Retail environment
Together Fest a success
Over 1,000 retail workers from 200 big retail brands including H&M, Starbucks and Next attended the second Together Fest organised by charity The Retail Trust.
An all-star line-up of wellness champions and celebrities include comedian Katherine Ryan, TV doctor Dr Alex George, football icon Stuart Pearce MBE attended the event in London’s Truman Brewery on 25th May.
The event, which was launched by The Retail Trust last year to unite retail colleagues, doubled in size and capacity for 2023 to accommodate 1,200 people from over 200 retailers.
Together Fest aims to bring to life The Retail Trust’s ethos of improving the hope, health and happiness of the UK’s three million retail workers with a full day of inspiring talks, masterclasses and interactive sessions featuring an all-star line-up of well-ness champions and celebrities, including comedian Katherine Ryan, TV doctor Dr Alex George and legendary England footballer Stuart Pearce.
There were talks on topics such as preventing burnout, making healthier lifestyle decisions and raising awareness of domestic abuse, masterclasses where attendees learned how to improve their sleep, banish imposter syndrome and tackle life’s "tiny traumas" as well as workshops and performances including a live poetry recital by mental health activist Charly Cox, laughter yoga, and healthy cookery demos.
Presenter, author and flexible working campaigner Anna Whitehouse aka Mother Pukka hosted the event and Together Fest’s long list of well-being experts also included Burnout coach Jayne Morris, nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, best-selling self-help author Jen Sincero, foodie pioneers Bosh! and sleep expert Dr Lindsay Browning.
Theo Paphitis, Chairman and owner of Ryman, Robert Dyas, Boux Avenue and London Graphic Centre said: “Together Fest was a big hit with the TPRG colleagues who attended last year, and this event was no different."
“Together Fest is a day out of the office that personifies what the fantastic work of The Retail Trust is all about – good people, well-being, inspiration and taking a moment to breathe whilst understanding all the benefits of being in this fantastic retail sector and our part in it all.”
Research from The Retail Trust found that a third of people working for the UK’s biggest retailers wanted to quit the industry, while eight out of 10 retail staff had experienced declining mental health due to financial concerns, abuse from customers and post-pandemic fatigue.
Retailers from across the sector work with The Retail Trust to improve the hope, health and happiness of their staff and Domino’s, River Island, Dunelm, Pets at Home and Waterstones are some of its other partners who brought their employees to Together Fest 2023.
Staff from other brands including Harvey Nichols and Oxfam also attended Together Fest event which was also supported by B&Q, Dentons, Everlast Gyms, Fiorucci, Hobbycraft, Holland & Barrett, Kärcher, Newton Europe, Nutun, Oracle Retail, Revolution Beauty, TwentyCi, TJX Europe, Usdaw and Wagestream.
Chris Brook-Carter, chief executive of The Retail Trust said: “Together Fest represents everything that The Retail Trust has always stood for, both by equipping people with the essential tools to improve their well-being and by fostering a real sense of pride in working for the retail industry.”
