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IN OTHER NEWS....
New scheme offers big rewards for schools S
chools across the country are being urged to sign
up for a scheme which could boost their budgets by thousands of pounds. My School Fund, set up by
the public sector buying organisation ESPO, enables parents and staff to gain rewards for their school and themselves every time they shop at Sainsbury’s or Argos. Once a school has
registered for the scheme, those connected with it earn back cash on their shopping. For every £1 spent, schools get 1% and individuals 2% through e-gift cards. Any school in the UK can
benefit from the scheme if they have an ESPO account which is totally free and available to all education establishments. More than 1,300 schools have already signed up for My School Fund, with
over 8,000 shoppers spending over £3m through participating retailers – and generating more than £90,000 in rewards. Amanda Artherton, from Costessey Primary School in Norwich, said: “We
found out about the My School Fund scheme via our ESPO Account Manager and were drawn to it because it seemed like a good opportunity to achieve savings for both our staff members and school’s parents, as well as benefiting the school’s budget. “I would definitely encourage other schools to sign up as it’s a low
maintenance way of saving/earning money for the school”. ESPO is one of the largest public sector buying organisations in the UK,
supplying more than 20,000 customers – including schools, police forces, councils and the NHS. It’s owned by six local authorities: Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and Norfolk. Kristian Smith, Chief Officer at ESPO, said: “We’re very proud of My School
Fund. ESPO already supports thousands of schools by supplying goods and services, and this scheme enables us to do even more. “We want as many schools as possible to sign up for the scheme. With
staff and parents gaining rewards too, this is a real a win-win situation for everyone involved.” A spokesperson for Sainsbury’s said: “Sainsbury's and Argos are excited to
be part of the My School Fund initiative, finding innovative new ways to help boost school budgets and reward shoppers at the same time”. Schools can register for My School Fund at
www.myschoolfund.org. The
more parents and staff they encourage to participate in the scheme, the greater the rewards.
For more information or interview requests, contact Rachel Glover
ur.glover@
espo.org
Spin Master Expands Its Toy Invention Program into Europe at Kingston University in London S
pin Master Corp (TSX: TOY) (
www.spinmaster.com), a
leading global children’s entertainment company has teamed up with Kingston University in London, expanding its Toy Invention Program into Europe. Commencing September 2022, the one-year course series will be offered through Kingston University’s School of Arts faculty and aims to inspire and nurture future generations of toy inventors.
The program is the first continuing education program in Europe to teach the critical creative and business processes of toy invention, including inventive thinking, concept creation, user-centered design, sustainability, prototyping and marketing of toys, games and interactive experiences, combined with applicable knowledge and insight into the toy industry.
“Since inception, Spin Master has been fueled by its drive for continuous innovation with both internal capabilities and a powerful network of external inventors globally – including a rich network based in the UK,” said Amy Pruzansky, Spin Master’s SVP of Global Advanced Concepts Team. “The Toy Invention Program at Kingston University is uniquely tailored to this thriving market, leveraging our incredible relationships with a robust inventor network
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www.education-today.co.uk
that offers tremendous value to the course for students.” “We are delighted to be partnering with Spin Master to bring to life the first
Toy Invention Program in the UK,” said Rebecca Davies, Head of Department for Foundation Studies and Short Courses at Kingston School of Art. “Drawing upon a rich resource of inventors, designers, innovators, makers, tinkerers and dreamers, we intend to play around with the toolkit for future toy inventors.”
“We’re devoted to play in our everyday thinking and making at Kingston School of Art and feel privileged to work with the magic of students’ inspiring, informed, inventive ideas,” Kieran O’Connor, TIP program lead at KSA. “We’re so excited to connect and collaborate closely with kindred spirits at Spin Master, our fellow TIP programs and with worldwide toy inventor communities.”
The Toy Invention Program originally started in Israel, offered through Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art at the Department of Continuing Education, and has since expanded to Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada) and Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan) with plans for further expansion into Hong Kong this year.
To learn more about the Toy Invention Program at Kingston University please
visitutoyinventionksa.co.uk
uspinmaster.com May 2022
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