This issue has a fair bit of news about the Commonwealth Games, and our late editor Marie Haddleton was very vocal about where the medals should be made – right here in the Jewellery Quarter of course!
Marie wrote numerous letters and endless phone calls to make the point when it was announced the Games were coming to Birmingham but was not happy when one reply was that it must go out to tender and the best price/deal would get the contract, even if it were abroad. That would have been a slap in the face for the Jewellery Quarter but in this issue, as you will see the medals are in fact not only being manufactured right here but were designed here as well.
I would like to think Marie’s work might have had some kind of influence, however small – of making sure the crafts people in the Jewellery Quarter got such an important contract!
Mark
