British Shoe Corporation backs Tommy’s charity

The British Shoe Corporation is pumping at least ú200,000 into a children’s charity in line with the restructuring of its retail business.

The British Shoe Corporation is pumping at least £200,000 into a children’s charity in line with the restructuring of its retail business.

Sears-owned BSC is organising First Steps, a four-week in-store promotion, and advertising campaign in conjunction with children’s charity Tommy’s to raise £500,000 for foetal research. The group, which includes such high-street names as Dolcis, Saxone, Freeman Hardy Willis and Trueform, is rationalising down from eight facias to five, as part of a plan unveiled two years ago.

By the end of 1998, the five facias will be Dolcis, Hush Puppies, Shoe City, Shoe Express and Shoe Connection which opens its first two stores next month.

“We are working hard at BSC to reposition and relaunch our facias and brands,” says marketing director David Rist. “We want to develop a more human appeal. The Tommy’s campaign is a newsworthy charity and the link with shoes makes it a good fit.”

Tommy’s was launched in 1992 and has raised £3m for research into premature birth, stillbirth and miscarriage. It has been advised on its fundraising efforts by a volunteer marketing group from the advertising and PR industries.