FOOTWEAR FRIENDS 5TH ANNUAL AWARDS ‘EVEN BIGGER & BETTER’

Published: 03 October, 2011

“This year’s Footwear Friends Annual Awards is going to be even bigger and better than last”, proclaimed Charity President Richard Kottler. “We have had extraordinarily good quality entries from young designers and entrepreneurs and I think our ‘dragon’s den’ team are going to be hard pushed to make a decision when they meet in a week’s time.” The fully sponsored Footwear Friends Annual Awards is now in its 5^th year and during this time has become an established way of recognising and rewarding British talent.

The hugely popular Awards Presentation Evening has also become established on the Footwear Industry’s calendar as the place to be, where all elements of the trade including the media, come to network, meet contacts and friends and support their charity. This was evidenced by last year’s turnout, which due to very late booking almost caused a crisis when the wineglasses (but not the wine) ran short!

This year the event, which is traditionally held in interesting and quirky venues, takes place in the Musical Museum near Kew Bridge Station. The Museum houses a collection of extraordinary instruments, many of them automata, so not only will attendees be able to see and hear these, but will also have a private rendition of the Mighty Wurlitzer!

Tickets are selling fast but are available for £55.00 each through www.annual-awards.org or www.FootwearFriends.org.uk. An added attraction this year is the Dune Charity Raffle to win a Year’s Worth of Shoes – a pair of shoes every month!

Sponsors of the Awards this year are Birkenstock, NPS, Philip Meltzer and FN Platform at MAGIC

Sponsors of the Event are DHL International, Pure, SATRA, Annette Cove Associates and Northampton University School of Arts

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Note to Editors:

Footwear Friends, the industry charity, celebrates its 175th Anniversary this year and has a proud record of helping those most in need in the Trade. The Awards Evening is one of it’s major fundraising opportunities.

These sponsored Awards also enable Footwear Friends to support young entrepreneurs who are the future lifeblood of the industry.

There are three key Awards for 2011.

The Designer Award of £5000 is to be used to further Designers/Entrepreneurs business expertise and is generously sponsored by the Birkenstock and NPS Shoes Ltd. In addition there is a 12-month tailored mentoring programme by industry experts

The Meltzer Travel Award is £750 – this is primarily to assist in attending key Trade Shows. Donated by Philip Meltzer in memory of Joe Meltzer. The Award also includes a mentoring programme for the successful candidate.

The FN/Platform Award presents the winner with the opportunity to show at the USA’s premier footwear show - Magic in Las Vegas – providing the emerging brand with a stand sponsored by the organisers.

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