Tag Archives: coronavirus

Fears surrounding pensions surface as Debenhams puts administrators on standby

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With the accountancy firm KPMG on standby to handle an insolvency process, Debenhams has reportedly failed to make a top-up payment to its pensions scheme this month, meaning that around 10,000 members could be worse off if the company enters administration.

On Friday, April 3rd, news emerged that the 242-year-old retailer was preparing to make a decision on whether to file for bankruptcy. This would be the second time the struggling retailer had fallen into administration, following a process 12 months ago when its current owner launched a CVA.

The potential administration would come just days after Debenhams put the vast majority of its workforce on furlough after it was forced to temporarily close its stores due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The department store has said that it intended to reopen the business after the lockdown and will continue to trade online for the time being.

However, for some 10,000 employees, an additional worry has emerged when The Sunday Telegraph reported that Debenhams had failed to make its April top-up payment – something that had previously been agreed with trustees.

A Debenhams spokesman said that the money had not been transferred as per the agreement, and that permission had not been sought from the Pensions Regulator.

The company’s pension scheme is also reportedly in significant debt.

It has been outlined, however, that filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators would be designed to protect Debenhams from legal claims from creditors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pensions Regulator has also recently announced that companies could access a three month pension contribution holiday over the COVID-19 disruption period.

It is expected that Debenhams will detail its decision surrounding administration this week. The retailer has been left with hundreds of millions of pounds of inventory on order from suppliers that it no longer requires due to the temporary closure of all non-essential shops to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

The Wizarding World launches Harry Potter At Home hub of activities, videos, puzzles and more

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The team behind the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has detailed the launch of its Harry Potter At Home hub, a free online collection of child-friendly activities, videos, puzzles, illustrations, quizzes, creative ideas, and more.

The new hub has been designed to bring the Wizarding World into the homes of children and families across the globe as the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic through self isolation and social distancing measures.

Harry Potter At Home has taken on the mission of celebrating reading for pleasure, as well as introducing children to Harry Potter and his friends for the first time. Visitors to the hub will find an array of games to keep users entertained, including special activity kits from Bloomsbury and Scholastic.

There’s also a collection of arts and crafts videos, as well as updated activities, quizzes, and articles. There will also be an ever-evolving collection of new resources that are easy for parents, teachers and carers of children to find and access.

“The Harry Potter At Home hub aims to help inspire you, your family, your friends, and especially children all around the world to read for pleasure and enjoy the stories, as well as bring some magic-infused joy and entertainment to all the family,” read a statement from the Wizarding World team. “But the hub is also a place for those of you who have loved Harry Potter for decades: a place for you to feel the warmth of the fire in the Gryffindor common room or a much-needed hug from Mrs Weasley.

“For over twenty years, Hogwarts has always been there to welcome you home, so whether you’re starting Chapter One of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone for our US readers) with your child for the first time, or you’re halfway through the audiobooks, or you’ve just finished the seventh book (again), the Harry Potter At Home hub is here for you.”

You can visit the Harry Potter At Home hub here.

Planeta Junior launches global Gormiti and Pucca campaigns to help kids and families through COVID-19 lockdown

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The European family entertainment company, Planeta Junior, has launched its own #StayAtHome campaign in order to raise children’s awareness of COVID-19, and to provide them with entertainment to help pass the time during lockdown.

Characters from across its Gormiti and Pucca properties carry the global initiative across two stand-alone campaigns: We will face this problem together and #StayHome.

Given that many families are being forced to juggle work and family life in a single space, Planeta Junior has also made all episodes of Pucca and several special clips featuring extras from the new season of Gormiti available on the each of these series’ YouTube channels.

On top of this, Planeta Junior has joined the Kids’ Cluster #JugarEnFamilia (FamiliesPlayTogether) campaign, an initiative that joins the sector together in providing families with content and resources for the lockdown.

