visit residential outdoor centres. New research by the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) reveals that 73% of the people in the UK do not take outdoor activity holidays, with 48% of them claiming that they lack appeal. In addition, only 28% of people have visited a residential outdoor centre.

Over the last few years, the outdoors scene has enjoyed a boom time, fuelled by a number of factors. Several government initiatives have firmly put the outdoors on the healthy living agenda, while an increase in the number of major TV programmes about the outdoors has improved the profile of the UK’s coast and countryside. In addition, the recent recession and ongoing economic uncertainty has encouraged more people to holiday closer to home, leading to record bookings for camp and caravan sites.

Despite all of this, a large majority of people do not book professionally organised outdoor activity holidays or visit residential outdoor centres. The research reveals a major gap between the reality of experiences in outdoor centres or on activity holidays and the public’s perception of them. Many centres and holidays offer a contemporary, comfortable experience, with modern facilities and staff who have had customer service training. However, the OIA research demonstrates that public perceptions of facilities do not match what is actually available to visitors.

Louise Ramsay, chief executive of the Outdoor Industries Association, comments:
“Outdoor centres and activity holidays represent a very important part of the tourism economy. Many of them offer outstanding, professional expertise to help people learn essential outdoor skills and ultimately enjoy fantastic holidays. Walking is the most popular leisure pastime in the country, with other outdoor activities gaining popularity every year, so demand for outdoor centres and activity holidays really should be rising.

“Unfortunately, there seems to be a big gap between the reality of what is on offer and what the public actually thinks about the facilities and the activities. That may be a legacy of an earlier time and more basic facilities and customer service, but it presents the sector with a challenge to better communicate what they do to a wider audience.

“It is important that people who venture into the outdoors have the appropriate skills and kit – if nothing else, this can reduce the pressure on Mountain Rescue teams. Outdoor centres and activity holiday companies certainly have the wherewithal to make sure of that, but not enough of the public understands it. As more and more people become interested in the outdoors in general, the Outdoor Industries Association is working hard to ensure that the link between brands, retailers and the rest of the industry is strong, guiding the public to the right advice and services.”

Andy Robinson, chief executive of the Institute for Outdoor Learning, adds:
“If we want to continue to engage children and young people with the outdoors beyond their school based residential experience, we have to engage their families. The facilities are there – the awareness of them isn’t.”

English Outdoor Council undertakes review

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The English Outdoor Council (EOC) is an umbrella body made up of nine organisations representative of the outdoor sector, of which the OIA is one. They aim to promote the benefits of outdoor experiences and adventure and to lobby for greater opportunities for participation.

The EOC is undertaking a review of what they do to make sure that it remains as relevant as possible in this time of change. As part of this, they would like to get the broader views of the sector and would be very grateful if you let them have your views by clicking on the link below. There are only eight questions and it should take no longer than five minutes. Please click once onto the site only and complete the survey at one sitting. Click ‘Done’ at the end. You cannot save and return to it later. The survey closes on December 15th at 5pm.

The link is http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZL6DPZR .

Quangos face the chop

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Release from CCPR:

The Government’s drive to tackle the deficit and redraw the boundaries of the state rolled on yesterday when Francis Maude, Minster for the Cabinet Office, published the list of Non-Departmental Public Bodies he has decided to abolish or reform.

Quangos are part of the policy landscape for sport and recreation, from lottery distributors to regulators, and there will be a number of changes to the bodies that operate in our sector. The most high profile reform was already known to us, with Sport England and UK Sport to be merged so administration costs can be shared. However, there is still no indication of how this will affect the Youth Sport Trust. Mr Maude announced that the Olympic Park Legacy Company is to be abolished with its functions transferring to the Mayor of London, and the Football Licensing Authority will also shut its doors. He also restated the Government’s intention to sell the Tote, and revealed that the Horseracing Levy Board will be reformed to ensure that adjudication does not rest in future with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Cycling England will also be abolished, though a Sustainable Travel Fund will be established in its place.

Those quangos that are not directly related to sport and recreation, but whose presence are still felt in the sector, also face reform. All Regional Development Agencies, which can provide crucial local impetus and expertise for the building of facilities and the delivery of sport, will be abolished. Ofcom, the media regulator which has influence of broadcasting rights, will be merged with the postal services regular, Postcom. And the Gambling Commission will be merged with the National Lottery Commission.

British Waterways will be abolished as a public corporation, to be replaced by a new independent charity akin to the National Trust, with the Environment Agency and the Natural England are to be retained but with significant reform to increase efficiency and improve accountability. The BIG Lottery Fund will be retained, as we learned when the Government announced that the Lottery would return to its original pillars, but policy responsibility will fall to the Cabinet Office.

Finally, Valuation Tribunals are to be abolished with responsibility in this area to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice. Sports clubs up and down the country have been hit by big increases following the 2012 Business Rates Revaluation, and the withdrawal of discretionary rate relief by local authorities. Valuation Tribunals were a key part of the appeals process so CCPR will be campaigning to ensure that a facility remains for clubs to be able to challenge any rates ruling, sensitive to local circumstances.

Direct funding cuts to each Department are likely to be at least 30%, and every area of society will be affected. Yesterday’s announcement gives us further evidence that, if sport and recreation is to retain an adequate level of financial and political support, the wider benefits of physical and mental exertion – in terms of health, education, tackling crime and fostering community cohesion – will have to be in our focus.

Here is a list of the relevant non-departmental public bodies facing changes:

Quango Cull – Impact for Sport and Recreation

The Government is committed to reducing the number of Non-Departmental Public Bodies, in order to reduce costs and re-establish ministerial accountability for important policy areas. The Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, today (14.10.2010) placed the list of NDPBs he will abolish or reform in the House of Commons Library. The following decisions are relevant to our sector:

Ofcom
To be merged with the postal services regulator, with significant reform. More announcements to follow.

Regional Development Agencies
All to be abolished, with key functions passing to Local Authorities

Olympic Park Legacy Company
To be abolished, with functions transferring to the Mayor of London under a new Mayoral Development Corporation

Valuation Tribunal
To be abolished, with functions transferring to the Ministry of Justice

BIG Lottery Fund
To be retained, but with policy responsibility transferred to the Cabinet Office

Football Licencing Authority
To be abolished, with functions transferring to other bodies

Gambling Commission
To be merged with the National Lottery Commission

Tote
To be sold

Horseracing Levy Board
To be retained with reform, including the removal of the requirement for the Secretary of State to determine the Levy

UK Sport and Sport England
To be merged. No mention of the Youth Sport Trust

UKAD
Retained

British Waterways
To be abolished as a public corporation. A new charity will be created – an equivalent to the National Trust for waterways

Environment Agency
To be retained, but with significant reform to increase efficiency and accountability

Natural England
To be retained, but with significant reform to increase efficiency and accountability

Cycling England
To be abolished. A Local Sustainable Travel Fund has been established and ways of marshalling expert input on cycling issues will be sought.

Help shape the nature of England

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Government is preparing a White Paper on the Natural Environment to shape policy and thinking on the natural environment for the next 20 years.

This is your opportunity to get involved so please take a few minutes to complete the short online questionnaire - only four questions - to give your views and comments to Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) , and help to ensure wild places for wildlife will be protected for the future.

This consultation process started in July and finishes on 30 October 2010.

Take part here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/nature-of-england

Innov_ex 11 Conference unveils unmissable line up of events

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) has confirmed a three year headline sponsorship of the annual Innovations for Extremes conference (Innov_ex) for the next three years. Hosted by Lancaster University Management School, Innov_ex has developed into the outdoor sector’s leading event exploring the sustainability issues that are facing the industry. A key part of the sponsorship agreement will involve the OIA and Innov_ex working closely to deliver ‘take home’ actions for individuals and businesses attending the 2011 conference.

