By Kim Dodd, Client Services Director at Toolbox Marketing
On Wednesday 30 September, shopping centre teams from across the UK gathered at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge Hotel in London for an evening of celebration.
Toolbox were extremely proud to get up on stage three times during the evening for the Community Initiative of the Year category. Winning in both the North and the East regions, and then receiving the National Award, is fantastic recognition for our clients.
Toolbox Marketing specialises in getting people to places, but we pride ourselves on never focusing solely on driving sales and footfall. We continuously make sure that the communities surrounding our destinations are at the forefront of our campaigns and that we are supporting them. Working with our clients up and down the country to put communities at the centre of campaigns, and helping centre teams create engaging campaigns that give back, is fantastic.
Community Initiative of the Year: North
A huge congratulations to Zoe France and the team at Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington for their fantastic Cuppa with a Copper initiative.
It began with an idea from Zoe: rather than waiting for problems to escalate, why not get the right people in the same room regularly? Since launching in 2025, monthly drop-ins at the centre have brought together the police, council teams, youth services and Trading Standards, with the doors open to tenants and the public too. Tenants have a practical space to share intelligence, and residents can have a straightforward conversation with the people who can act.
The results speak for themselves. Anti-social behaviour inside the centre has dropped by 90%, and police-supported safety pods helped cut theft at HMV by 70%. It’s a brilliant example of bringing people together and making a real difference in the local community.
Community Initiative of the Year: East
The East award went to Castle Quarter, Norwich for their incredible Heart of Norwich campaign.
Heart of Norwich is a year-round programme of free community activations. It has brought local charities, emergency services and community groups into the centre to create events that unite people and put smiles on faces. Highlights include Emergency Services Summer, Bloom Together (which gave 12 local organisations a platform in one month), and visits from Suffolk Unicorn Alpaca Walks and the Miniature Wellbeing Donkeys.
Over the year, the campaign delivered 50 events with 28 community partners, all with ZERO budget. What an achievement!
National Champion: Community Initiative of the Year
Castle Quarter went on to be crowned National Champion in the same category!
They triumphed over larger-scale centres including Lakeside and Bluewater. The judges praised their ongoing commitment to partnering with local community groups and good causes, and the organisers noted that large budgets are not always the be all and end all when hosting community events.
What connects them
Two very different centres, two very different initiatives, but the same thing at the heart of both: genuine, consistent collaboration with the people who make a town or city tick. Neither needed a big budget. They needed a centre team with passion, creativity and the willingness to show up, month after month. We feel very lucky to be able to work with centre teams that share our passion.
Proud to sponsor Marketing Manager of the Year
Toolbox was delighted to sponsor the Marketing Manager of the Year award at the Sceptre Awards again this year. It’s an award we love being part of, because it recognises the very best of our industry and the people whose creativity and commitment make retail destinations thrive.
Retail destinations are at the heart of what we do and marketing is the driving force behind the scenes, keeping visitors coming through the doors. Supporting the teams who make that happen is really important to us.
Congratulations to Lauren Campbell from Victoria Square in Belfast, who led a bold omnichannel marketing strategy that rebuilt trust, re-energised the destination and delivered exceptional commercial results. and insightful opportunity to see how these ideas are being put into practice.