To raise children’s awareness of the importance of following health advice, Planeta Junior has created a video featuring the Gormiti characters that teaches them how to wash their hands properly to the series theme tune.

The Gormiti explain the basic hygiene rules for fighting the virus together through a video available on YouTube and the official Facebook and Instagram pages.

Meanwhile in Pucca, Planeta Junior is not only able to provide information about COVID-19, it is also giving away ideas to do at home. The overarching digital campaign will feature a series of publications featuring instructions from the health authorities, for example, frequent hand-washing, coughing and sneezing into your elbow, social distancing and information phone numbers you can call to find out more about the coronavirus.

Planeta Junior has also prepared a special TikTok action to launch a challenge for Pucca followers.

The fun at home campaign aims to help raise awareness about staying in and to provide a range of fun inspirations. A series of activity ideas will be published on the Instagram and Facebook feeds to inspire people to make the most of this time by reading, cooking, dancing or doing a spot of exercise.

The Pucca campaign will be complemented by two YouTube videos, one entitled Stay At Home, containing ideas on how to have fun inside four walls; and a second Time to disconnect, which suggests taking a break and staying at home to do absolutely nothing.

Hasbro launches Bring Home the Fun platform for kids and families staying indoors

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Hasbro has detailed the launch of its Bring Home the Fun platform, a global initiative created in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and offering kids and families a platform of content to inspire play and activities while at home.

Beginning today, parents and caregivers can visit BringHometheFun.com to explore family-focused resources, including tips for family playtime, activity challenges to keep kids occupied, ideas for using games and toys to stimulate kids’ brains, and suggestions on how to cope with increased emotional stress.

Featuring crafts using Play-Doh, trick-shot challenges that get kids up and active with NERF blasters, entertaining content including Trandoformers, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, and more, parents and caregivers will find inspiration for play at home acivities while keeping an emphasis on fun and creativity.

“We’ve been incredibly inspired and heartened to see that so many of our brands, such as Play-Doh, Monopoly, and Nerf, are providing relief and comfort to both parents and children adjusting to the new normal of extended time at home,” said Eric Nyman, chief consumer officer, Hasbro. “Many of us are parents, grandparents, and caregivers ourselves, and we hope Bring Home the Fun will help families and friends around the world, and create moments of joy, laughter, and play in a time when we need connection more than ever.”

In addition to play-based tips and tools, BringHometheFun.com will feature resources to help children and families cope with stress that might be heightened among kids at this time. Featured content will include mindfulness videos, as well as project and activity guides for parents and their children.

Hasbro has committed additional support through global philanthropic initiatives that aim to bring relief to children and their families worldwide during this difficult time. Hasbro is proud to support Save the Children and No Kid Hungry in their effort to address the most urgent needs of children, including providing nutritious meals and distributing books and learning resources to those children and families most in need.

In addition, the company will provide financial support and thousands of Hasbro toys and games to continue to inspire creativity and fun for vulnerable children during the coronavirus pandemic. Hasbro Canada has provided financial support to Breakfast Club of Canada, an organisation that helps feed more than 250,000 children and youth across the country.

This donation will directly support those currently enrolled in the program as well as local community organisations that are assisting food-insecure families and children during this challenging time.

Opinion: “COVID-19 isn’t the culprit, the truth is: we are” – Russell Dever

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The virus is redefining us as a nation. I am seeing kindness and caring on a scale that I have never witnessed and that is heartening. But let’s not forget that past this crisis there is still a much, much, bigger one playing out and yes, we are just as much in that together as we are now.

Sitting in my study looking out over a timeless landscape that has not changed much since there was a Roman Villa on the rise of the hill opposite, you could be forgiven for thinking that everything is alright with the world. Just three miles away from where I am writing is reputedly the smallest church in Yorkshire. It was the Parish church of the village of Led, a medieval village that disappeared off the face of the earth at the time of the great plague. I think you know where this is going….

The Great Plague was the last major epidemic of bubonic plague to occur in England between the years 1665 to 1666. It originated in China.