For the first time, Innov_ex will take place over two days in 2011, from 12-13 April, and will explore the theme: ‘Sustainability is a journey not a destination’. The conference will look at emerging technologies and how they can impact on all aspects of running outdoor businesses.

Day one will see the presentation of key new technologies and a series of workshops that will discuss how they relate to: global manufacturing and sourcing; collaborative and team working systems; sports athlete performance; retailers and retailing; website technologies; and outdoor companies’ new product development plans.

Day two will focus on providing practical sustainability support to all attendees, through process discussion, guidance in interactive sessions and key information and actions to take back to businesses.

The conference will also showcase a range of relevant case studies designed to demonstrate how companies can make significant and cost effective changes to their approach to sustainability. Once again, Innov_ex has the support of Forum for the Future, which will help to shape the content of the event.

The New Designers’ Award will also be made on the second day. This scheme showcases ideas from student designers and new independent designers, enhancing employment opportunities and encouraging new business start ups.

Louise Ramsay, chief executive of the Outdoor Industries Association, comments: “The OIA is delighted to continue its long term sponsorship of Innov_ex. Every year, we work closely with the team at Lancaster University to build a programme for the conference that delivers compelling and very relevant content to our members and the whole sector. For 2011, one priority is to provide more material that delegates can take away from Innov_ex and use in a positive way in their own businesses. The event will be designed to be of value to everyone from retailers and marketing managers, to product managers and company directors. Extending the conference to two days offers more depth to the event, and also gives potential delegates a better range of attendance options.”

Organiser Mary Rose, Research Director, Institute for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Development, Lancaster University Management School: “Identifying and analysing the ‘big issues’ in any business with regards to sustainability - then explaining them transparently to customers and employees - represents a key first step in the sustainability journey. The 2011 Innov_ex conference will introduce delegates to this process. They will hear from companies, both large and small, from inside and outside the outdoor sector about their experiences so far, the challenges they have encountered and how they have addressed those.”

Innov_ex 2011 will be preceded by the second OIA CEO and Director Forum, which will also be held at Lancaster University, following the successful event that was held in Manchester in November.

For further information about Innov_ex visit www.innovation-for-extremes.net,

email m.rose@lancaster.ac.uk or call 01524 594214

Prospect of Tourism and Outdoor Activity Boost with Progress of Daylight Saving Bill

Fri, 3 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The prospect of a tourism boost for the UK of up to £3.5bn per annum increased today with the passage of Rebecca Harris’s Daylight Saving Bill through its second reading in Parliament.

The Bill calls for a thorough economic assessment of the benefits associated with moving clocks in the UK forward a further hour in summer and winter so that the best use will be made of the available sunlight throughout the year. If this analysis is favourable it will be followed by a three year trial of the scheme.

Tourism Alliance Vice Chairman, Brigid Simmonds OBE, stated, “this is very good news for the tourism, leisure and sports industries. Not only would this Bill help extend the tourism season, it would also support the Government’s health agenda by encouraging more people to undertake outdoor activity”

A Tourism Alliance study of the benefits of such a move undertaken by the Policy Studies Institute in 2008 calculated that the tourism and leisure sector would benefit by up to £3.5bn per annum and would create up to 80,000 additional jobs.

In addition to the tourism benefits, moving the clocks forward an hour would reduce deaths and injuries on UK roads, reduce the UK’s carbon emissions by 2.2% and reduce fuel poverty for the elderly.

“A Bill that has the support of Tourism groups, Sports Groups, Health and Safety Groups, Environmental Groups and Age Charities and has been shown to be supported by the majority of UK residents deserves to be given serious consideration by Government – and we are delighted that this is happening”

The Innov_ex Design Prize 2011 is open for entries

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Innov_ex 2011, sponsored by the OIA, will be held on 12-13th April 2011 at Lancaster
University Management School.

Entries are now open so it would be great to hear from potential
entrants . Entering for this award brings the chance to meet
specialists from across the outdoor industries and judges include
leading gear editors and a past winner of the Dyson Design Prize. The
conference and prize are sponsored by the Outdoor Industries
Association <http://www.outdoorindustriesassociation.co.uk/>

Find out about 2010 winner Veronica Legg's experience since winning
the prize. You will also find out more about preliminary entry
details from this link

http://www.innovation-for-extremes.net/innov_ex-prize-2010.html

Find out about past winners :
http://www.innovation-for-extremes.net/prize.html

http://www.innovation-for-extremes.net/prize2008.html

To get a flavour of the conference and indeed the 2010 prize click
here
http://www.innovation-for-extremes.net/innov_ex-2010-conference-report.html

The Innov_ex Design Prize is open to new independent designers or to
students (both undergraduate and post-graduate) and recent graduates
(within 3 years of graduation). If you know of anyone who you believe
would be interested please pass this newsletter on.

If you want to know more contact Mary Rose at m.rose@lancaster.ac.uk

Exciting opportunity for outdoor industry businesses

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The MSc in E-Business & Innovation programme at Lancaster University is seeking industrial partners to host student consultancy projects during the summer of 2011. Project themes range from e-commerce technology to business strategy.

Project Management:

Projects focus on a concrete business or technology problems and are defined in collaboration between the host organisation, the EBIN team and business development staff. Each project is undertaken by a team of students (typically two/three students) and jointly supervised by a company representative and two academic supervisors.

The OIA partook in the scheme last year and here is what Louise Ramsay, CEO of OIA and Martin Binnendijk, CEO of Hi-Tec sports and OIA Board member had to say:

“EBIN students, Fanny Cussac and Kim Loan Nguyen, were tasked to develop a Web 2.0 strategy for the Outdoor Industries Association through which we could engage with our stakeholders more efficiently both internally and externally. The proposed solution had to not only take a very realistic approach to limited resources available within our organisation, but was also to be a framework which could be then used by our members.

Fanny and Kim were extremely thorough in their research and quickly demonstrated a sound understanding of our industry, identifying the many opportunities yet to be capitalized on. As a team they were not only a pleasure to work with on this project, but also very professional in their approach and always delivered on time. They presented an excellent and insightful document, and included an easy to use and concise reference website for use by our members. In short, they exceeded all our expectations and I will be actively encouraging our members to participate in this scheme next year!” Louise Ramsay, CEO, OIA

"Just an excellent piece of work! They have done a great job in piecing this enormously complex phenomenon that is changing at such a fast pace in relative laymans terms…. I learned quite a bit from it! I also believe that their recommendations in general are sound." Martin Binnendijk, CEO, Hi-Tec Sports

Members can download the web2.0 and social media strategy document by logging into the OIA members area and clicking on resources. Alternately visit the website

Topics

• E-commerce and e-tailing

• Internet and web strategy

• Innovation strategy

• Business planning

• Project management

• Information management
& strategy

• Software Entrepreneurship

• Internet marketing

• Web2.0 and social applications

• Cloud computing and SaaS

• Mobile applications

• Web analytics

• Search engine strategy

• Web design and web usability

Project Time Frame:

• Mid February 2011: Outline project proposal submission but we would be
happy to have project proposals as early as is convenient.

• Mid March 2011: Full project proposal submission date.

• May 2011: Project start date.

• Early/Mid August 2011: Project finish date.

The E-Business & Innovation Programme:

The Lancaster Masters in E-Business & Innovation (EBIN) is a multidisciplinary programme that teaches students the skills and knowledge required to maximise the business potential of modern information technologies.

With a background in e-business, e-marketing, supply-chain management, innovation, business planning, financing, and internet & mobile technologies, EBIN students have a unique skill set that benefits SMEs as well as large organisations.

