NEWS
Footwear Friends relaunches with major rebrand and new name
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ootwear Friends, the footwear charity founded in 1836 as the Benevolent Society of Mas-ter Boot and Shoemakers, has rebranded to help it continue to reach and help those in need within the footwear community.
At the centre of this is a new name – the Footwear Industry Trust. A return to a more tradi-tional name, it aims to reflect the charity’s long history, like a modern version of the Boot Trade Benevolent Society, the name it went by for almost the whole of the 20th Century. The new logo includes a new tag line, The Charity for the Footwear Trade, a reminder that this a charity by the trade, for the trade. The Footwear Industry Trust (FIT) is passionate not only about helping those in need, but also about reaching out and reconnecting footwear professionals with their peers. Despite all the upheavals that have taken place over the decades, FIT believes that the industry it serves and the people in it belong to a family.
By enlisting the help of employers, FIT wants to reach directly into the workplace and re-forge those connections between people in the footwear community. Connections that ben-efit both those who are in a position to help – to organise an event or to donate their time or money – and those in their community who are in need. The FIT said it believes these connections create the community we share.
Commenting on the rebrand, Chairman, David Lockyer, said: “During its long history, the charity has helped many thousands of individuals who have often given a lifetime of service to the footwear industry, but now find they need help – which FIT provides both through one-off grants and regular annuity payments.
“With this new identity and a renewed sense of community, we intend to help even more people and families for many years to come.” You can find out more at
footwearindustrytrust.org
Foot Locker to upsize with new flagship Harrow store in Spring 24
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oot Locker has announced it is relocating and upsizing its Harrow store to become a flag-ship outlet. In Spring 2024, the retailer is set to open a 4,100sq ft unit just inside the massive St Anns Shopping Centre in the town, spanningacross two floors showcasing a range of its exclusive premium footwear collections, partnering with brands such as Nike, New Balance and Adidas, as well as stocking active-focused clothing and accessories.
Neil Carter, Vice President Geo UK and Ireland
at Foot Locker, commented: “The shopping centre provided us with a fantastic opportunity to create a larger and more prominent store in a key catchment area. It allows us to stock even more of our exclusive ranges that our customers know and love, and sit amongst many other like-minded, leading brands. “This upsize and relocation enables us to continue to evolve and enhance our offering whilst still being a part of a growing scheme outside of London.”
Foot Locker will join a number of recently opened retail brands at the centre, such as MINI-SO and Stag London. The openings reinforce the shopping centre’s position as the prime retail destination in Harrow and surrounding catchment areas.
Maria Averkina, Asset and Development Manager at Railpen, one of the largest pension managers in the UK, added: “The relocation and upsize of Foot Locker is a great way to start the year. As a popular brand with a positive reputation, it will be a great addition to the scheme, and one that will fit seamlessly alongside our other tenants.”
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