Between January 1918 and December 1920 we suffered another pandemic the H1N1 Virus we called the Spanish Flu. A misnomer as it also originated in China.

I am not picking on China, but it is not a coincidence that the current pandemic of COVID-19 also originates there. The speculation being that traditional live markets bring humans into very close contact with animals in such a way that viral infections like Bubonic Plague and Corona Viruses such as Spanish Flu, Bird Flu, SARS and the rest effectively ‘jump,’ from the animal kingdom into the human world.

This time, this particular epidemic has brought the developed world to a screeching halt and in a way that has reminded me of what happened to the village of Led in the mid 17th Century. We have seen that the virus brings with it economic collapse, devastating the foundations of society, the isolation of millions across the globe and for some poor individuals an unpleasant death.

Looking at the ‘fall-out’ from the Virus it is not likely that we will recover quickly. Some companies, some industries may not even recover at all, or if they do, it will be a very long and difficult journey. I doubt that this generation of humanity is going to forget the pandemic as the way we interact socially, economically, politically, and as sovereign states will never quite be the same again.

Good. Yes, I do mean that! Because the word that Coronavirus has suddenly displaced from our worldwide newsfeed and collective psyche is ‘sustainability.’

Just a month ago, the associated industries within Licensing, Toy, Games, Apparel, Media, and Entertainment were buzzing around that word. What it meant to develop sustainability. Now it’s all about the Virus and in the short term so it should be. But in the long term, what we are learning from the Virus is just what the worldwide landscape could look like if we do not get a grip and take control of the planet right now. Virus or otherwise. Because what COVID-19 is presciently showing us is just what our world could look like if we don’t.

You won’t have to worry about shortages of toilet paper because in the extreme, society will have broken down and collapsed to the point where there won’t be a sewerage system. There simply won’t be enough people to run what we have come to regard as normal civilised society.

That is because the entire infrastructure of the planet is already right on the very brink of collapse and COVID-19 is giving you a taste of what that world looks like and its terrifying.

This time will pass. The flu Virus will mutate as it has done in previous decades, scientists will find a suitable vaccine, it will be defeated. But when we all come out of forced hibernation, will we remember just how devastated we felt? Will we recall that it was symptomatic of our failing ecosystem, that in just a few short years we are facing a threat to our world that cannot be reversed as we will have already passed the tipping point? (As many scientists now believe has already happened in the Amazon Delta. Take some time to read about the Aral Sea, that’s where we are headed…)

So, lets in a very strange way be glad of circumstances that give us the opportunity to experience what life and death could be like in circumstances where we ignore all the warning signs. Yes, we are living in unprecedented times. But this is nothing but a walk in the park compared to what is to come if we do not push COVID-19 to one side and replace it with that word ‘sustainability’ once more.

We have a very tiny window in which we can turn the clock back and bring urgent recovery to the natural world. If our Government can, in a few short days, effectively nationalise the UK payroll it only goes to show what we can do if we set our minds to the urgent task of ensuring that we do not end up like the village of Led. A few almost forgotten marks in abandoned fields with a sad monument to what was once a thriving community of living souls.

The virus is redefining us as a nation. I am seeing kindness and caring on a scale that I have never witnessed and that is heartening. But let’s not forget that passed this crisis there is still a much, much, bigger one playing out and yes, we are just as much in that together as we are now.

Let’s put the word ‘sustainable’ back where it belongs. Right at the very top of our respective agendas. You saved lives and protected the NHS by staying home and staying safe. What more could you do as an individual? more so, what more can we do as an industry to save lives and protect the fragile world in which we live?

Russell Dever is the Managing Director of Those Licensing People, a proponent for sustainable growth and change within the global licensing community.

Mattel launches a free online resource for parents and children, Mattel Playroom

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Mattel has detailed the launch of the Mattel Playroom, a new, free online resource that features activities and content from across the company’s portfolio of brands, designed to encourage kids to keep playing while handling school closures, social distancing and self isolation measures.