The programme is collaboration between the Lancaster University Management School (LUMS), the School of Computing and InfoLab21 Knowledge Business Centre (KBC) and is being taught in collaboration with SAP and IBM.

More information about the programme is available at

http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/masters/MScEbusiness.

Information about past projects can be found at
http://www.lums.lancs.ac.uk/masters/MScEbusiness/industry-projects/

Email: d.soopramanien@lancs.ac.uk

Where does the future now lie for England's forests?

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In response to massive public dissent the halt on the forestry sell off now provides a great opportunity to look to at what is really required to both protect the biodiversity and ensure greater public accessibility for recreational use.

The consultation on the future management of the Public Forest Estate has been halted and all forestry clauses in the Public Bodies Bill will be removed, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman confirmed today. Mrs Spelman also announced that an independent panel of experts will examine forestry policy in England and report back to her in the autumn.

Speaking in the House of Commons the Environment Secretary said;

“I would first like to say that I take full responsibility for the situation that brings me before the House today.

“Let me make it clear that we have always placed the highest priority on preserving access and protecting our forests. But the forestry clauses in the Public Bodies Bill, published well before we launched the consultation, gave the wrong impression as to the Government’s intentions.

“That is why I am today announcing three steps which will allow for more measured and rational debate about the future direction of forestry policy.

“First, I have taken a decision to end the consultation on the future of the Public Forest Estate and I take full responsibility for that. I am doing so because it is quite clear from the early responses to the consultation that the public and many MPs are not happy with the proposals we set out.

“Second, the Government will support the removal of the forestry clauses from the Public Bodies Bill, currently at committee stage in the House of Lords.

“And thirdly I would like to announce that I am establishing an independent Panel to consider forestry policy in England. It will report to me with its findings this autumn. The Panel will advise me on the future direction of forestry and woodland policy in England, on the role of the Forestry Commission, and on the role of the Public Forest Estate. The Panel will include representatives of key environmental and access organisations alongside representatives of the forestry industry. I will shortly publish its membership and terms of reference.

“If there is one clear message from this experience, it is that people cherish their forests and woodlands and the benefits they bring. My first priority throughout this period of debate has been securing a sustainable future for our woodlands and forests. On many occasions in the House last autumn, Ministers gave assurances that our aim in all of this has been to do more to maintain and enhance the public benefits delivered by forestry – from recreational access to wildlife protection; from tackling climate change to sustaining a wide range of small businesses. That is why my ambition to provide a better future for our forests is undiminished.

“We have already heard positive suggestions about how we can do this – for heritage forests and all other woodlands. We have spoken to the RSPB, the National Trust, the Woodland Trust, the Wildlife Trusts, the Ramblers and other groups. The Forestry Commission has itself acknowledged that change is needed and will of course be fully engaged in this process going forward, as I know they have many ideas to contribute.

“We have also been listening to MPs on all sides of the House many of whom have set up their own initiatives with local groups. We want to support them in this.

“Finally, I am sorry, we got this one wrong, but we have listened to people’s concerns. I would like to thank colleagues for their support through what has been a difficult time. I now want to move forward in step with the public. I hope that the measures I have announced today, signalling a fresh approach, demonstrate my intention to do the right thing for our forests and woodlands.”

The OIA encourages its members to feedback what they see as essential to future policy to ensure a more secure and sustainable approach towards England's woodlands and forest, so that we can make a representation to the independent panel.

Get in touch here.

Innov_ex 11: the annual conference for innovation in all mountain and adventure sports and extreme environments

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Industry Gets Active with The Active Guide – now LIVE!

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

OK it’s here and it’s Active! The brand new Active Guide is a complete guide to a number of popular outdoor pursuits including walking, cycling, climbing, camping, caravanning and a variety of water sports. Using the site's innovative map based interface, consumers will be able to quickly access a database of service providers, activity centres, clubs, retail outlets and much more. The map will also direct them to a wealth of user-generated content describing people's favourite locations, routes, videos, photos and other useful information.

A comprehensive range of magazine style editorial content is also available to consumers, provided in most cases by you, the great and the good of the outdoor leisure sector.

Not involved yet?
This is just the beginning. There are plenty of ways to get involved, and stay involved:

• List your business on the map (automatic for OIA members)
• Provide editorial articles
• A variety of cost effective and creative digital advertising solutions

As well as OIA members, there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor centres, clubs and other organisations to get involved, and at no cost!

The Active Guide is a big step forward in terms of delivering real relevance and delivering real value back to the outdoor industry by getting more people outdoors, more often and via outdoor businesses. It’s a great opportunity to engage with existing customers and reach out to new ones.

So continue to contribute, promote and get involved! The OIA will having a working group, chaired by Michelle Dickinson, OIA Board members and Head of Marketing at Burton McCall, which will look to constantly evolve and develop the site over the coming months and years, so any feedback please send to the OIA.

www.theactiveguide.com

The winner of the Innov_ex Design Award gets a big, highly tactile hand

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A student from Manchester Metropolitan University has won the 2011 Innov_ex Design Award, sponsored by the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA). Victoria Eskdale triumphed with her ‘Second Skin Highly Tactile Glove’, which won the unanimous support of the award jury of seven experts from the outdoor sector. The result was announced during the recent annual Innov_ex conference at Lancaster University Management School. Victoria won £500 to help her further develop her innovation, along with mentoring from jury chair Sam Fountain, managing director of Shewee Ltd.

Innov_ex is the UK’s only innovation conference that directly addresses issues around sustainability in relation to the outdoor industry. It is held annually, organised by Mike Parsons and Mary Rose, and is sponsored by the OIA with the support of The Textile Institute; for 2011, the conference theme was ‘Sustainability is a journey not a destination’. For the first time, this year’s event was held over two days, allowing for a more extensive programme of presentations and workshops. Highlights included sessions on e-commerce, the latest technological advances in textiles and garment development, and measuring sustainability. Delegates also fed back very positive responses to presentations by Ed Stevens of Shopatron, Jim Goddard from Nike, Steve Taylor from the Castle Climbing Centre and Mark Sumner of Marks and Spencer.

Victoria Eskdale’s Second Skin Highly Tactile Glove uses a combination of cutting edge fabric technology and clever design in a product that has numerous potential applications for outdoor activities. Victoria developed a generic glove with key features, such as thermo-regulation for the hands, moisture management and unrestricted and mobility. Unrestricted open sensitive pads around the finger tips give the glove its name and are a key aspect of the innovation. The intention is to use the prototype as a starting point for developing a range of gloves specific to different activities such as climbing, cycling, running and other outdoor pursuits.

Victoria Eskdale comments:

“Winning the Innov_ex Design Award has made me believe that the product I designed is commercially viable and one that could potentially make a real impact on the outdoor market. I was over the moon to hear that the judges awarded the prize unanimously and am really excited that Sam Fountain will be mentoring me during the next steps of the product development process. I really hope that I can take the Second Skin Highly Tactile Glove to market and am grateful for the support of Innov_ex and the Outdoor Industries Association.”

Sam Fountain of Shewee and chair of the Innov_ex Design Award jury, adds:
“This year, we had to assess six very different, and very creative, entries. All of the jury members were extremely impressed by the standard of the work that was presented to us. However, for a number of reasons, Victoria’s submission really stood out. The concept behind the Second Skin Highly Tactile Glove is one that really chimes with current trends in society. The design uses a very well thought through technical application and is an innovative response to a genuine user need. Crucially, all of the judges agreed that they would want to buy a pair if they were available today!

