80 years of championing toys
1944-2024
The BTHA is proud to turn 80 years old in 2024.
To mark the occasion, we have produced an anniversary video showcasing the work that the Association does on behalf of its members and the wider toy industry. The BTHA is an industry-led organisation and is the thriving Association it is today because of its members and the people within member companies who have dedicated their time to supporting the work of the BTHA to the benefit of the whole UK toy industry.
There are many issues that the BTHA represents its members on that have changed over time, and the services offered to our membership have grown to meet the changing demands of the toy industry. However, despite this and the passing of 80 years, our purpose and mission remain the same; to protect and promote the interests of responsible businesses.
We asked leading industry figures who have a long history contributing to the work of the BTHA to share their experiences of the Association which can be read below.
Watch our Anniversary Video
Testimonials
Phil Ratcliffe
Managing Director at MV Sports & Leisure Limited and BTHA President
What are your experiences with the BTHA?
When I first joined the BTHA I must confess to being a little daunted by all the leading lights of the industry who had so much more insight and knowledge than myself and from who I have learned such a lot over the years. It has been an honour and a privilege to have worked with individuals who could impart their views and opinions in such an erudite and passionate way. I was and remain really impressed by how much work goes on behind the scenes to protect, promote, educate and advance the toy industry as a whole; to members, government, media and the wider public. There are a lot of very committed and talented people involved in the various activities of the Association and the Committees (Toy Fair, Charity, Safety, Sustainability, Public Relations and Finance); both in terms of the secretariat (who never cease to garner my admiration), and the industry volunteers who give their time freely for the good of the industry. The BTHA is also respected worldwide by similar Associations as I have witnessed first-hand during my many international conferences. To have been involved with Association initiatives such as Make Time 2 Play, The Toy Industry Awards and the ICTI programme makes me immensely proud. Thanks to Roland and the team for doing such a fantastic job for the toy industry.
When I first joined the BTHA I must confess to being a little daunted by all the leading lights of the industry who had so much more insight and knowledge than myself and from who I have learned such a lot over the years. It has been an honour and a privilege to have worked with individuals who could impart their views and opinions in such an erudite and passionate way. I was and remain really impressed by how much work goes on behind the scenes to protect, promote, educate and advance the toy industry as a whole; to members, government, media and the wider public. There are a lot of very committed and talented people involved in the various activities of the Association and the Committees (Toy Fair, Charity, Safety, Sustainability, Public Relations and Finance); both in terms of the secretariat (who never cease to garner my admiration), and the industry volunteers who give their time freely for the good of the industry. The BTHA is also respected worldwide by similar Associations as I have witnessed first-hand during my many international conferences. To have been involved with Association initiatives such as Make Time 2 Play, The Toy Industry Awards and the ICTI programme makes me immensely proud. Thanks to Roland and the team for doing such a fantastic job for the toy industry.
Majen Immink
Director of Fairs & Special Events at the BTHA
How important is Toy Fair for the industry and what do you enjoy the most about organising the show?
Toy Fair is ultimately the first opportunity of the year in the UK for visitors to get hands-on with thousands of new products from more than 250 exhibiting companies across 23,000m2 of exhibition space. We welcome exhibitors of all sizes, and as well as the large brands we have seen many start-ups thrive and expand their space over the years. Our objective is to create a platform for the industry to network productively and achieve a successful three days of business. BTHA full members benefit from a 24% discount on exhibiting space. I am fortunate to have been organising Toy Fair for 10 years now with just one fallow year due to Covid. To be able to provide a platform to bring the whole toy industry together under one roof, kickstarting the business year, is a really satisfying and rewarding job to have. I am very grateful to work with such a fantastic team at the BTHA as well as a very experienced and hardworking wider team of suppliers. It is thanks to the continuous support of our loyal exhibitors and visitors that makes Toy Fair such a successful and key event in the industry calendar.
Toy Fair is ultimately the first opportunity of the year in the UK for visitors to get hands-on with thousands of new products from more than 250 exhibiting companies across 23,000m2 of exhibition space. We welcome exhibitors of all sizes, and as well as the large brands we have seen many start-ups thrive and expand their space over the years. Our objective is to create a platform for the industry to network productively and achieve a successful three days of business. BTHA full members benefit from a 24% discount on exhibiting space. I am fortunate to have been organising Toy Fair for 10 years now with just one fallow year due to Covid. To be able to provide a platform to bring the whole toy industry together under one roof, kickstarting the business year, is a really satisfying and rewarding job to have. I am very grateful to work with such a fantastic team at the BTHA as well as a very experienced and hardworking wider team of suppliers. It is thanks to the continuous support of our loyal exhibitors and visitors that makes Toy Fair such a successful and key event in the industry calendar.
Jerry Burnie
Head of Toy Safety at the BTHA
How would you describe the work of the BTHA committees?
BTHA committee work is relatively unique in that it is competing members working together in a non-competitive way to benefit all BTHA member companies. Our committee members will give their resources and time to produce work that will benefit many other members as well as themselves. We work as the complete committee but also members give their time to smaller sub-groups working on particular issues. Many committee members also sit on standards development committees and report back on progress with standards.
Can you talk about the BTHA's relationship with important organisations that impact toys?
The BTHA has always had a close working relationship with Trading Standards and enforcement bodies. We sponsor events and support Trading Standards with free training. We work closely with UK government bodies involved with legislation and product safety primarily the Office for Product Safety and Standards. The BTHA is I think seen as a reputable and capable association that is a key stakeholder for toys but also beyond toys into general legislative issues. The BTHA runs the Toy Retailer Safety Forum which has been a useful forum to raise issues that we would otherwise not be able to communicate directly. We have close contact with the British Retailer Consortium (BRC) as well. In our work with online marketplaces we have forged relationships with other key associations across the UK that have the same issue with dangerous products in their industry.
