Department for International Trade Explore the Jewellery Quarter
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A global delegation from the Department for International Trade (DIT) visited Birmingham on Wednesday 5 September to explore current opportunities and learn about exciting plans for the city’s future.
Delegates attended from all corners of the world including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the USA. The afternoon itinerary featured a dedicated visit to the Jewellery Quarter including site visits to The Assay Office, The Birmingham School of Jewellery and Weston Beamor.
The visit was jointly organised with the help of multiple partners including DIT, West Midlands Growth Company, Jewellery Quarter Business Improvement District (JQBID), and British Allied Trade Federation (BATF) with support from The Assay Office, The Birmingham School of Jewellery and Weston Beamor.
The morning session took place at Baskerville House where delegates received updates on new and current developments in Birmingham from The West Midlands Growth Company, Birmingham City Council and Hammerson. This was followed by a tour of Birmingham city centre, Bullring, Link Street and Grand Central before taking the West Midlands Metro to the Jewellery Quarter.
Starting with lunch and further presentations at the Assay Office, the group were taken on a tour of the Assay Office facilities by Marion Wilson, Director at the AnchorCert Academy. After a brief walk through the Jewellery Quarter, the delegates had a private tour of the innovation lab at Birmingham’s School of Jewellery. The day concluded with a presentation and visit to 3D printing, casting and bespoke manufacturing company Weston Beamor. Delegates were able to admire the first rate machinery and skilled work that go hand in hand to produce their finished products.
This deeper understanding of the Jewellery Quarter and Birmingham will enable the delegates to promote opportunities for both trade and investment in the city to partners worldwide.
Luke Crane, JQDT Executive Director: “Promoting the vibrant businesses and heritage skills that continue to be taught and used in the Jewellery Quarter is a key aim of the JQBID. Bringing international delegates into the Assay Office, School of Jewellery and Weston Beamor factory gives visitors a better understanding of the living eco-system within the quarter that all help to support each other. We hope this will be the first of many future visits in collaboration with the DIT.”
Rosina Singleton, BATF Chief Operating Officer: “I was very pleased to be able to support this DIT initiative to raise the international profile of Birmingham on behalf of the BATF. I was very impressed by the hard work, dedication and insightful questions of the delegates during a very full programme with a huge amount of detail on a variety of aspects of the city. Birmingham deserves the attention!”
Marion Wilson, AnchorCert Academy Director added: “As one of Birmingham’s oldest institutions, we’re very proud of our heritage and our ongoing commitment to the city. Since moving to our new building on Moreton Street, we have invested heavily in new technologies and embraced innovation to diversify our services. We’re delighted that the international delegation will now be ambassadors for the Jewellery Quarter.”