“Well done to everyone who entered this year and congratulations to Victoria on a very deserved success. We hope that this encourages her, and other budding designers, to consider the outdoor sector as offering a potential career path. This is why the Outdoor Industries Association’s support of the Innov_ex Design Award is so important and to be commended.”

For further information about the Innov_ex prize, visit here.

It's official - camping makes you richer!

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Evidence collated by The Camping and Caravanning Club has revealed that camping really does make you richer in mind, body and soul.

Over 60 research studies reviewed by leading academics at Liverpool John Moores University and an online survey proved conclusively that those people who camp are happier, have closer family relationships, are healthier, less stressed and are more socially connected.

‘Real Richness – The List’ – which includes statistics and stories of those who camp and how camping has in many ways transformed their lives –was released by the Club today.

The findings come only months after Prime Minister David Cameron revealed plans to measure the nation’s happiness.

Some of the key findings include:

93% of campers say camping can make you happier
77% of campers are satisfied with their quality of life compared to 59% of non-campers
21% of campers feel stressed on an average day compared to 33% of non-campers
91% of all children say spending time exploring the outdoors with their parents makes them happy
80% of children who camp feel their parents are less stressed when they go camping and three-quarters say their parents shout less!
Seven in 10 people agree that camping is accessible to everyone regardless of income
79% of kids who have never camped say they would like to
One in three campers think that camping is a great way to lose weight
84% of campers think camping can make you healthier and nearly half think the pastime should be prescribed on the NHS
73% of adults suggest camping is something every child should experience and half say it should be on the national curriculum

The likes of adventurer Ben Fogle, television presenters Julia Bradbury and Sarah Beeny and environmentalist David Bellamy have all backed the research.

Fogle said: “I’m a big fan of camping. I’ve camped all over the world on all sorts of adventures and I often head off to Scotland, Wales and Cornwall to just chill out under canvas. And it’s not just been a solitary affair; my wife and I camped in Sweden and whenever I can I take Inca, my black Labrador with me too!

“The findings of The Camping and Caravanning Club research that show campers are richer for it are no great surprise to me. For me it definitely chills me out and I find it’s a fantastic way to switch off from my manic schedule. I can totally see how camping is great for families too and I can’t wait to get my growing family into the camping habit and introduce them to all the joys and fun it brings.

“What I really hope though is that these findings will encourage anyone of any age who hasn’t experienced the joys of camping and caravanning to give it a go. There are so many ways to camp nowadays and so many wonderful places to see, and it doesn’t have to cost the earth - how good is that!”

The observation that camping offered greater riches for mind, body and soul was first introduced over 100 years ago by the Club’s founder, Thomas Hiram Holding.

Matthew Eastlake, Marketing & Communications Director at The Camping and Caravanning Club, added: “At the Club, we believe that being rich isn’t only about money. We think it’s about a truer kind of wealth.

“Because it’s not about how much you’ve got materialistically; it’s about how happy you feel. We hope that people will be inspired by our findings and the stories of those who feature within our ‘Real Richness’ document and get out camping as a result.”

A research team led by Dr Kaye Richards, a Senior Lecturer in Outdoor Education at Liverpool John Moores University and Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society, believe advocating ‘access to camping for all’ may now be more relevant than ever before.

Dr Richards said: “It seems that something transformational often happens when we camp that doesn’t happen when we just go for a walk, a bike ride or a day out – a greater immersion in nature which we get by being there at dusk (to see or experience the sun setting) and at dawn (to perhaps hear the dawn chorus and see the sun rise) is something that differentiates camping from what others are saying about the benefits of doing other activities in nature.

“Camping should be an important consideration in the current climate where we understand mental health, family cohesion and connection with nature to be key influences on an individual’s well-being and quality of life.”

One of the many stories the Club gathered about how camping has enriched people’s lives came from an anonymous contributor, who said: “I left my ex-husband after domestic violence over many confidence-destroying years. With less money to spend and three children to entertain on holiday on my own, I hired a motorhome. I had never driven anything bigger than a family hatchback!

"We had a wonderful time. One child was in charge of securing everything before we drove, one in charge of hooking up at the sites and the youngest was in charge of entertainment – he chose Status Quo for the entire holiday as this was what he called ‘road movie music’.

“The children and I got our confidence back through the responsibilities and freedoms of that first camping holiday and now we camp for sheer pleasure.”

‘Real Richness – The List’ is available to download atwww.realrichness.co.uk from Monday, April 18.

Ends

For further media information or images, please contact:
Jon Dale, 024 7647 5204, 07748 936464 jon.dale@thefriendlyclub.co.uk
Kim Blythe, 024 7647 5224, 07951 153074,kim.blythe@thefriendlyclub.co.uk

Editorial Notes:

1.
The findings outlined in the Real Richness report are based on a review of research into the psychological and social benefits of camping undertaken by leading academics in the field of Outdoor Education & Therapy at Liverpool John Moores University and an online survey to 1,000 adults and 500 children aged seven to 11 who camp and a 1,000 adults and 500 children aged seven to 11 who have never camped.

2.
Throughout the report, it refers to ‘campers’ but this is a generic term for anyone who regularly camps in a tent, caravan, motorhome or trailer tent.

3.
The Camping and Caravanning Club is 110-years-old and is the largest and oldest Club in the world for all forms of camping. It has 109 award-winning sites throughout the UK and, through a partnership with the Forestry Commission, now runs and manages a further 20 Forest Holidays Caravan & Camping Touring Sites.

What does increasing efficiency mean in retailing?

Wed, 4 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

What does increasing efficiency mean in retailing?

Cost cutting? Investing in new technologies to streamline business processes? Reducing headcount?

Commissioned by Skillsmart Retail from the Saïd business school of the University of Oxford, this latest report provides new insight into recent changes in retail productivity in the UK in comparison with a number of other international markets, offering possible explanations and drawing out the influence of people and skills.   In the current economic climate, productivity is key for retail businesses to remain competitive. The report breaks down the different elements that make up productivity such as product, people and place and emphasises the fact that people and their skills lie at the heart of the productivity equation.

But pursuing efficiency goals in the absence of a proper understanding of how retailing works, and what customers expect, can be dangerous. In practice, managing the productivity of a retail business is a complex equation between efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness. And a retail firm’s human capital – its people – lie at the heart of this equation. They are the firm’s biggest asset in securing and retaining customers. And their quality, skills and capabilities count in
delivering consistently profitable businesses

The report also looks at the effects of the economy on retail productivity and skills.

Whilst the effects of the global economic crisis have, to date at least, not been as damaging to UK retailing as had at first been feared, for many the recession provided a ‘burning platform’ for implementing wideranging, and often perceived as overdue, costcutting. In the US, retailers appear to have been worse affected. ‘Quick action on costs’ here has, according to the most recent data, led to the acceleration in retailers’ ability to manage more with less: output per hour increased between 20089 in the majority of retail sub sectors. 1.2mn jobs were lost during the same period – 9% of retail trade employment. Nevertheless, post recession, bestinclass retailers in the US appear to be focusing on a more integrated approach to managing process/workflow and people, all towards the end of enabling better and deeper interactions with customers. European retailers similarly experienced the largest proportionate increase in job losses for any sector during 200810. The evidence is less clear in the UK, despite headline job
losses from a number of business failures: indeed, the recently initiated BRC Retail Employment Monitor suggested that there had been a net gain of 22,000 FTE jobs in retailing between 2009 and 2010. Retailers achieved much through more flexible working arrangements and more selective use of seasonal staff. And a somewhat unexpected consequence of the recession has been to increase the
talent pool available to the sector in the short term. Nevertheless, drastic short term strategies to improve efficiency have been put alongside the need to retain customer focus and relationships in the long run.

