By the BFA
Children’s activity providers have come out as the big winner at this year’s BFA HSBC UK British Franchise Awards.
The Creation Station, Football Fun Factory, Fun Fest Holiday Club and Onside Coaching all walked off with awards at the BFA’s annual black-tie event, considered the ‘Oscars’ of the franchising world.
With their tag line of ‘Discover Your Tomorrow’, the BFA is widely recognised as the UK’s self-regulatory body for franchising.
The results of their latest national survey in October revealed that the sector contributes £19.1 billion to the UK economy and has a failure rate of just 0.5%. They also saw a 53% growth in the ‘Personal Services’ sector which includes children’s activity brands.
The most prestigious children’s activity award of the evening went to The Creation Station, who won Franchisor of the Year (Lifestyle) for their award-winning arts and crafts franchise. The Creation Station was founded in 2002 and franchised in 2007. It now has over 60 territories with franchisees in the UK, Canada and India; their founder Sarah Cressall was honoured with an OBE for her services to creativity in education, entertainment and business in December 2023.
Other children’s activity brand franchisees who walked off with awards on the night included Football Fun Factory’s Jon Radford who won the Community Focus Award, Fun Fest Holiday Club franchisee Helen Wilson who was recognised as ‘Highly Commended’ in the Franchisee Trailblazer Award and Onside Coaching franchisee Lottie Jones who won the Next Generation Award.
Commenting on the Creation Station’s win, founder Sarah Cressall OBE said: “We are truly honoured to receive the Lifestyle Award. This recognition is a testament to the creativity, dedication, and passion of our entire team and our amazing franchise partners. It fuels our commitment to continue inspiring imagination, nurturing potential, and supporting our franchisees in achieving the financial and personal fulfilment they aspire to. The future is bright, and we are excited to keep making a positive impact on the lives of so many."
Pip Wilkins, Chief Executive of the BFA said: “These are such great wins for The Creation Station, Football Fun Factory, Fun Fest Holiday Club and Onside Coaching. As our recent survey showed, the ‘Personal Services’ franchise sector, which includes these brands, has seen a 53% growth since the last survey, and we are delighted to see them winning so many awards. We thank them all for their hard work and dedication and for being great ambassadors for ethical business format franchising in the UK today.”
UK Head of Franchise at sponsors HSBC UK Gillian Morris said: “Judging the awards is always so hard, but I am forever impressed by the calibre of entries we receive and the achievements of the winners. It was a pleasure to attend the awards this evening and I am glad to report that the UK franchise sector is a buoyant and successful place to do business, and I send my huge congratulations to all the winners.”
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About the BFA
The BFA (British Franchise Association) is the voluntary self-regulating governing body for franchising formed in 1977 by the major franchising organisations looking to accredit and promote those franchise systems that meet the strict ethical and business criteria of a good franchise.
· The term 'franchising' has been used to describe many different forms of business relationships, including licensing, distributor, and agency arrangements. The more popular use of the term has arisen from the development of what is called 'business format franchising.'
· Business format franchising is the granting of a license by one person (the franchisor) to another (the franchisee), which entitles the franchisee to trade under the trademark/trade name of the franchisor and to make use of an entire package, comprising all the elements necessary to establish a previously untrained person in the business and to run it with continual assistance on a predetermined basis.
· The BFA hold a full list of all its members and the code of ethics to which these members adhere to on its website: www.thebfa.org
For any media enquiries please contact 01235 820470 or email: louisebruce@thebfa.org or press@thebfa.org
About The Creation Station
The Creation Station is the UK’s most recommended children’s activity company, inspiring over 2.2 million children and adults through our award-winning arts and crafts classes, parties, and events. As a leader in creative education and entertainment, we provide tailored experiences for all ages, from toddlers to adults. Our franchise network, spanning the UK, Canada, and India, maintains a 98% satisfaction rate and is dedicated to delivering fun, engaging, and educational activities that nurture imagination and creativity. Our founder, Sarah Cressall, was honoured with an OBE for her services to creativity in education, entertainment, and business. Through our commitment to quality and innovation, we continue to positively impact lives and support our franchisees in achieving both financial success and personal fulfilment. sarah@thecreationstation.co.uk
About Football Fun Factory
Football Fun Factory offers weekly training, school holiday camps, parties and events for boys and girls of all ages and ability levels. Our mission is to put football fun on the doorsteps of children across the nation, building football communities and creating magic moments and special memories. james@thefootballfunfactory.co.uk
About Fun Fest Holiday Club
Fun Fest is the holiday club which empowers children to design their own unique holiday programme by choosing from a menu of exciting activity sessions every morning and afternoon. lynnenewman@funfestholidayclub.co.uk
About Onside Coaching
Onside Coaching is dedicated to delivering high-quality sports coaching and activity programmes to children across the UK. Our mission is to inspire the next generation through physical activity, fostering a love of sports and healthy living. With our innovative Onside Live booking system and comprehensive support for franchisees, Onside Coaching is not just a business, it’s a family. lottiejones@onsidecoaching.co.uk
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