This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
KEEP FEET FIT


T


hose who joined in with National Shoe Fitting Week in 2013 really enjoyed the event and found that networking with both the footwear


industry and other shops, clinics and schools in their area, garnered tremendous support and allowed them to educate their customers and show off their stock and their knowledge. Lots of S.S.F. members created innovative events i.e. Easter egg hunts with eggs in other shop windows, colouring competitions, fashion make- over evenings, foot pampering sessions, find the golden shoe etc. They also invited podiatrists, health visitors, reflexologists etc. into their shops to look at their footwear and to take part in the event, some of whom created talks, evenings and mini-clinics to promote their own businesses. Despite not having adverts in national newspapers, the effect of each shop throwing a pebble in the pool created a ripple that spread far and wide. The knock-on effect was that their local podiatrists have a contact that they feel happy to recommend and work with, and a better idea of the footwear available which may be suitable for orthotics, all adding to money in the till!


Because of the highly positive feedback, the


Society will be stepping up the promotion in 2014 and encouraging all I.F.R.A. members, C.F.H.R. members, Podiatrists and any other shop who would like to join in, to take part w/c 12th April 2014 – the week prior to Easter. A participation form is available from the home page of the SSF website and can be found in trade magazines. Easter is a moveable feast but traditionally the time when journalists are running footwear P.R. as feet are coming out of boots into shoes and sandals. It’s when people start to take stock of their feet and see what the ravages of the winter months have done to them.


The Council of the Society are thrilled that


this year that they have the support of the Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists. The College of Chiropodists & Podiatrists is endorsing the event and will include their logo in the promotional campaign. Their representative Nita Parmer said: "The College of Podiatry is pleased to support the Society of Shoe Fitters campaign as good footwear and fitting has an important role to play in foot health and well being."


The Society knows that the public are suffering


because of bad practice and badly constructed footwear and this uses valuable NHS resources because of related aches and pains (with over 11,000 podiatrists in the U.K. it should be obvious the industry needs to take


Ellie Dickins President Society of Shoe Fitters


This is like giving a Lotus car to a learner driver; the public buy one and think they know how to fit. They don’t use it to buy the brand that supplied it; they use it to buy any cheap rubbish, or worse still hand-me-downs and secondhand shoes from charity shops. Yes you can buy scissors that cut hair, but they are not as good as hairdressing scissors and it is down to the skill of the person using them that counts. Parents came into my shop and thought they could tell me how to fit and what fitted their child best simply because they had watched videos online and had a gauge


the matter more seriously). The British Footwear Association and the Society of Shoe Fitters are busy answering desperate enquiries from the public on a weekly basis.


We asked the President of the S.S.F. Ellie Dickins in addition to the online sale of children’s shoes, is there any other practice they feel is highly detrimental to foot health. Ellie said “There are hundreds of independent shops including the multiples, who are selling quality products but their staff only have a basic level of training. Lack of knowledge is expected in chainstores because of the staff turnover and products sold, but footwear multiples or independents should be better than that. Training is tax deductable, so the cost implication for giving a better level of training is not as high as they like to think”. Ellie is passionate about adult footwear having a specialist shop in Hungerford, but at one point had a children’s shop too. Ellie said “One of the worst things any of the suppliers has done is to sell Fitting Gauges to the public.


in their hand, and I know that a lot of our members are experiencing this. However once you ask them direct questions and show them they are wrong they are embarrassed and worried that they may have done damage to their children’s feet, because most parents regardless of their financial or educational background don’t want to harm their children and have bought the gauges not realising what else is involved. It is bad practice and shouldn’t happen. The Society has its own gauges but would never sell them to anyone unless part of a training package”.


Ellie said “Everyone should get behind National Shoe Fitting Week. The big companies should put out posters in their shops and feature this online and the multiples like Clark’s, Russell & Bromley, Clinkards, Pavers, Jones the Bootmakers, One Small Step etc. are all welcome to join in too, we all have a responsibility to keep a fitting service and quality footwear available. In this way the trade is supporting one another and the message will be far more prominent to young mums who are happy to spend money on designer labels, but don’t realise that a good fitting service comes free.”


Society Secretary said “Everyone is welcome to


join us for National Shoe Fitting Week this is not just about the S.S.F., it is about keeping standards high within our industry. You will receive a basic pack of posters, some P.R. material, a colouring competition template or two etc. Our logo is available as a PDF to download and promote the event online and we would appreciate everyone featuring it on their Facebook page and ‘Tweeting’ prior to the event…the number of people this could canvass would be phenomenal. Better still join us as a professional shoe fitter - for highly experienced Fitters with more than 5 years experience selling quality brands we have an Entrance Application, for those who know their knowledge of physiology, shoe manufacture and fit is not as good as it could be, we have our courses (next one starts March 1st). We can also create one day courses for multiple staff and are currently putting the final touches to a course that encompasses how the trade works for podiatrists. We work hard for our members and Associate Members at the same time helping hundreds of consumers annually; you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by working with us.”


For more information about National Shoe Fitting Week go online: www.shoefitters-uk.org or email: secretary@shoefitters-uk.org or visit the SSF stand at MODA in February.


20 • FOOTWEAR TODAY


• FEBRUARY 2014


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76