Gift Focus - Mar/Apr 2019 (Issue 112)

giftfocus 7 news and events SOMETHING DIFFERENT STARTS THE YEAR WITH £8,000 DONATION TO RSPCA LLYS NINI Welsh giftware importer Something Different Wholesale has raised £8,199.60 for the RSPCA Llys Nini branch based in Swansea through sales of an exclusive giftware range. In 2018, Something Different launched a new range of giftware aimed at people who are passionate about their pets. The range, called Paws and Claws, includes products such as mugs, treat tins, decorative signs and greetings cards featuring cats and dogs. Louise Rowley, senior designer at Something Different, said: “When it comes to pets, people really like to wear their hearts on their sleeves. Whether you’re a cat or a dog person, pets are considered part of the family, and our Paws and Claws range really represents this sentiment.” Over the course of 2018, Something Different donated a minimum of 20p to Llys Nini for every item sold from the collection. Accordingly, Something Different presented a cheque for more than £8,000 to Llys Nini. CEO Jane Wallace-Jones added: “Philanthropy is very much part of our company ethos, and while developing the Paws and Claws range, we realised this was the perfect opportunity to support our local community.” Llys Nini is an animal rehoming centre and, since 1995, it has helped more than 14,500 animals find new homes. Although Llys Nini is affiliated with the RSPCA, it receives no automatic funding and so relies on its own fundraising events and charitable donations to support its work. Debbie Davies from the Llys Nini community and fundraising team said: “We are absolutely delighted with the support we’ve had from Something Different. To receive such a wonderful and substantial donation is outstanding. Support like this is paramount to us. With more and more animals in need of rescuing and rehoming, and with growing costs, it ensures we can continue the work we do here.” The Paws and Claws collection is available to purchase for trade customers at somethingdifferentwholesale.co.uk EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS FOR LEGO WITH HERO TOY WIN AND NEW MOVIE RELEASE Building on last year’s successes, which marked 60 years of the iconic brick, the LEGO Group is hoping to continue to inspire and develop the next generation of builders through exciting new play innovations, including sets that will see “fluid” play come to the fore, effortlessly combining physical and digital play experiences. 2018 was also a strong year for the company’s core ranges, along with the likes of superheroes and Wizarding Worlds which proved popular franchises with fans. Alongside LEGO City & Friends sets, the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall became one of the 23 LEGO sets to appear in the NPD’s 2018 list of the 100 top-selling items in the UK toy market. The Great Hall set also topped Christmas lists in 2018 after it was included in the prestigious 2018 Dream Toys. Building on this movie-driven franchise success, the release of The LEGO Movie: The Second Part has guaranteed an exciting start to the year for the brand. In line with the movie release, the LEGO Group’s new range of The LEGO Movie 2 products gives the opportunity to extend the movie experience into the home, building sets together and unlocking creativity. One set that has garnered attention is the LEGO Movie 2 LEGO Movie Maker. Intertwining physical building with digital play, the new set allows families to create their own LEGO movies at home. The action- packed product has been included alongside other market-leading toys in the Hero Toy selection at Toy Fair 2019, and features a movie stage with swivelling camera stand. This “fluid” play, with real world, imaginary and digital experiences is becoming more commonplace within the toy industry. Marius Lang, head of UK/Ireland marketing at The LEGO Group, said: “Play is changing, and at The LEGO Group, we are committed to ensuring all elements of it – real-life, imaginary and digital – are encapsulated in our products to create unlimited play and learning experiences. As play becomes more dynamic, the importance of technology becomes clearer, and we know that digital can enhance, not take away from, play and family time.” For further information, including new releases and the LEGO Play Well report, visit lego.com