Lucan is currently going through a phase of waking up really early in the morning, anywhere between 3-5 am. When he wakes at this time he is up and ready to go where as we, his suffering parents, feel little more than  death warmed up. This has been going on for about 6 weeks now and we have only managed it by taking it in turns to get up with him. Something has to change!

The other day I found the Stephen’s branded reward chart in Lorimers, a local stationers. James has had some contact with West Design, the company that owns the Stephen’s brand in the past so I knew that it was British made. My plan was to reward Lucan with a star (and an occasional choccy treat) for every morning that he stays in bed until 6am. The first few nights were not in the least bit successful but after a little coercion and a night light he managed to wake up at 5:30am and then stayed with me in his room until 6. This warranted a sticker and he was completely thrilled! This seemed to be the catalyst for change and with the odd wobbly night he has since started waking  at about 5:45am which may sound ungodly to most but is a real treat for us!

The reward chart was completely customisable which meant that whether it was behaviour, a new skill or a few things at once we could use the same system. A simple concept but great none the less, lets hope it brings a bit more peace and shut eye to the Bradshaw household!

– Emily

Please find a copy of our latest press release:

Download PDF

In January 2013 James (35), Emily (30) and their son Lucan (3) set themselves an unusual New Years resolution. Fed up with the slow economy, the lack of fair taxes being paid by large foreign businesses and a general 40 year neglect of the British manufacturing sector as a whole, they decided to see if it was possible to keep all of their money in the UK. They asked themselves the simple question can a normal British family survive on only British made goods?

12 months on and their year has not been without adversity, frustration and hard work. “The first 2-3 months were the hardest” James points out. “The research to find British made goods took over our lives and we would both be at a computer regularly until the early hours of the morning.” They also had problems doing their normal weekly shopping and would often have to visit 2-3 supermarkets in a day to get the range of goods required to feed the family only British. The family found visiting the high streets and local shopping malls to be fruitless exercises when looking for British made clothing, electronics and other such items and all this this forced them to consider alternative life-style choices to complete their challenge.

The last time there was a necessity for families in the UK to survive on only British goods was during the 2nd World War when it was nigh-on impossible for imports to reach the country. Initiatives such as ‘make do and mend’ and ‘dig for victory’ ultimately became the Bradshaw’s inspiration. “We began buying our food more directly from the farmers, growing and preserving our own fruit and veg and seeing our clothing purchases as investments that needed to be properly maintained rather than disposed of” says Emily. But despite the extra effort, 12 months on and the Bradshaw’s say that they have hit upon a new lifestyle that actually suits them better not least because they claim to now save up to 20% on their weekly shopping bills.

The last year also saw some high profile stories centred around foreign imports. The horse meat scandal raised questions about our foods supplies and the factories collapsing in Bangladesh killing over 1000 people made many think about where the things they buy were made. These issues have certainly made the Bradshaw’s think “We began to understand our place as consumers and understand the ‘real’ cost of what we buy. If something is too cheap we perhaps need to ask ourselves why” says Emily. However, the family are keen not to be labelled as protectionist or against imports. “We are certainly not anti anything. We do not believe that supporting Britain should mean that any other country loses out. We just want to celebrate and be proud of what the UK does produce” says James.

The original question the Bradshaw’s sought to answers was ‘Is it possible for a normal British family to survive on just British goods?’ The answer is no. Ultimately, there are certain things that are no longer made here in the UK; light bulbs, matches, batteries, children’s toys, printers and ink to name but a few. However, James is keen to point out that it is not all bad news “British manufacturing is still alive and kicking. There are some great UK products out there but they need much more consumer support. It is down to us to seek out British made products and demand them from retailers. The family also claim to have unearthed a rich seam, great quality British made electronics, clothing and plastics items all at competitive prices and regularly review these in their www.britishfamily.co.uk blog. They have even set up a dedicated website, called Britipedia, that seeks to connect consumers with British manufacturers.

