Real Deal Work Recognised in Trading Standards Hero Awards

Gavin Terry (right) collected the CTSI Hero Award from Graham Mogg from the WRi Group.

The work of the National Markets Group for IP Protection (NMG) was highlighted recently at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute’s (CTSI) annual Hero Awards ceremony.

Two key members of the NMG’s Real Deal initiative – Gavin Terry, CTSI Lead Officer for Intellectual Property and Chair of the NMG, and Patricia Lennon, Real Deal campaign manager since 2008 – were jointly awarded the CTSI Hero Award for Intellectual Property (IP) for their work on the campaign to help keep markets fake-free.

The awards, hosted by CTSI at the House of Lords in November, recognised significant contributions to consumer protection across the UK.

Gavin and Patricia have been working together since 2016 to deliver Intellectual Property-related training to market managers and operators as part of the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) professional qualification, raising awareness of counterfeiting and piracy and highlighting the risks to operators from regulatory non-compliance.

Since 2018, they have worked with National Trading Standards eCrime Team (NTSeCT) to translate the Real Deal Charter to be compatible with online platforms, such as Facebook. Their Real Deal online toolkit is used by over 100 Trading Standards authorities to police the internet whilst advising consumers and online administrators how to stay IP legal.

Recently the pair have coordinated with NTSeCT on-line training sessions for Trading Standards authorities using the Real Deal Online toolkit, to increase the knowledge and ability of officers to protect consumers and legitimate business.

Gavin said: “Patricia and I greatly appreciate that the ground-breaking work of The National Markets Group and the Real Deal Campaigns has been recognised in this way. Both the NMG and the Real Deal have been with us for over 10 years and their success is firmly based upon partnership working and industry funding – without this valuable support none of the success of the NMG and the Real Deal would be possible.”

CTSI Chief Executive John Herriman said: “IP crime is not victimless and impacts on legitimate business and local investment. Gavin and Patricia are working together to tackle this problem head-on and deliver real and positive impacts, to protect legitimate businesses and make markets safer for consumers. It is precisely this kind of effective collaborative working that brings results, that leads to better protection for consumers.

“Gavin and Patricia’s knowledge and delivery of training has proven fundamental in creating a sea change amongst market operators to ensure that IP infringing goods are not sold at their markets.

“The CTSI Hero Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate remarkable individuals or groups of people who make outstanding contributions towards safeguarding vulnerable consumers in our communities. Every year, we are inspired by the stories of nominees throughout the country whose bravery, altruism and hard work often goes unnoticed. These awards honour those remarkable people who have gone the extra mile for consumers.”

ENDS

Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is a national not for profit established in 1881 which supports the UK’s trading standards profession, and works to protect consumers and safeguard honest businesses.  CTSI’s members are engaged in delivering frontline trading standards services at local authorities and in businesses. www.tradingstandards.uk

  • National Markets Group for IP protection (NMG) was established in 2008 to provide a forum for a national, co-ordinated, cross-sector approach to tackle the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods at markets and car boot fairs.
  • In 2017, the NMG added online and social media platforms to its portfolio of work.
  • Members of the National Markets Group include law enforcement, industry and government agencies working collaboratively to reduce the threat to legitimate business and consumers from IP crime.
  • The NMG operates the Real Deal and Real Deal online initiatives, which are preventative campaigns focused on supporting Trading Standards, market operators and social media administrators to maintain a fake-free and safe environment for businesses and consumers.