The BTHA has always had a close working relationship with Trading Standards and enforcement bodies. We sponsor events and support Trading Standards with free training. We work closely with UK government bodies involved with legislation and product safety primarily the Office for Product Safety and Standards. The BTHA is I think seen as a reputable and capable association that is a key stakeholder for toys but also beyond toys into general legislative issues. The BTHA runs the Toy Retailer Safety Forum which has been a useful forum to raise issues that we would otherwise not be able to communicate directly. We have close contact with the British Retailer Consortium (BRC) as well. In our work with online marketplaces we have forged relationships with other key associations across the UK that have the same issue with dangerous products in their industry.
Simon Pilkington
Managing Director at John Adams Leisure Limited and current BTHA Chairman
How does the BTHA support its members?
The BTHA offers a vast array of support for its members by providing guidance in the form of webinars, seminars and guidance documents across a range of topics including toy safety, responsible marketing, sustainability, data protection, connected toys plus many more. The Association also runs some great events, including the annual Toy Industry Day, which is perfect for networking with industry colleagues and hearing from inspiring keynote speakers, as well as organising many events through the Toy Trust, raising money to support disadvantaged children. Of course, the BTHA also organises Toy Fair which is such an important event in the industry calendar, kickstarting the business year with a great buzz, and BTHA members can benefit with a 24% discount on exhibition space.
Majen Immink
Director of Fairs & Special Events at the BTHA
How important is Toy Fair for the industry and what do you enjoy the most about organising the show?
Toy Fair is ultimately the first opportunity of the year in the UK for visitors to get hands-on with thousands of new products from more than 250 exhibiting companies across 23,000m2 of exhibition space. We welcome exhibitors of all sizes, and as well as the large brands we have seen many start-ups thrive and expand their space over the years. Our objective is to create a platform for the industry to network productively and achieve a successful three days of business. BTHA full members benefit from a 24% discount on exhibiting space. I am fortunate to have been organising Toy Fair for 10 years now with just one fallow year due to Covid. To be able to provide a platform to bring the whole toy industry together under one roof, kickstarting the business year, is a really satisfying and rewarding job to have. I am very grateful to work with such a fantastic team at the BTHA as well as a very experienced and hardworking wider team of suppliers. It is thanks to the continuous support of our loyal exhibitors and visitors that makes Toy Fair such a successful and key event in the industry calendar.
Toy Fair is ultimately the first opportunity of the year in the UK for visitors to get hands-on with thousands of new products from more than 250 exhibiting companies across 23,000m2 of exhibition space. We welcome exhibitors of all sizes, and as well as the large brands we have seen many start-ups thrive and expand their space over the years. Our objective is to create a platform for the industry to network productively and achieve a successful three days of business. BTHA full members benefit from a 24% discount on exhibiting space. I am fortunate to have been organising Toy Fair for 10 years now with just one fallow year due to Covid. To be able to provide a platform to bring the whole toy industry together under one roof, kickstarting the business year, is a really satisfying and rewarding job to have. I am very grateful to work with such a fantastic team at the BTHA as well as a very experienced and hardworking wider team of suppliers. It is thanks to the continuous support of our loyal exhibitors and visitors that makes Toy Fair such a successful and key event in the industry calendar.
Kerri Atherton
Head of Public Affairs at BTHA
How has the BTHA’s work with government changed?
The BTHA’s work with government has been an integral part of the Association’s activities since the beginning. The main changes are the number and type of issues the BTHA has had to lobby on in the last 80 years which have increase and are now much more complex, as well as the different government decision-makers the Association has engaged with during this time.
However, a lot of things are the same as governments have always favoured engaging with trade associations who can represent common interests, enabling them to act with confidence on information and evidence given by the whole sector. This is the same today as it was then and the BTHA as an active association has upheld a good reputation spanning many decades that has helped the toy industry be listened to. I put this down to the trust governments can put into the BTHA and our members of reputable toy companies as they continually show they are committed to making good quality toys in a responsible way.
The BTHA’s work with government has been an integral part of the Association’s activities since the beginning. The main changes are the number and type of issues the BTHA has had to lobby on in the last 80 years which have increase and are now much more complex, as well as the different government decision-makers the Association has engaged with during this time.
However, a lot of things are the same as governments have always favoured engaging with trade associations who can represent common interests, enabling them to act with confidence on information and evidence given by the whole sector. This is the same today as it was then and the BTHA as an active association has upheld a good reputation spanning many decades that has helped the toy industry be listened to. I put this down to the trust governments can put into the BTHA and our members of reputable toy companies as they continually show they are committed to making good quality toys in a responsible way.
Roland Earl
Director General of the BTHA
What can members expect from the BTHA in future years?
As someone joked once ,"I don’t like to make predictions … especially about the future". The Association is all about its members – in every aspect of our work. The challenges we tackle with members’ support and through our team do change and evolve – and the Association has a history of both trying to prepare for future challenges and in adapting to face them in a measured and effective way. It also has tried to do this with opportunities too, such as helping members with business development through a well-organised Toy Fair… and in other areas such as being a staunch supporter of the critical importance of the value of play. The loyal support of members, the diligence of the team working with the Association at HQ and elsewhere and the huge contribution of our valued advisers has been key in our work throughout our life to date and will continue to be so. We love thinking about the future in the same way as this incredible industry loves thinking of new playthings for kids of all ages from 0 to 100 and look forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead. The Association is here to move forward with its members and to do its utmost to help members steer a course for success, in whatever seas we find ourselves.
