SOSF NEWS History of The Society of Shoe Fitters
From 1989 the secretariat passed to Laura West, (previously Advertising Executive of Start-rite Shoes) whose promotional skills got the Society greater recognition and back on a firm footing. (Written by G.P
. Walter of Folkestone). Laura resigned at the end of 2004. The reins were handed over to the
B.F.A. (British Footwear Association) overseen by Niall Campbell and Caroline Bean. In May 2006 Laura West was asked to return as secretariat and has continued to administer the Society of Shoe Fitters until the present day. In 2017 the Children’s Foot Health Register also became an
umbrella organisation of the S.S.F. In May 2018 the Society of Shoe Fitters converted from not-for-profit
to a registered charity (Reg. No. 117841). Originally written by: Gerald P
. Walter F (1911-1998)Furthered by: Laura West F .S.S.F .S.S.F . of F olkestone, Kent . of Hingham, Norfolk.
Society of Shoe Fitters 60th Anniversary Party!
The Society of shoe fitters was created from those dedicated one-man shoe fitting specialists within the ranks of the National Shoe Retailers Council. The NSRC was the influential association of independent shoe retailers which embraced every type and class of shoe retailing in the British Isles. Those dedicated shoe fitters amongst the membership had urged from time to time, the universal adoption of higher standards of shoe fitting as a condition of membership. This could not be sustained or carried out by all members and would have split the strength and weakened the representation of the NSRC as the mouthpiece for the independent section of the Trade with its manufacturers, the public and the Government. It was therefore after considerable debate within the Council that a sub-committee should investigate the possibility of creating a Society of Shoe Fitters. From the NSRC's Annual Report - received at the Annual Convention held at Bath in March of l957, the following was adopted: "That the NSRC shall explore the possibilities of establishing a British Society of Shoe Fitters or encourage formation of such a Society". A subcommittee under the Chairmanship of W.A.E. Shore (Bath), the
President, H. Leslie Mitchell (Sunderland), W. Chris Jones (Tenby), F. H. George (Woodford) and F.M. Smart (Bedworth) were appointed to produce a blue-print for such a formation. Subsequently the pilot scheme came before the Council, and on the proposal of F.H. George (Woodford), seconded by G.P. Walter (Folkestone) it was that the Society of Shoe Fitters be formed. In the Annual Report presented at the convention at Harrogate in March
1958, enough information had been built up by the sub-committee to enable it to proceed with applications for Founder Membership, which would consist of submitting a paper on the scientific application and the ethics and practice of shoe fitting. All members originally were invited to participate. Those whose papers were considered of a sufficiently high standard were awarded a Certificate of Founder Membership dated 1st June l959 under the first Presidency of F. H. George of Woodford. The National Chamber of Trade, under its General Secretary J. W.
Stevenson, had been most co-operative and sympathetic to the work of the NSRC in making its headquarters - Enterprise House at 3 Hyde Park Gate, London, its buildings available for meetings, and its Deputy Secretary J.B. Pegnall to be both the enthusiastic Secretary of the NSRC and the new Society of Shoe Fitters.
In 1986 Anne Beacham was appointed as Secretary.
Anne worked as a Secretary for the shoe multiple Milward's. Anne's resignation from the Society in l989 was unfortunately due to ill-health. The Society had less than £2,000 and no other assets, but rather than disband, the organisation felt that it was still offering a much-needed service and had long-standing loyal members, so a new Secretariat was found.
10 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JANUARY 2019
www.footweartoday.co.uk
The Society of Shoe Fitters will be celebrating its 60th year - Diamond Anniversary - in 2019 and we hope everyone will unite and help celebrate this amazing feat at the Footwear Awards Event. The Children’s Foot Health Register is delighted
to be sponsoring the disco after the event, so everyone can stay and dance the night away!
This could be the biggest get together of retailers and suppliers for many years! There are plans afoot to re-launch the CFHR website later in the year to include adult footwear stores, and a Booking Form is now available from
secretary@cfhr.co.uk Those attending will receive a goodie bag from the Society of Shoe
Fitters (items welcomed), with a chance to win £200! £100 kindly donated by DB Shoes and £100 by Joya. If anyone would like to put promotional items in the goodie bags there is no charge for doing so. The SSF will require 200 promotional items by the end of January. As there is no charge for handling this, all donations gratefully received! Start-rite has kindly sponsored a prize on our behalf for the Red/Black
Game. Free school shoes for a year! (One winner will get 5 vouchers). There will also be raffle for a case of champagne during MODA to raise
funds for the Society of Shoe Fitters. SSF Members and CFHR Members all receive 10% off the price of tickets for the Footwear Industry Awards event.
For more information about becoming a member or Associate Member of the Society of Shoe Fitters contact:
secretary@shoefitters-uk.org
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