By their own admission the family wandered quite naively in to their challenge, hoping perhaps to get some publicity for their cause locally, but were taken by surprise when the national and even international media began to call. “We are astounded, but immensity proud, that we have been able to bring some long overdue support to the manufacturers and farmers of Great Britain, and raise awareness of their hard-work on their behalf.” says dad James. Their numerous interviews on TV, radio and in the press have meant that they have now become well known consumer champions for UK industry, known affectionately as The British Family, but Emily is keen to note “In a way it is a shame that it’s us doing this. Promoting such an important part of our economy should not be left to a normal British family. Surely this should be the job of the Government, business leaders or maybe even celebrities.” It is perhaps testament to the neglect manufacturing feels as a sector that they were so quick to look for a champion in this normal British family.

As their initial challenge draws to a close what is next for the Bradshaw family? Well, 2013 saw them organise the first British Family Fayre, an event which attracted over 4000 people, and they already have a date set for 2014 and plan to make this years’ event even bigger and better. James is also on the committee of the new Made in Britain Campaign that have recently launched a kite-marque for British made goods. The family also have a number of other events lined up throughout the year with the sole intention of further celebrating British manufacturing and farming. But what about their challenge of buying British? James suggests they are keen to continue. “We would be silly to stop now. We have hit upon a lifestyle that suits us, that saves us money, that is ethical and socially conscious to boot. Buying British has now changed our lives forever and we have no intentions of ever going back.”

It has truly been a remarkable year for a British family with a passion for all things British.

Possibly one the most enduring symbols of London, the Hackney Carriage, has been given a face lift… and in our view not for the better. The new model looks to us like a Transit van more suited to carrying parcels for DHL than an icon of Britishness to be printed on millions of postcards. It is also to be made by Nissan in Spain.

What are your thoughts? Please leave a comment below.

Looking back at some of the memories of 2013. What a year!

At the start of 2013 we set ourselves an unusual New Year resolution; Could a normal family buy everything they needed to live a whole year from goods manufactured in the UK alone? On the eve of the 1 year anniversary of this challenge we would like to share the highs and lows of this roller coaster year.

This year has been one that we as a family will never forget. We have met, visited and even become friends with some great manufacturers. We have seen first-hand their passion and innovation and have been inspired by their drive to keep their manufacturing in the UK. This has even encouraged James to begin turning his hobby of leather work into a manufacturing business of his own (rawleather.co.uk).

When we began the year we had no idea of the scale it would reach and the speed that the press and other media would latch on to the story. We are very grateful to all those who have helped us along our way by bringing our message to the public, giving us and the UK manufacturers a much needed voice.

A real low for the year is an experience that we know we will have shared with families up and down the country in 2013. James was made redundant from his job in marketing in the summer leaving us suddenly in a difficult financial position. Thankfully, because of the project, we found our bills actually shrinking and so we worked our way through and, thankfully James found a part time job later on in the year. On the days he does not work he now devotes to our promotional activities in the name of British manufacturing.

In contrast, one of the significant highs of the year has to be The British Family Fayre. Organised in just 3 months it’s aim was to celebrate how fantastic British manufacturing and farming is. On the day we managed to entice over 60 businesses and more than 4000 people to Westerham, Kent to celebrate with us. This was an incredibly special day and the excitement and support for British made goods and produce was something we will treasure. This has spurred us on to all sorts of exciting plans for 2014.

Something we have been asked constantly over the last few weeks is ‘Will you keep this going?’ We can categorically say that this year has really given us a way of life which works for us, and while there is no need to be as militant in 2014, the principles we have gained over the year are here for life. We will continue to buy British and blog about our findings and challenges along the way and we will continue to eat seasonally and seek out British made goods. We also hope to meet and visit more manufactures next year.

Another question we have had is ‘What will you do next?’ That is more difficult to answer in detail but The British Family Fayre will be back in Westerham on 30th August 2014, even bigger and better than before. We also hope to organise a number of complimentary events promoting and celebrating manufacturing and production in the UK. These include a pop up restaurant and the British Family awards. We have also been surprised by the success of our Britipedia site which in just a couple of months now boasts over 250 registered listings and last week received over 30,000 hits. We will continue to develop this site in an effort to make it a better resource for all. We are also proud of our involvement in the new Made in Britain campaign and the related marque (madeingb.org).