The report also identifies:

• The link between productivity and skills
• The effects of ecommerce on retail productivity and skills
• The skills consequences of retail productivity goals
• Comparative evidence on retail productivity

The report concludes that the UK is home to some of the best in class retail businesses in the world from the point of view of productivity; but that many retailers are still on a journey in driving efficiency improvements from technology and people.

The report costs just £70 + VAT and can be purchased online.  

Investing in people and skills in areas such as customer service is a critical factor in improving productivity.  This reinforces the value and relevance on the new Active Retail programme about to be launched by Peoplework for the outdoor industries, endorsed by the OIA.

To register your interest for the new Active Retail programme launching this June contact Louise Ramsay here.

Outdoor Industries Association supports the outdoor leisure show for second year

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Following the success of the UK’s newest consumer show – The Outdoor Leisure Show – which attracted over 35,000 visitors in February, the event has confirmed that the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) is officially supporting the show for the second year running. The 2012 event takes place from Friday 24 February to Sunday 26 February 2012 at The NEC, Birmingham and runs alongside the Boat & Caravan Show (21-26 February 2012)

Commenting on the announcement, Outdoor Industries Association Chief Executive, Louise Ramsay said: “We were delighted to support the first Outdoor Leisure Show last February and had no hesitation in lending our official support for the 2012 event. The number of visitors that attended the show exceeded all expectations. The more people that are attracted to help get more people outdoors can only be of benefit to the outdoor industry.

“Families and individuals of all ages will be able to benefit from the advice and extensive knowledge of numerous outdoor experts all under one roof, including outdoor retailers thus enabling visitors to purchase clothing and equipment with the right advice for their next adventures. We will certainly be encouraging our members to attend again.”

The Outdoor Leisure Show’s Event Director Andy Gibb believes that: “The continued support by the Outdoor Industries Association confirms the importance and demand for an outdoor leisure show specifically targeting those from the Midlands, the North and South West of England and Wales.

“Visitor attendance last year smashed all expectations. For those who enjoy the great outdoors - rambling, fell walking, climbing, mountaineering, camping, canoeing, kayaking or exploring places of natural interest -The Outdoor Leisure Show should be seen as a must attend event.”   Already, with eight months to go until the show opens on Friday 24 February 2012, leading, award-winning outdoor clothing and camping manufacturers such as Yeomans, Páramo and Keela have confirmed they will be returning to the show. Also confirmed are Farmstay UK, Cardiff International White Water and Visit Snowdonia.

Long awaited retail industry training scheme launches

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Active Retail Training Programme – ‘Active Retail’ launches with the first course this OCTOBER.

Aims of the Initiative
The aim of the initiative is to provide a structured, varied skill based course of training and development for sales staff involved in the Outdoor Industry across the UK

Active Retail increases:
• Sales and product knowledge
• Customer service and loyalty
• Work satisfaction
• Store footfall

Objectives
1. To improve the performance of sales staff in selling products to customers
2. To provide all customers with a high quality and professional experience from which they are satisfied with both the product and the service and would choose to return to the same location for further service.
3. To improve the perceived status of sales staff by helping them to understand their role in the success of the business
4. To improve the motivation of sales staff by improving their skills with customers and updating their technical knowledge.
5. To create a professional career structure for people involved in selling in the outdoor industry and to acknowledge its importance in the wider business context.
6. To create nationwide standards that are transferable, measureable and certificated across the industry
7. To help all businesses in the outdoor industry to be successful

Business Benefits
• More effective and motivated sales staff
• Increased sales
• Increased numbers of repeat customers
• Reduced complaints
• Better information on which to make selection decisions for recruitment of new staff
• Annual revenue stream for OIA

Individuals Benefits
• New skills, knowledge and confidence
• Increased, non bonus related motivation
• Transferable qualifications within the industry and also of potential value in other industries
• Improved career prospects
• Initial achievement certificates will be issued to those who meet the standards of the Key Performance Indicators of the programme and it is anticipated that it will be linked to national qualifications in due course.

Features of the Programme
The Programme consists of 2 components:
1. Level One- a one day workshop covering customer care and an introduction to product knowledge plus follow up e learning
2. Level Two-a two day workshop covering more advanced customer care areas and in depth product knowledge plus follow up e learning
The detailed content of these workshops is shown in Appendix 1

Locations
• London (South East & London)
• Bristol (South west & South Wales)
• Manchester (Midlands & North Wales)
• Edinburgh (Scotland)

Assessment
There will be three assessment methods the first will be a short paper based assessment which will be submitted to peoplework at the end of the training day. The second will be an online reflective log, and the third an online test.

All three of these will be marked by a qualified Peoplework assessor. It is important though that any staff member coming on the Peoplework Active Retail programme will do so in conjunction with his or her store manager’s participation. To study and pass either Active Retail L1 or L2 the candidate must have their manager’s ‘sign off’ on each module studied. For instance in the customer module ‘Approaching my customer’ the manager would have to see a change in the sales person’s manner and ability in approaching the customer and the dialogue that would take place. This work based observation will be considered by the assessor in making a judgment on the skill level of the candidate.

Primary assessment will be made against the set identified Key Performance Indicators (KPI). This will take place both during the workshops and at the workplace both during and at the end of the whole Learning Journey process.

Evaluation
All the coaching programmes will include a component of evaluation.
Participants will have the opportunity to give their feedback after each workshop, but more importantly will be followed up to assess the extent to which they have benefited personally and professionally.
Store Managers will have the opportunity to feedback their observations on individual and store performance using an on line form.
A summary of this information can be fed back to the respective Company’s senior management as appropriate.
It is anticipated that an assessment of benefits gained through the programme can be made against costs incurred after it has been running for a full year as shown in the table above.
Suggestions /feedback on workshops will be incorporated into future workshops.

Costs
Level 1: one day workshop plus e learning units
Cost per candidate £120 – OIA Member
Cost per candidate £145 – non OIA member

Level 2: two day workshop plus e learning units
Cost per candidate £245 - OIA member
Cost per candidate £295 – non OIA member

About Peoplework

Peoplework was founded by Don Gladstone. He is a long established and much respected figure in the outdoor industry. In many sectors he is considered to be the person who introduced professional sales training for many specialist areas including packs, equipment and apparel. In addition he is a well known professional outdoor photographer and film maker and a less well known kayaker, ice climber and hill walker.

Nearly ten years ago Don met and worked with Tom Richardson who has now joined Peoplework. Tom spent 20 years in Training and Organisation Development Consultancy working across a wide range of businesses, charities, local and national government and even the UN. He holds an MSc in Human Resource Management. In between times he is a prolific mountaineer and expedition leader having been on 8 expeditions to 8000m peaks. He has also worked with many outdoor brands as both an adviser/ designer and sponsored climber. He is also the Gear Editor for Climb Magazine.

Philosophy

Our philosophy is simple. The success of the outdoor industry depends of having good people at every level from Board Room to Shop Floor.