American Girl, Barbie, Fisher-Price, Hot Wheels, and Thomas & Friends all feature in content delivered across the new platform that includes play-from-home information and tips for parents and caregivers. The Playroom will be updated in the coming weeks with additional content and experiences.

“Our mission to inspire, entertain and develop children through play is more important than ever,” said Richard Dickson, president and COO, Mattel. “We believe in the power of play and how essential it is for child development, especially in these difficult times when so much is in flux for kids and families. We recognise the unique challenges that parents and caregivers are facing right now both working and playing from home and have designed the Mattel Playroom to be a valuable resource for them.”

The Mattel Playroom will be updated weekly. At launch, the resource gives parents and caregivers easy access to content from Mattel brands including printable colouring pages and activities, free and ready-to-play games, crafting and DIY projects, animated, stop-motion and live-action videos and downloadable apps.

The new online hub will also feature learning-at-home tips in partnership with The Toy Association and insights from Mattel’s play experts.

Parents and caregivers also have the opportunity to join the social conversation by using #KeepPlaying.

Mattel takes up arms against COVID-19 as it focuses production on face masks and PPE

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Mattel has become the latest toy company to join in the fight agains the deepening COVID-19 pandemic, dedicating a slice if its production line to face masks in order to meet the urgent demand for medical supplies in the US.

In a post across social media, Mattel’s president and COO, Richard Dickson announced the company’s intentions, stating that its design and development teams in El Segundo, California, and East Aurora, New York will be producing face masks from Barbie and Fisher-Price fabric ‘to help meet the significant demand.’

Mattel is also prototyping personal protective equipment, such as face shields, for medical workers – many of which have been faced with the ongoing efforts of caring for those with COVID-19 without the appropriate safety or protective wear.

Mattel now joins a slew of toy companies who have taken up arms in the global fight against the coronavirus in the past week, including the likes of Zimpli Kids and Crazy Aaron who have dedicated portions of their manufacturing processes to the production of hand sanitiser.

Meanwhile, MGA Entertainment’s CEO Isaac Larian launched Operation: Pac-Man to bring supporters together to equip hospitals and healthcare workers with the supplies they need to protect themselves as the global fight against Covid-19 continues.

Speaking of the firm’s own efforts, Mattel’s Dickson, said: “As companies all over do what they can during these uncertain times, we are doing our part. Our design and development teams in El Segundo, CA and East Aurora, NY, are producing face masks from Barbie and Fisher-Price fabric to help meet thee significant demand for these supplies. We are also prototyping personal protective equipment such as face shields for our heroes in the healthcare profession.

“I am inspired by our people at Mattel, as well as the amazing contributions from the toy industry and companies all over the world.”

LEGO launches #letsbuildtogether and donates $50m to children in need in fight against coronavirus

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The LEGO Group and LEGO Foundation have joined forces to address the critical needs of children as the globe continues to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, including a $50m donation to kids most in need and the launch of the #letsbuildtogether campaign.

The initiatives have been established to aid all children, from the most vulnerable in refugee camps and war-torn countries, to those currently waiting out a community quarantine.

The LEGO Foundation has donated $50m to support children in need and ensure they have access to learning through play. The donation will be split between three groups of partners, including Education Cannot Wait – a charity that provides education for children caught in emergencies; a selection of existing LEGO Foundation partners whose work is under pressure from COVID-19; and charity partners serving communities where the LEGO Group has a significant presence.

Niels B Christiansen, CEO, the LEGO Group, said: “We know it is difficult that children are away from their classrooms and their regular learning environments. We want to help parents and families do their best and we know that when children play, they learn.

“They learn life-long skills such as collaboration, communication and problem solving. We’re committed to continuing to support, develop and inspire children through this tumultuous time.”

John Goodwin, CEO, the LEGO Foundation, added: “We cannot let COVID-19 setback a generation of children. Research shows that while learning through play is vital for children’s psychological, emotional and cognitive health and development, it also hones the resilience they need to overcome adversity and build their futures.

