Birmingham-based Toye Kenning & Spencer is going to be celebrating with every garden designer and grower who receives a gold medal at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show (24-28 May 2011). The family run company’s craftspeople have hand produced each medal being presented.
“Every winner of a Royal Horticultural Society Medal has worked hard over many months or even years,” explained chief executive Fiona Toye. “They treasure the medal they are awarded, whether it is gold, silver, or bronze, and so we make sure each one is manufactured with care and attention.”
The medals, which are manufactured from a range of metals, from base metal to 9 ct gold, are stamped from hand engraved dies. Each one then moves through the hands of craftspeople in the mounting, polishing and finally plating shop. Some medals are even enamelled by hand or have intricate images painted onto their surface.
Toye Kenning & Spencer has been manufacturing medals for the Royal Horticultural Society for 34 years. Toye Kenning & Spencer is imbued with a culture of continual reinvestment and values highly the talent within the business, its designers inspiring its craftsmen and women, who are experts in weaving, lace-making, embroidery and gold and silver wire making and enamelling.
The company produces a wide range of differing products incorporating ribbon, cords, laces, regalia, badges, buttons, medals, and trophies. These products are brought together to produce for example, state insignia, civil and military uniforms, medals for the Chelsea Flower Show and the FA Cup Final and international Honours Caps for the England Football Team.