To finish we would like to thank everyone who we have met, emailed, talked to and tweeted throughout our year, as well as the huge number of people who have followed and helped us through our trials and tribulations. Without you all we absolutely would not have made it and it is because of you all that the year has been such a huge success. We cannot wait to get our teeth into 2014 to bring more fantastic manufacturers your way and so we say a very happy New Year to you all.

James & Emily

The dust has settled on Christmas and after the frenzy of tinsel and wrapping paper it is time to review the goodies that Father Christmas bought down the chimney for you. We assume that most of the people that read our blog like to buy British where possible, but what about your friends and family? Our latest poll tries to look at how many Christmas gifts you were given that were made in the UK.

We know you guys love a poll…so here it is:

 Loading ...

If you would like to expand on your answer please use the comment form below.

Just a quick Christmas day message from us. Thank you for your support over the last 12 months. We have such big plans for the New Year, we hope that we can continue to rely on your help to raise the profile of British manufacturing and farming even more.

Now… enjoy Christmas and see you in the New Year!

UPDATE: James has now left this organisation and we are no longer able to support it. If you need a made in Britain logo please click here>>>

We are pleased to announce that James is now on the board of Directors for a new marque aimed at promoting British manufacturing. We have been keeping this a bit of a secret until we were in a position to announce it properly but are very proud of our involvement in this new initiative.

Download PDF Press Release: MIBlaunchrelease.

Please find the press release below: 

A new, member-funded organisation has launched to promote and support manufacturing in the UK. The non-profit organisation will be run by a committee of Directors from UK-based manufacturers as well as leaders of other groups which support British trade and industry. Central to the campaign is the development of a new marque which companies can apply to use to highlight the provenance of their UK-made products.

The new logo, commissioned by the Made in Britain Campaign Directors, has been created by design and branding agency The Partners. Taking inspiration from the Union Flag, the new marque works as a directional device as well as a logo in its own right and has been designed to work across a range of media, materials and sizes to ensure it can be used by manufacturers of a wide range of products. It has also been designed to be localised by county or region.

The organisation galvanises efforts from other pro-UK industry groups including Make it British and Best of Britannia. James Bradshaw, who along with his family has been consuming only British products for the past year, is also acting as a Director on the committee alongside Amanda Nelson from The Artisan Spa, Cressida Granger from Mathmos, Denver Hewlett, CEO of Stoves and Adrian Walker from Deltec Precision Audio. The campaign builds on the success of a previous Made in Britain campaign headed by British cooker manufacturer Stoves.  

Manufacturers who would like to use the new marque can apply at the Made in Britain Campaign website.  Applicants will go through a verification process to confirm that their products are made in the UK and then will pay a small membership fee to be able to use the marque. 

Kate Hills, Director of Made in Britain Campaign and founder of Make it British, a website dedicated to promoting products made in the UK, said: “We are delighted to launch the Made In Britain Campaign and hope that we can help support British industry both in the UK and overseas.

“This new campaign galvanises fantastic efforts of other pro-UK manufacturing organisations as well as companies who have championed their UK credentials in a wide range of industries.

“You only have to look at some of the fantastic products made by companies represented on our board –  from cookers to speakers to spa products to lava lamps – that British design and manufacturing is relevant and desirable both at home and abroad.”