“We must support all children, including the most vulnerable in society, to ensure they continue to have access to education and develop skills critical for them to thrive in a constantly changing world. We are honoured to be able to collaborate and support Education Cannot Wait and our other partners who are working extremely hard in unforgiving circumstances to bring education, hope and a future to the most vulnerable children.”

This latest donation adds to the $212 million in grants the LEGO Foundation has made during the past 18 months to bring learning through play to children affected by crises. This includes a US$100 million grant awarded to International Rescue Committee and its consortium of partners in December 2019; a $12.5 million grant awarded to Education Cannot Wait in September 2019 and US$100 million grant awarded to Sesame Workshop in December 2018.

Yasmine Sherif, Education Cannot Wait Director, said: “We are grateful that the LEGO Foundation has stepped forward as the first private sector partner to contribute to our COVID-19 response. This generous donation will allow Education Cannot Wait to scale up its support of a coordinated response among governments, UN agencies and civil society organisations to bring a glimmer of hope to children of all ages in the most crisis-affected countries in the world.

“Learning must continue in the midst of the pandemic. The LEGO Foundation’s commitment to learning through play is a shining example of what’s possible and we encourage more philanthropic, private sector and government donor partners to come forward.”

Meanwhile, LEGO has established a second initiative, inspired by the impact of the crisis on children’s education and following estimates from UNESCO that over 160 countries have implemented nationwide school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figures suggest that more than 1.5bn school-aged children are currently out of school.

To address this, LEGO has assembled its designers, STEM gurus, creatives, and play experts to come up with new ways to provide play-based learning ideas to children and parents. The firm hopes to alleviate some of the strain and stress for families while keeping children engaged and curious.

As a result, LEGO has developed its www.LEGO.com/letsbuildtogether and launched #letsbuildtogether across its social channels as a way to share building ideas, daily challenges set by LEGO designers, retro builds, and live build-a-longs with fans everywhere.

Play experts from the LEGO Foundation will also share ways to inspire learning through all types of play which will help children develop life-long skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving while out of school.

The hope is that while communities may not be able to meet physically, they can connect, share their creativity and inspire each other.

Julia Goldin, chief marketing officer, the LEGO Group, said: “We’ve been amazed by the creativity shown by children and adults around the world while they stay at home. We’re grateful for the calls, emails and messages from fans who say LEGO play is helping to comfort them.

“It’s more important than ever that we find ways to stay connected, supported and inspired in order to safeguard our health and wellbeing. Play is a great way to do this, and we want to support LEGO fans of all ages to build and play.

“The amazing team at the LEGO Group came up with the idea for #letsbuildtogether as a way to offer support and inspiration to parents as they face the challenge of keeping children engaged and educated at home while juggling their own work and wellbeing.” 

David Pallash, LEGO Play Agent, concluded: “With many parents worried about juggling work with childcare and schooling, play could be one of the easiest, and most fun ways of supporting a child’s education and development. Children say they learn best when activities feel like play, while nine in 10 parents feel that play helps their child develop key skills such as resilience, collaboration, creativity and communication.

“Not only is play essential to a child’s development, but it benefits the whole family too. Parents say that playing with their child is good for their own wellbeing and happiness and importantly in tough times, it also helps them relax and connect with their children.”

Sesame Workshop rolls out new content for its Caring for Each Other platform

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Building on its launch last week of the Caring for Each Other initiative, Sesame Workshop is rolling out new content to help families stay physically and mentally healthy as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

Today’s release on SesameStreet.org/caring includes animations on healthy habits, resources providing comfort, and activities that caregivers can use to spark learning in areas like reading, math, science, and more. The animated spots – which will be available in 19 languages – include Elmo’s new Washy Wash song, as well as Sesame Street Muppets learning how to sneeze properly.

