‘Fuzzier Together. Safer Together’ may be the motto of the Indianapolis based National Mascot Association (NMA), but it’s members may soon be experiencing feelings of deja vu if they tune in to a new show that’s about to hit Netflix. Called Mascots, it’s a mockumentary based on the world of professional mascots, particularly ones affiliated with sporting teams. With the plot centred on the 8th World Mascot Association Championships, the film features characters that would be unusual with or without the costume. Whilst the work of the NMA is all about creating the standards by which mascot performers conduct themselves, that of the WMA is entirely fictitious! The laudable aims of the real-life NMA include making sure that all mascots are built safely, securely, and with the ultimate in flexibility and movement, so the film most certainly takes a bit of creative license. But if you’re in the mood for seeing someone poke fun at the world of associations, and don’t mind a few crazy suits, it might offer some laughs. Who knows you may think some UK associations deserve treatment?!

We are pleased to welcome the International Association of Insolvency Regulators from January 2014 as a new client as part of their strategic development and need for high level professional services. We are pleased to be able to assist them with their strategy of continued growth. For more information on the International Association of Insolvency Regulators, please click here.

Attendees flocked to the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden for the Beauty Companies Association’s annual business seminar, which took place on September 30th. Concentrating on maximising the success of businesses within the beauty industry, the event was a great chance for the range of high profile speakers to share stories and invaluable knowledge on how they first started out in the beauty industry and managed to pave their way to success. The packed audience welcomed Dean Nathanson, chairman of the BCA, to the stage, who commenced the seminar with a warm welcome to all attendees and speakers, whilst discussing the benefits of joining the BCA. Dean then introduced our first speaker, Leah Totton. Dr Leah Totton, current title holder of The Apprentice and Alan Sugar’s business partner, shared her journey from the beginning, where she worked for the NHS, to taking part and winning The Apprentice in 2012. Leah confessed how she had struggled to overcome her lack of confidence whilst taking part in The Apprentice and revealed how she wanted her clinics to eventually expand nationally. Following this, Sandra Vallow, Senior Beauty Buyer at QVC, took to the stage to share her journey and experiences of working at QVC. She was able to share a short marketing video, which broadcasts how QVC works to help companies to expand and grow. Companies who work closely with QVC are able to use their marketing tool to predict how their target market reacts to key terms which can then be used to their own advantage. Sean Harrington, Managing Director of Elemis, then addressed the packed room by detailing how the company had first come about, which had been because of the need to pay back some owed money, drawing a few laughs from the audience! Alongside speaking about his own success, Sean also offered attendees top tips and advice on running a successful business. After a packed morning delegates then had a chance to network with other senior members of the Beauty Industry over lunch and drew the raffle, to raise funds for the Healing Hands Network, the BCA’s nominated charity, who also benefited from 10% of the profits from the event. A delighted Dean Nathanson summed up the event; “Our annual business seminars have proved to be a big success with great feedback from attendees and speakers alike. I believe we have well and truly succeeded thanks to all our speakers and members who attended the event, and really relished in the opportunity to learn more about how to maximise their success. As the BCA grows, we feel like the industry benefits as a whole from the effort we have put in to ensure we stand as one and be recognised as the leading authority of the beauty industry. ”

Nutrition has been implicated in behaviour, mood and in the pathology and treatment of mental illness. With reports suggesting that 70 million working days are lost to stress alone, the loss to the UK economy could amount to as much as 4.5% GDP. Age-associated conditions, such as dementia, are becoming ever more prevalent. Likewise depression, and other psychopathologies, are elevated risk comorbidities with obesity, and unchecked rises in this condition may associate with a decline in the population’s mental health and wellbeing. With this in mind the Nutrition Association’s conference on the 6-7th December will to review where the evidence is strong, where there are unmet needs for research and draw together the community working in this area. The conference programme, which will consist of plenary sessions aiming to set the scale of the problem in context, plus a series of four interlinked symposia examining the evidence linking nutrition to psychological outcomes, can be viewed online at, http://https://www.nutritionsociety.org/winter-conference-2016-diet-nutrition-and-mental-health-and-wellbeing

We are pleased to welcome the British Insurance Law Association from January 2014 as a new client as part of their strategic development and need for high level professional services. We are pleased to be able to assist them with their strategy of continued growth. For more information on the British Insurance Law Association, please click here.

Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners seeking a Chair The Institute of Equality and Diversity Practitioners (IEDP) is the professional body of equality, diversity and human rights practitioners. The Institute promotes excellence in equality, diversity and human rights professional practice. The Institute is independent and run by practitioners for practitioners. The institute going through a period of change. It has set out its new vision and objectives for the future, and is seeking a new Chair to lead the organisation through this exciting period. For more details and how to apply: http://www.iedp.org.uk/events . Closing date Friday 30th January 2015.

The Railway Industry Association (RIA) – which represents UK-based suppliers to the world’s railways – has appointed a new Chief Executive, Darren Caplan. Caplan comes to RIA from the Airport Operators Association, where he has been Chief Executive for the last six years, and will commence his new role early in the New Year. He takes over from Interim Chief Executive David Tonkin, who has led RIA since former RIA Director General Jeremy Candfield announced his retirement in the summer. RIA Chairman Gordon Wakeford, said “we are delighted to welcome Darren Caplan to RIA, as our new Chief Executive. Darren comes with an excellent track record of successfully running a transport trade association, campaigning for sectoral growth, enhancing its performance, and delivering improved member satisfaction scores every year. The RIA team and members look forward to having Darren on board as we embark on the next stage of the association’s development.” RIA Chief Executive designate Darren Caplan, said “I’m tremendously excited to be joining RIA at this key time, when the railway industry is going through such a major modernisation programme: providing huge opportunities for RIA’s innovative supplier members. RIA is a fantastic trade association with a strong heritage, and I am looking forward to working with the RIA team to build on its many achievements, and champion the rail supply industry in the months and years ahead.”

Any charity or association website owner should be aware of the liability arising from misleading website statements. A recent Court of Appeal case – Patchett & Another v Swimming Pool & Allied Trades Association Limited (SPATA) – highlights a website owner’s potential liability to visitors to the site for misleading claims made on it. The case revolved around a couple that wished to chose an expert and reliable contractor to install a swimming pool. The couple used the Trade Association’s website to access a list of members and their locations. Mr. & Mrs. Patchett relied on a statement on the website: “One way of guaranteeing that the pool installation company has the expertise, is to make sure that they are a member of the Association before contacting them for a quotation”. The Association also claimed: “Pool installer members are fully vetted before being admitted to membership with checks on their financial record, their experience in the trade and inspections of their work”. The Patchetts selected their installer through the website but before the project was completed, the installer became insolvent and the Patchetts claimed £44,000 for losses suffered from the Association. The action was taken on the grounds that the website misled by its statements and that the Association had breached its duty of care. The case was dismissed by the Court of Appeal, only on a majority verdict and because the couple had failed to request additional information offered through an “information pack”. The insolvent installer had only been an “affiliate” member who had not been vetted by the Association and whose potential liabilities were not covered by the Association’s Warranty Scheme. This information could have been discovered had the information pack been requested – a pack which would have suggested appropriate questions to ask of any potential installer. The dissenting judge on the panel felt that the couple should have been able to rely on the website without the need to enquire further. A different panel could easily have found against the Association. The learning point here is that your website should carry suitable legal disclaimers and the wording should be created by your solicitor rather than your website designer.

We are organising for one of our clients a sparkling day of golf at Shrigley Hall Hotel, Golf & Country Club . The day will commence with a champagne reception and the holding of the Annual General Meeting followed by a round of golf. The presentation dinner will follow in the evening with plenty of food and drink, fine company and an opportunity to network with your peers. For further information on what we do for this client please click here

The British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) has launched a ‘major’ sustainability programme that will focus on five key actions over the next five years. The flagship 5 for 5 Sustainability Pledge will take effect in January, and covers environmental sustainability, water management, social sustainability, financial sustainability and workplace sustainability, including employee wellbeing. “Ours is one of the most sustainable sectors,” said BWCA chairman John Dundon. “Our new sustainability programme of work will deliver that message to a wider audience. It will also serve to enable members to share best practice so that the whole membership will benefit from the impressive knowledge and sustainability work already being undertaken”. BWCA general manager Phillipa Atkinson-Clow explained: “We are hugely impressed with the array of activities undertaken by our Members already. So we wanted to show the outside world how great current activities already are; to inspire Members to do even more: and to help them by offering models of best practice from all areas of the industry that others can implement in their own workplaces. Over the coming year, BWCA will be releasing case studies showing examples of what its Members are already achieving. Dundon added: “Being a BWCA Member sets companies apart from non-members: they are the smart, well-established and well-run companies who pay heed to good standards. To gain and retain their position as a Member of BWCA, companies must pass a stringent audit – not just once, but annually. This initiative is just another way in which the Association can support its Members in celebrating excellence”.