The Directors of the Made In Britain Campaign are:

• Kate Hills (Make it British)
• Antony Wallis (Best Of Britannia)
• Adrian Walker (Deltec Precision Audio)
• James Bradshaw (A British Family)
• Denver Hewlett (Stoves)
• Amanda Nelson (The Artisan Spa)
• Cressida Granger (Mathmos)

See http://www.madeingb.org/ for more details

ENDS

For more information please contact Pip on 0113 243 0773 or email pip@umpf.co.uk

About Made In Britain

The Made in Britain Campaign provides a means for customers to recognise goods that are manufactured in Great Britain. The Made in Britain Campaign empowers customers with verification of the provenance of British-made goods, so they are then able to make an informed choice about which goods they would like to buy.  By enabling customers to identify British made products, the Made in Britain marque will support and promote British manufacturing in all sectors in the UK and overseas.

The Made in Britain marque is provided to companies which sell goods that have been manufactured or have undergone a final substantial change in Great Britain before sale. A substantial change means any change without which the final product would not be fit for purpose.

Last night the Shepherd Neame brewery in Faversham, Kent played host to our first end of year Christmas drinks reception. An informal affair, the event was an opportunity to say a big thank you to some of those that have supported us over, what has been, a remarkable year. We are pleased so say that  over 40 people (mostly from British manufacturing) joined us for an good ol’ knees up at this unique and historic location.

The day began early. 5am and Lucan was wide awake. James got up with him after a fitful night suffering with flu – he was awake anyway so dutifully volunteered. We were all out of the house by 8am on our way to the first of 2 supermarket runs for the day. Our mission to to find suitable British food to line the stomachs of our guests.

A Truly British Buffet

We had decided on a buffet of centred around an extravagant 3 tiered cheese cake made up of Cornish Yarg, Cropwell Bishop stilton and superb organic chedder that we had already been delivered the previous evening. To compliment this we bought Nairns oat cakes, Thomas J Fudge’s flats and Miller’s Damsels Charcoal crackers. This was accompanied by seasonal fruit, Tyrells Crisps and a selection of breads. For dessert we opted for Waitrose’ fabulous  mince pies, a chocolate star, Christmas vanilla cheesecake and hazelnut and chocolate festive ring. We would certainly recommend this for anyone that wants to feed a lot of people on a budget and it looks pretty impressive too.

We then dropped Lucan off at Granny & Grandad’s house where he would spend the evening eating rubbish and staying up way past his usual bedtime.

The reason for our second supermarket trip was that Waitrose paper plates and serviettes were not made in Britain but we knew from past experience that Sainsbury’s were. So, after a quick pit-stop to collect these few last bits our car was fully loaded and off we went to Faversham.

We had booked into a hotel in the centre of the town which turned out to be pretty grotty. We are not about reviewing hotels so it would be a little unfair to say exactly where this was but let’s just say we were not overly excited to be spending the night, following our party, in this hotel.

We got to Shepherd Neame about 5pm. Our guests were expected for 7pm but there was plenty of set up to be done and a couple of interviews to give to the press before their arrival. The team at Lincoln West came early to set everything up and organise the goodie bags.

We would like to say a quick thank you to Happy & Glorious for supplying the actual bags and some gorgeous gifts and also; Great British Sauce, Ideal, Distinctive wash & Romney Marsh Wool for also adding something to the bags for our guests to take away with them.

The evening started off slowly at first. Issues on the motorway meant that many revellers were fashionably late but by 7.20 we ha the start of a great crowd. The beer flowed (Thanks to Shepherd Neame for supplying a quantity of free beer to warm things up), the food was enjoyed and much mutual congratulatory back slapping was undertaken. After a characteristic rambling speech by James we could relax and enjoy the evening.

Howards of Kent bought some Limoncello for people to try and ThinkNoodle games bought some copies of their City of Zombies board game for people to try. The City of Zombies is a beautifully illustrated numbers game aimed at helping kids (young and old) get quicker at mental arithmetic and judging by the crowds around the table it is a real hoot.

By 11pm it was time ring time on the evening. James and I, along with the Lincoln West guys, cleared up and said goodbye to Shepherd Neame and by 11.30pm we were out the door and tucked up on our uncomfortable hotel bed. 

It was a long day but ultimately a lot of fun. We hope those who joined us enjoyed it as much as we did.

– Emily

This event was kindly sponsored by http://www.cityofzombies.com