Workshop Contents

Level One
Each Workshop is divided into a number of separate modules as follows:

Customer Care Level 1

• My customer’s expectation
o What is my customer looking for in terms of practical ‘customer service?’
o Understanding ‘Customer Courtesy’
• My customer’s retail journey
o ‘Welcome!’
o ‘The approach’ – open & closed questions
o ‘Product choice’
o ‘Complimentary sales’
o ‘Closing the sale’
• Key skills
o ‘Body language’

Product Knowledge Level 1

• Apparel
o Category types with features & benefits
o Fitting for comfort
o Basic layering
o Basic coating & lamination’ processes (customer based)
o Enhancing comfort, complimentary sales
• Footwear
o Category types with features & benefits
o Basic footwear fitting
o Laminated and non laminated footwear
o Enhancing comfort, complimentary sales
• Equipment
o Sleeping bags – Category types / Filling / Season rating / Complimentary sales
o Tents – Category types / Season rating / Pitching information
o Stoves – Category types / Fuels / Safety
o Navigation – Compass & GPS

Level Two

Customer Care Level 2
• ‘The approach’ – Creating a dialogue with an open question
o Being confident to give the best advice through dialogue and experience
• Listening to my customer
o ‘Listening not hearing’
o ‘Assurance through listening’
• My body language
o ‘Courtesy and empathy’
• Dealing with a customer complaint
o ‘Listen, empathise, action’
• The ‘Yes’ attitude
o ‘Delivering sustainable, profitable customer service’ – Walking with my customer

Product Knowledge Level 2
• Apparel
o Category types with features & benefits’ – Relating ‘F&B’ to the customer’s specific needs
o Fitting for comfort and understanding the layering system for all outdoor sports
o Coating & lamination processes’ (technical & customer based)
o Enhancing comfort, complimentary sales
• Footwear
o Niche category types with features & benefits
o Footwear fitting – optimising comfort and performance
o Understanding the comfort role of socks, insoles and aftercare
o Laminated and non laminated footwear
• Equipment
o Sleeping bags – Category types / Filling / Down & Synthetic types/
o Tents – Category types / Season rating / Technology
o Stoves – Category types / Technology / Fuels / Safety
o Navigation – Advanced compass & GPS use

Format of modules
Each module uses a standard format for consistency and to enable participants to quickly access the key information and coaching advice. Each module is explained in a logical, linear manner. The methods used will include presentations, demonstrations, practice and role play (using video where appropriate) discussions and group working.

Each workshop will be backed up with a workbook containing the participant’s key learning points from the workshop supported by an e-learning handbook which includes:

➢ Key module aim
➢ Customer expectation
➢ Module content
➢ Key performance indicators on the shop floor
➢ Sales scenario coaching & questions including role play
➢ Training aids
➢ Module summary

The e-learning element of each workshop is a checklist of important questions from it with multiple choice answers. It will be sent to participants after the workshop and used as part of the evaluation.
It would be expected that the course would be completed by candidates within a 6 month period. Completion will be measured by the achievement of the Key Performance Indicators rather than mere attendance. A certificate affirming that the candidate has both attended and reached the standard of the Key Performance Indicators will be then issued in the name of the OIA. Where a candidate does not meet the standard additional support will be offered by Peoplework. Where a candidate fails to meet the standard a certificate will not be issued.

For more information on the course, delivery, dates/ venues and assessment, please get in touch with Don Gladstone of Peoplework on don@peoplework.org.uk

OIA survey gives retailers an insight into the most effective marketing channels for driving footfall

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

New research published by the Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) has given a clear insight into the key challenges facing outdoor retailers in 2011. In a national survey* of the general population, 50% of respondents stated clearly that the factor most likely to drive them to purchase a product is discounting. A further 22% stated that added value offers are the most likely to influence them to buy. The results reaffirm the short term actions that retailers are having to take to generate sales in an extremely tough trading environment.

The survey also asked people which types of marketing encourage them to visit retail outlets and online stores. Leading the way are the traditional forms of TV/cinema commercials (31%), newspaper advertising (20%) and leaflet inserts in newspapers and magazines (18%). These are closely followed by email marketing (17%), direct mail leaflets and catalogues (14%) and competitions (11%). While Facebook advertising and promotions scored fairly low with 10%, that leapt up to 28% for the 16-24 age group, indicating the increasing role of social media in reaching a younger audience. YouTube advertising (3%) and promotional messages on Twitter (3%) appear to have negligible influence on the general public, the latter result partly a reflection of the conversational nature of the platform. Again, both YouTube and Twitter have more influence on those aged 16-24, at 8%.

When asked which single type of marketing has the greatest influence on them, TV/cinema commercials emerged as the clear leader, cited by 24% of respondents. The second single most influential form of marketing is email marketing at 8%. While this figure is significantly lower than that for TV/cinema commercials, it provides evidence that digital marketing can play an important role for outdoor retailers. The costs associated with email marketing activity can be a small fraction of those for broadcast or press advertising, in particular offering smaller retailers a realistic tactic to use at a time when budgets are tight and consumers are being very cautious with their spending.

Despite the very difficult retail climate, the public’s overall interest in outdoor activities continues to grow. The new research has revealed that over half of the British population may choose UK based outdoor activities over an overseas break this summer, due to the economic climate. In the survey, 54% of respondents stated that they are more likely to try outdoor activities in the UK this year, rather than try other leisure pursuits or book a holiday abroad. The figure represents an increase of 5% compared to 2009, when an earlier OIA survey asked a similar question.

The survey results come at a time when the OIA is introducing a series of major initiatives to support the outdoor sector. A new procurement management service – Affinity Pro - developed with PartnerSave has the potential to save members thousands of pounds, while the launch of the Active Retail training scheme through Peoplework is designed to drive up standards across the industry and benefit both retail employers and employees.

Meanwhile, the association’s flagship project for 2011, The Active Guide (TAG), went live in May. The UK’s first dedicated online outdoor directory, www.theactiveguide.com hosts a wealth of information about more than 3,500 outdoor businesses, locations and services. TAG has been designed to ensure that people who have decided to explore the great outdoors for the first time, or are just getting going, are able to get the right products and services from genuine experts.

TAG is generating more traffic every week, with thousands of people from around the UK using features such as the interactive Activity Generator to identify suitable outdoor activities and locations, and related products and services. All OIA members, along with many other outdoor businesses, are listed on the site, which also drives consumers to the retailers’ own websites.

Explore Red creates joint research project with Peoplework and University of Leeds

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Explore RED survey
What do you do with your old gear - complete the ExporeRED survey and enter the prize draw to win some fantastic Rab & Teko gear!

The Explore Red programme was created by Don Gladstone in order to pursue the research and promotion of functional but redundant outdoor apparel, footwear and equipment.

The commercial, social and environmental value of ‘pre owned’ outdoor products can deliver tangible sustainable and ethical results.

Through the very process of buying new apparel, footwear and equipment the consumer creates a bundle of used outdoor gear that, in most cases, after its primary life cycle can be restored to enter a new cycle of life.

What is the aim?

To research a range of outdoor sports and life style products during and after extended use and evaluate their worth in terms of comfort, performance and commercial value when entering a second life cycle.

What are the benefits?

There has been little research conducted relating to the practical life cycle of outdoor sports products. Currently the focus is on developing, marketing and retailing new products with little regard to the commercial, social or environmental value of those that have been used but still retains their comfort, performance and in most cases, aesthetic properties. Such products have great value that is largely ignored by industry and consumer alike.

The Explore RED Initiative will examine;

• The consumer’s expectation of their outdoor product/s when purchased
• The wear and degeneration of soft and hard wear products over an eighteen month period
• Comfort and performance retention in comparison to when new
• The social and commercial value of the evaluated product
• The possibilities and opportunities to promote sustainable practice within and beyond traditional outdoor communities

Trade and consumer research

Lancaster University have provided three MSc students from the Management School to conduct research into;

• Potential charity partnerships
• Consumer buying habits
• Trade partnerships in relation to a national ‘re-use’ initiative

There is no adventure in the closet - practicing social and environmental material sustainability

It takes little imagination to realise the amount of used outdoor sports products in wardrobes, lofts and garages. The majority of these items still retain a great deal of the comfort and performance they originally provided their owners. Indeed, many of these items will provide the exact same comfort and performance as they did when first purchased.

At best this category of product is barely worn and at worst it is discarded and can potentially be disposed of in landfill. In the last five years there have been numerous cases of companies being paid by councils to recycle unwanted clothing only for it to be found in landfill sites as far away as Indonesia.

