Awards

Introducing the seven new members to join CTSIs College of Fellows ruth Andrews, head of investigations and safeguarding, North Yorkshire County Council Andrews has illustrated her professional intent and talent in a career catalogued with success and innovation from the moment she won the TSI Diploma in Trading Standards prize in 1997. She gave a presentation on internet fraud and investigation at the institutes annual Conference in Edinburgh that year, which captured the imagination of her professional peers and set her on a path of trading standards criminal investigation par excellence. Her work in investigating widespread and serious doorstep crime is unrivalled and worthy of the judicial commendation it has received. Andrews has enthusiastically passed on her experience and knowledge in training her colleagues across the country and in profiling the skill of her profession on national and regional media. A writers market A gem of an investigation This year, three legal eagles who put pen to paper were crowned winners of the Best TS Today Article Award for their feature, A buyers market. Featured in TS Today in December 2014, the article examined the likely impact of the Consumer Rights Bill. When presenting the award to pupils Eloise Emanuel and Laura Vignoles of QEB Hollis Whiteman, who co-authored the piece with barrister katherine Buckle, Ron Gainsford described the piece as: A high quality article providing analysis of the likely impact of the Consumer Rights Bill on consumers, businesses, legal advisers and enforcement agencies. Highlighting both the positive and less helpful legislative changes, this is an easily accessible work of reference. Sponsored by the four Assay Offices of the United Kingdom, theBritish Hallmarking Council Touchstone Award rewards local authorities that pursue hallmarking fraudsters. This year, Manchester City Council won the accolade for its joint investigation with Greater Manchester Police, following a target-led inspection programme in 2014, which revealed significant non-compliance of hallmarking. The operation uncovered other offences and fraud issues. These included two false claims about membership related to the National Association of Goldsmiths and the Guild of Valuers and Jewellers, resulting in further investigations. During the operation, Manchester established a demanding timeframe during which traders had to make contact with an Assay Office and submit items for hallmarking. Revisits were then carried out to ensure compliance with the Hallmarking Act. Judges said the joint expertise of the trading standards service and the UK Assay Offices was essential in this successful operation. Derby City Councils work in this area was highly commended, and applications from across the UK showed different approaches and a range of innovative processes in hallmarking enforcement. Honorary member Dave Merry, head of training, education and trading standards liaison at Goldsmiths Company Assay Office, has been made an honorary member of CTSI. Merrys career started in The London Assay Office in 1971, as a 16-year-old apprentice. He was trained in every department, but from the early stages it was clear that his strength was in sampling an area he excelled in and stayed in until recently. Today, Merry has a very varied role. He is Master to three assay apprentices, the official Assay Office tour guide, technical support for the renowned Antique Plate Committee and, of course, trading standards liaison officer. He has assisted numerous local authorities with his vast knowledge of hallmarking on inspections and the Hallmarking Act in general some say he knows the Act off by heart! It is mainly his work with trading standards that has gained him his celebrity status with several television appearances, including the BBCs Fake Britain, Antiques Uncovered and Britains Worst Deal. Merry is part of the adjudication panel for the Touchstone Award and has also been involved with the government trailblazers apprenticeship scheme. He is a Freeman of the City of London and of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and a Fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths. After 43 years in the Assay Office, his knowledge and passion for hallmarking is pretty much unsurpassed. outstanding contribution David Collinson, of Norfolk County Council, was announced as the winner of the prestigious Status International Award for his outstanding contribution to the profession, during the gala dinner. It was presented by Peter McVeigh, managing director of Status International. Exhibiting excellence Exhibitors dressed their stands for the wow factor in a bid to win one of two coveted awards at this years Exhibition. After much debate, judges crowned Carmarthenshire County Council (left) as Best Local Government Exhibitor 2015, while Sports Traider (right) won Best Non-Local Government Exhibitor 2015. Shining examples Seven trading standards officers came top of their class in 2014 in their individual specialisms, with certificates handed out during the gala dinner. kayleigh Phillips was presented with two awards for dedication and excellence in her field the Diploma in Consumer Affairs and Trading Standards (sponsored by the College of Fellows) and Legal Metrology (supported by the National Measurement and Regulation Office). Credits Published You might also like Images: Sam Atkins Monday 3 August, 2015 And the winner is... August 2014 To share this page, in the toolbar click on Lucy Norton achieved the Core Skills in Consumer Affairs and Trading Standards (sponsored by the College of Fellows). Janice Chisholm, principal consumer services officer, London Borough of Islington The inspiration and resolve displayed by Chisholm for young consumers education is legendary and its fair to say that without her extraordinary commitment and contribution, the