New messages of love, kindness, and fun will be posted on a regular basis on Sesame Street social media channels, including Snack Time with Cookie Monster, Singalong with Elmo, Move & Groove with Abby Cadabby and Grover, and Story Time with Alan.

“Sesame Street is there for children and families whether it’s a sunny day or a stormy one, and unfortunately many families are facing unprecedented challenges right now,” said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of US social impact, Sesame Workshop.

“Through Caring for Each Other, we’re committed to supporting families for the duration of this crisis and beyond – equipping them with the tools they need to get through this together and look to the future with hope and optimism.”

The new animated spots will be distributed through a wide range of partners in the US and globally, including HBO, PBS KIDS and local PBS stations, Univision, the Ad Council, YouTube, Sesame Street in Communities partners, and international broadcast partners.

They will be available in the coming days in languages including English, Spanish, Amharic, Arabic, Bangla, Dutch, Dari, German, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Kurdish, Mandarin, Pashto, Portuguese, Rohingya, Somali, Swahili, and additional dialects.

“As families around the world adjust to their new realities, parents and caregivers are looking for help in creating new routines, staying healthy, and fostering learning at home,” said Dr. Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of curriculum and content, Sesame Workshop.

“At Sesame Workshop, we’re here to support the caring adults in children’s lives as they help their children navigate these challenging times.”

The Caring for Each Other initiative was launched last week in response to the unprecedented uncertainty facing young children and families. SesameStreet.org/caring will be updated to meet the needs of families as the situation evolves on an ongoing basis, with resources designed to help parents provide comfort and manage anxiety, as well as help with creating routines, fostering playful learning at home, and staying physically and mentally healthy.

Opinion: How will we adapt to a post-coronavirus economy? – Trudi Bishop

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By the time this goes to print the state of the COVID-19 pandemic will be in a very different place than it is now so bear with me.

We are experiencing unprecedented times. The pandemic is not just affecting the health of the global population, but it is also having an effect on the health and wellbeing of the planet as a whole. Due to the various lockdowns we have seen a significant reduction in air pollution over these countries. To give some context (but not wanting to downplay the significance of the pandemic), according to WHO, air pollution kills almost 7million people every year. But this barely gets a mention in people’s conversations or on the news.

Every day our children walk to school they breathe in the poisons from our commuters’ cars (it’s also worth recognising children in buggies are at the same height as a car exhaust) yet we don’t seem to find social media meme’s saying ‘stay safe’ for our kids but simply accept this is how life is.

With the sudden and exponential onset of COVID-19 we are seeing businesses having to rethink their whole way of operating. Working from home has become the ‘right and safe thing to do’. Amazon has stopped all ‘non-essential’ deliveries. With these small changes we will see an immediate positive effect on our children’s wellbeing.

Beyond this, as public events, sports and schools close we will be ‘forced’ to spend more time with each other as families. This may be a little daunting for some, but it can also be seen as an opportunity. We have the chance to reconnect with our children and allow life to slow down to really think on what is important. As the UK is not in full lock down it also allows us to reconnect with, notice and appreciate nature.

The ‘business as usual’ mentality has had to change in light of this tragedy. Attitudes to our consumption behaviour have changed whether through necessity (due to lack of goods) or due to focussing on our health and wellbeing. And despite the selfish act of stockpiling by many people, it has also brought out the good in humanity. We have neighbourhoods looking out for the elderly and housebound by buying and delivering goods for them. Behaviour has changed and it is the more positive results of the pandemic that I hope we can show children on how society really can be.

But what happens once the pandemic passes and business as usual returns? The economic scars could be long and deep. There will be the temptation (as we see in China already loosening rules on pollution) to ramp up production and put the long-term negative effects on the environment aside for short term monetary gain to get us all ‘back on track’.

Surely as we all have to rethink how we work, live and shop, this presents us with the opportunity to make the permanent and systematic shift toward a better future, giving us a very real chance of saving humanity and the precious environment.

We owe it to our children and we owe it to ourselves.