The Explore Red Initiative will seek to raise public awareness of the many advantages of reusing discarded outdoor products.

Which products are products by the programme and what is its duration?

The programme will research apparel, footwear, equipment, kayaks and mountain bikes. The first stage of the programme will run for approximately 24 months but it is hoped that some research will continue after this period.

How will the products be assessed?

The products will be given to a wide spectrum of people ranging from casual users to outdoor professionals. In most cases the product will be sent to The University of Leeds for evaluation each quarter. A record of use (visual and written) will be maintained by the individual testers.

What tests will be conducted on the product?

Performance and comfort testing for outdoor clothing and footwear will be undertaken by the University of Leeds. Tests will be carried out on new products and quarterly throughout the lifetime of the project. The results of the testing will be used to develop best practice guidelines on the reconditioning of used products.

All clothing will be visually examined for wear and tear and a range of tests will assess the water repellency, water resistance, breathability, thermal insulation, air permeability and wicking as appropriate.

Footwear will be visually examined for wear and tear and tests will be selected as appropriate from tread depth measurement, water resistance, impact absorption and sole friction.

For hardware, visual examinations will assess the products for wear and tear and expert advice on servicing and reconditioning needs will be solicited.

Concurrent with the testing regime, a study on consumer behaviour will be undertaken. With the aid of companies involved in the project, surveys will be distributed to users of selected and similar products, and typical user behaviour profiles will be developed. This will be used to determine average initial lifecycle, strategies for product return and evaluation of the market viability for reconditioned products.

OTS and tent show merge into one in 2012

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Following the results of a trade survey carried out earlier this year amongst outdoor retailers and manufacturers to find out their views on OTS and the Stoneleigh Tent Show and their preferred timings, a decision has been made to merge the two shows in 2012. 

 The results of the survey showed that 80% of retailers and manufacturers who replied to the survey, would prefer to visit a joint show, with expenses and time away from the business mentioned as the main reasons for preferring one show. Retailers cited that one visit but with a longer duration would be the preferred option. When asked about the timing of the show, both manufacturers and retailers (73%) would choose the first two weeks of September as the most popular dates for OTS.   

Organisers of the Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) and the Tent Show, MCS, are pleased to announce that the show will take place at the Stoneleigh Park venue from the 10thto the 13thSeptember 2012. The four day show will allow retailers longer time to browse through the two exhibition halls and the outdoor tent area. To make the show as viable and fair to all exhibitors, the outside grass areas will be exclusively reserved for tents with all other outdoor accessory products being displayed within the exhibition halls.   

OTS and Tent Show organisers Marta Williams and Alasdair Scobbie said: ‘We are very pleased to announce that the two shows will unite in 2012, ending a few years of debate within the industry and solving the problem of OTS exhibitors wishing to display tents. Both shows are organised with the needs of retailers in mind and we are delighted to be able to move forward with one show that will tick all the boxes in terms of location, timing and convenience. The new show will be the largest outdoor trade event in the UK and we are looking forward to hosting the industry in 2012.   Space rates and floor plans for the show will be released in the autumn, allowing exhibitors to reserve stand space for 2012.    And don't forget to visit OUR WEBSITE for the latest OTS news, directions and accommodation information."

Book your place at the European Outdoor Forum

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Following on from last year’s highly successful launch, the European Outdoor Forum, organised by the Outdoor Sports Valley, in partnership with the European Outdoor Group, will be held in Annecy on the 11/12th October.

The industry will gather from all over Europe for two days of learning, networking and sharing while listening to industry insiders and outside experts present on issues that impact on our business today and out into the future. The event is designed to build long lasting relationships within the community of European outdoor industry professionals and is already a key fixture European outdoor calendar.

This year’s program contains topics ranging from European, North American and Chinese market trends, social media, corporate social responsibility, social accountability, intellectual property, supply chains and the youth market, to a global retail panel.

The true international flavour of the event has also been enhanced with the inclusion of speakers not only from across Europe, but also North America and China. Additionally, the SGI-‐Europe -‐ The Compass and aWorkbook lunches and the ISPO forum dinner will provide plenty of time for networking and catching up with industry friends.

For 2011, the ISPO Forum dinner has been moved to the middle evening from the opening evening, so only two days are now required to attend all the forum activities.

As the forum contains a wide variety of key topics for success in today’s business climate make sure to bring all the relevant specialists from your company to cover all aspects of the conference.

Additionally this is a great opportunity to discover Annecy’s unique blend of culture, cuisine and outdoor activities while at the conference. Last year over 220 delegates attended from brands located all across Europe. So join your friends and fellow professionals and build the future of our industry at Europe's flagship outdoor conference.

For the full agenda and to book your place please click below.

cust_images/EUROPEAN OUTDOOR FORUM 2011-Full-agenda.pdf

The first European reuse exchange for used outdoor gear launches

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The first European reuse exchange for used outdoor gear recycleoutdoorgear.com.

A new free service for the UK Outdoor Industry dedicated to helping consumers find a solution to the endless amounts of used but serviceable outdoor gear taking up space in cupboards, lofts & garages.
Recycle Outdoor Gear (ROG) lets you swap, sell, buy or donate your used outdoor gear for free.
The UK is the second largest outdoor market in Europe with sales in excess of £1.46bn in 2010.

Recycle Outdoor Gear (ROG) is a free of charge, internet based service, dedicated to helping swap, sell, buy or donate unwanted but serviceable used outdoor gear, so long as it is not a weapon of any description and doesn’t have an engine. Even the big stuff like canoes, skies, snowboards, tents etc. all are welcome.

ROG also encourages free wanted ads. So if you are looking for a particular long forgotten item or perhaps would be able to make good use of a particular waterproof, fleece, canoe, snowboard, skis, boots put your own free wanted listing on the service. If you are looking for gear to be used by a school, youth group or similar groups encouraging people into the great outdoors please make sure you put that in your listing or ad. because we all like to help if we can.

Recycle Outdoor Gear (ROG) is also working hard to increase awareness and understanding of recycling and reuse outdoor gear initiatives by charities. Donating unwanted outdoor gear to a particular charity initiative is an excellent way to ensure its second life potential.

“I hope to develop ROG into a one stop service for all activities relevant to recycling and the reuse of outdoor gear. To do this we need your help to make customers aware of ROG on your point of sale, advertising and digital content. If your organisation has a brand specific recycling or reuse initiative please let me know and I will make ensure its all on ROG”. said Sarah Howcroft founder of ROG

The ROG blog is a great place to highlight what’s happening on ROG. The place to write about all the outdoor gear recycling and reuse stories. What we recycled, how we did it, what we are reusing or donating. companies and organisations can submit a blog post, photo's and videos etc.

ROG is very grateful to the OIA and Rohan for their support and encouragement.

Andrew Denton - Chief Executive, Outdoor Industries Association UK
"The Outdoor Industries Association welcomes, endorses and supports the launch of the 'Recycle Outdoor Gear' website. We are the not-for-profit trade body that represent the Outdoors trade in the UK and as a group we are committed to improving the overall ecological and environmental impact of our industry. As well as being members of the European Outdoor Group, the Conservation Association and EOG Sustainability Working Group, we are actively working to find ways to provide leadership example for sustainability in the UK Outdoor trade. The ROG website ensures our members and our members customers can make an active impact on the amount of Outdoor product wasted or discarded, ensures best practice in repair, exchange and donation and will directly lead to less waste and better use of equipment's life-time value." http://www.outdoorindustriesassociation.co.uk/

Why Rohan? Sarah Howcroft is founder of ROG and co-founder of Rohan enough said.
http://www.rohan.co.uk.