CTSI Young Consumers of the Year (YCOY) competition would probably not have survived the many challenges it and its local authority sponsors have faced over this past decade. A leading light in the Consumer Empowerment Alliance (CEA) and its predecessor Consumer Education Group, Chisholm has been pivotal in building the new consumer landscape partnership between CEA and CTSI with Citizens Advice. Her extraordinary dedication to young consumers and YCOY competitors in Islington and Greater London has seen the local and regional finals hosted in an array of prestigious venues. Handley Brustad, trading standards officer, Cardiff County Council A member of the institute since 1975, Brustad is the complete trading standards professional. While he can boast many achievements across the service spectrum, it has been in the sphere of intellectual property (IP) and counterfeiting that he has excelled and made his national and international mark. A lead officer for CTSI, Brustad received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group. He set up Football Against Fakes in the 1990s and developed the exceptional Net Wise internet anti-counterfeiting tool. He is the national voice on IP fraud across the media and led anti-counterfeiting activities and training for national events, including the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales and the 2012 Summer Olympics. Alexis Winch received the Food Standards prize (supported by the Institute of Food A quiz fanatic, Brustad introduced the Young Consumers of the Year competition to Wales. Science & Technology). Garry Mitchell earned the Fair Trading Civil prize (supported by Uk European Consumer Lawrence Eldridge received the Product Safety prize (supported by Status International). Centre). He was unable to attend on the evening, so was represented by Gina Green. Mark Mcginty, trading standards team leader, The Highland Council Current chairman of the institute, McGinty has worked tirelessly on behalf of colleagues and professionals in his native Scotland and across the Uk since becoming a member in 1997. He has represented the Scottish Branch on CTSI Council since 2008 and his passion for training and education has seen him on the Institute Qualifications and Awards Board for the past six years. McGinty lectured in Advanced Trading Standards at Glasgow Caledonian University. He will always be remembered as the chairman who received the Royal Charter for our institute, a landmark moment in institute history. A leading exponent of multi-agency enforcement collaboration in Scotland, McGinty has helped Matt Cope, of the Intellectual Property Office, hands out Amy Chapmans Intellectual Property establish intelligence-based partnerships with Police Scotland and NHS Highland, particularly in tackling prize (supported by the Intellectual Property Office). Chapman herself was unable to attend doorstep crime and age-restricted sales. the gala dinner to collect her certificate. guy Pratt, assistant director of community protection, Hertfordshire County Council Pratt has been an outstanding trading standards professional and institute member for more than 30 years. After becoming head of trading standards for Hertfordshire County Council in 2006, he set about making the service an integral and essential component of the councils consumer and community protection service matrix, becoming assistant director of community protection. Pratt now leads on key elements of Hertfordshires Fire and Rescue Service, a unique management role for someone with a trading standards background. Chairman of the South East Midlands branch in 2007, it is on the national stage particularly as chairman of the Association of Chief Trading Standards Officers (ACTSO) that Pratt has excelled. He led ACTSO towards incorporation as ACTSO Ltd within the CTSI corporate family and championed the ACTSO role in providing the programme office for the National Trading Standards Board. His is a hugely respected national voice on all matters trading standards and public protection. Michael Jeffs, trading standards professional and author Jeffs joined the institute in 1965 and has been a national and Midland branch member ever since. After retiring in 1999 as assistant chief trading standards officer for Warwickshire County Council, Jeffs indulged his passion for consumer protection and weights and measures by researching 130 years of institute history. A mammoth task, Jeffs painstaking work concluded with the publication last year of A History of the Trading Standards Institute. A remarkable achievement, it served to further illustrate the unique and long-standing talent Jeffs has always displayed in writing, including training courses like the NALGO correspondence courses that were once such a bedrock of aspiring trading standards professionals. A pioneer of service information and coordination, Jeffs helped to computerise the National Information Service and build the Crossing the Boundaries regional group project in the West Midlands. Christine Heemskerk, trading standards consultant Few in the Uk or Europe can match the expertise and knowledge in consumer and product safety possessed by Heemskerk. Consumers, businesses, governments, parliamentarians, professionals and more are indebted to her for her unrivalled prowess in this specialist subject area and, as CTSIs lead officer, she has led from the front in putting consumer safety towards the heart of Europes legislative and market surveillance agenda. A renowned media contributor, Heemskerk has advised and trained her colleagues and overseas professionals with her customary enthusiasm and goodwill, endearing her to all who have a serious interest in improving consumer and product safety. A previous chairman of the institute and now vice-chairman again, Heemskerk is a unique standard-bearer for our institute and profession.