“Their joint encouragement demonstrates that when members of the industry work together a great deal can be accomplished. In the current business climate maybe a more collaborative approach to some of the major issues could prove beneficial to everyone”. Sarah Howcroft

Contact: Sarah Howcroft Email: sarah.howcroft@gmail.com 24/10/2011

Recycle Outdoor Gear and OIA calls out to the trade

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Letter to the trade from Sarah Howcroft, Founder of ROG:

"Each year in the UK we collectively produce 280 million tonnes of waste. That's a colossal figure. Paid for directly and indirectly by us all. Our own Outdoor industry is no different from any other in the country making a contribution to this massive figure. Collectively we all produce waste and much is left in the country of production. The real manifestation of the industries waste in the UK is locked into the life cycle of the products we produce and sell.

My name is Sarah Howcroft, co-founder of Rohan. I am very proud of the UK Outdoor industry.
I believe that the UK outdoor industry could achieve a great deal if we act collectively. That's why I started Recycle Outdoor Gear (ROG) a dedicated Free Of Charge service that facilitates the reuse of all used outdoor gear in the UK.

With your help we can demonstrate to everyone who cares about the Great Outdoors UK that the OIA and the UK outdoor industry is dedicated to the preservation of the outdoor playgrounds from which we all benefit.

What can you and your company do?
I am sure that you and your company are already doing your bit for the environment. Actively supporting ROG in the following ways will increase your commitment to the environment.

Promote ROG at every opportunity to your staff and customers. Use your website, social media channels, swing tickets, till receipts and any other point of sale information to get the message out there. ROG can provide you with all the graphic support, just ask us.

Promote ROG as the reuse option to your customers for their unwanted used outdoor gear. The benefits could be significant, the greatest being the appreciation from your customer that you are taking your responsibilities to the environment seriously. Don’t forget this is in addition to your normal sales activity, not instead of it, free circulation of equipment in the market encourages new users, access old forgotten equipment and keeps users buoyant and interested in the market. See our ROG website for more discussion about the benefits of Reuse for our trade.

As ROG develops the stories that have been generated by all the activity will be published on ROGBlog. This is a great place for you to keep your customers up-to-date on any and all sustainable issues. Let me have details on ANY green activity within your company and I will make sure its on ROGBlog!"

Third reading of the daylight saving bill - Action required!

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The Tourism Alliance has reported on the latest update regarding Rebecca Harris’s Daylight Saving Bill.

Kurt Janson, Policy Director, reports that it has now passed through the Committee stage last week and the Government is now 100% committed to support. The amendments to allow the devolved administrations to vote on undertaking a trial were tabled jointly with the Minister and all made it into the bill unchallenged. So this sets everything up for the Third Reading which is scheduled for 20th January 2012.

HOWEVER,

Regardless of the Government’s support, there still needs over 100 MPs in the House on 20th January 2012 if the Daylight Saving Bill is to pass through this final stage in the House of Commons before going to the House of Lords.

The Tourism Alliance has produced a pamphlet for trade to use stating the benefits of Daylight Saving for the tourism industry as well as other benefits to other sectors of the economy, including outdoors and leisure. Both the OIA and TA urge members to please write/talk to your MP/Ministerial contacts, APPG's etc - stating your support for the Bill, requesting theirs, and asking that they turn up on January 20th to vote in favour of it.

THE PROPOSAL

For the UK to undertake a system of Single/Double Summer Time (SDST) for a three year trial period in order to make better use of the hours of daylight that the country receives.
This would mean moving the clocks two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in the summer (GMT+2) and one hour ahead of GMT in the winter (GMT+1).

THE OUTCOME

Moving to SDST means that the UK would have lighter evenings all year round. This would provide considerable environmental, road safety, health and leisure advantages which would significantly outweigh the disadvantages of darker mornings.

Download the PDF here

Active Retail Training gets to the heart of it

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Active Retail Culture, run by Don Gladstone of Peoplework, has seen a very positive reaction from the outdoor industry since it launched this summer signaling a need for an industry wide training platform. Retailers and brands who have signed up to ARC include Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op, Carters of Reading, Sealskinz, Manchester Climbing Centre, Oswald Bailey and Countryside Ski and Climb.

The Level two courses have been very positively received. Undoubtedly the decision to deliver tailored courses to the retailer has been a positive move. Allowing this flexibility enables the client to receive customer care training based around their specific needs.

Don comments: "While we'll maintain this format we hope to deliver regional day seminars in 2012 where the retailer can send their staff on a half or full day course. This training format takes into account store rotas and enables the salesperson to get the foundation knowledge in delivering excellent customer care."

Commenting on ARC, after his team had been on the training programme, Anthony Greasby, owner of Countryside Ski and Climb said: 'at Countryside Ski and Climb we pride ourselves in great customer service. Because the ARC training was based around the specific needs of our sales team we were able to focus on those areas we felt most important in enhancing our customer service. We found ARC very empathetic on the way it related, and engaged with, all the team, from our managers to part time colleagues'.

For more information on ARC contact Don at don@peoplework.org.uk or lramsay@theoia.co.uk

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Women's winter climbing trouser wins Innov_ex Design Prize 2010

The OIA, in sponsoring Innov_ex with its student prize, is genuinely investing in the future of the outdoor industry" Professor Mary Rose, LUMS

Read the full conference update here

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Outdoor industry companies invited to test beta version of industry-wide environmental assessment tool

NICs holiday scheme for new businesses launched

Trainers or boots?

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OTS Novel Awards 2010 winners

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English Outdoor Council undertakes review

Quangos face the chop

Help shape the nature of England

Innov_ex 11 Conference unveils unmissable line up of events

Prospect of Tourism and Outdoor Activity Boost with Progress of Daylight Saving Bill

The Innov_ex Design Prize 2011 is open for entries

Innov_ex 2011, sponsored by the OIA, will be held on 12-13th April 2011 at Lancaster University Management School.

Exciting opportunity for outdoor industry businesses

Where does the future now lie for England's forests?

Innov_ex 11: the annual conference for innovation in all mountain and adventure sports and extreme environments

Sponsored by the Outdoor Industries Association

Industry Gets Active with The Active Guide – now LIVE!

www.theactiveguide.com

The winner of the Innov_ex Design Award gets a big, highly tactile hand

It's official - camping makes you richer!

What does increasing efficiency mean in retailing?

Investing in people and skills in areas such as customer service is a critical factor in improving productivity. This reinforces the value and relevance on the new Active Retail programme about to be launched by Peoplework for the outdoor industries, endorsed by the OIA.

Outdoor Industries Association supports the outdoor leisure show for second year

Long awaited retail industry training scheme launches

OIA survey gives retailers an insight into the most effective marketing channels for driving footfall

Explore Red creates joint research project with Peoplework and University of Leeds

Explore RED survey What do you do with your old gear - complete the ExporeRED survey and enter the prize draw to win some fantastic Rab & Teko gear!

OTS and tent show merge into one in 2012

Book your place at the European Outdoor Forum

The first European reuse exchange for used outdoor gear launches

Recycle Outdoor Gear and OIA calls out to the trade

Third reading of the daylight saving bill - Action required!

Active Retail Training gets to the heart of it

Innov_ex 2011, sponsored by the OIA, will be held on 12-13th April 2011 at Lancaster
University Management School.

Investing in people and skills in areas such as customer service is a critical factor in improving productivity.  This reinforces the value and relevance on the new Active Retail programme about to be launched by Peoplework for the outdoor industries, endorsed by the OIA.

Explore RED survey
What do you do with your old gear - complete the ExporeRED survey and enter the prize draw to win some fantastic Rab & Teko gear!