Ohh Deer supplies illustrated greeting cards, stationery, clothes and homeware, designed by handpicked artists and illustrators, recently working with Mr Men and Battersea Dogs and Cats Home to create 2 bespoke product ranges.

The company, which makes as many of its products as possible in the UK, has also collaborated with retail giants ASOS and Urban Outfitters.

From their humble beginnings working from a relative’s attic, Ohh Deer have now opened 2 stores in Loughborough and Ipswich – the founders’ hometowns and counts the likes of Selfridges and John Lewis amongst its customers.

The business’ headquarters, has since moved to The Rushes, Loughborough, and employs 22 permanent staff, which doubles during peak seasons.

To make the most of the demand for its products internationally, Ohh Deer turned to the Department for International Trade (DIT) for advice on how to navigate customs regulations and paperwork requirements in countries it was exporting to for the first time.

The company has since seen significant success in the US, with Papyrus, a leading North American stationery and greeting card retailer, increasing its order volume by 500% in the last year. Papyrus operates over 450 stores across the US and Canada.

Mark Callaby, Founder, Ohh Deer, said:

It’s vital for our business to continue to diversify and grow, gaining more market share in order to protect against any unpredictable changes in the retail sector. DIT provided us with start-up advice in the very beginning and has since provided us with funding to attend various international trade shows in the US. These have helped us make new contacts and learn from other businesses and their experiences.

The majority of the countries we export to speak English, which has made our exporting journey much less daunting, but there are other specific challenges we’ve faced. For example, every country has their own differing paperwork requirements. DIT has been a great help in understanding this in the US by providing advice and support on the logistics of customs.

There are so many opportunities to trade with international partners that businesses, like us, aren’t aware of. But, with the support of DIT and after doing some market research in potential target markets we discovered the quirkiness of our products was actually a unique selling point. If we can export successfully, with the right guidance and support, so can other businesses in the Midlands.

Ian Harrison, Head of Exports for the Midlands at the Department for International Trade, said:

We’re pleased to see Ohh Deer’s continued success in overseas markets and look forward to working alongside them as they continue to grow.

British firms have a strong trading relationship with the US, and Ohh Deer is a great example of a business who has made the most of the demand from this economy. It is important businesses identify suitable partners and fully understand market and regulatory requirements in order to do well, which Ohh Deer has done effectively.

We have a team of specialist advisers on the ground in the East Midlands, who are on hand to support budding firms as they look to start or build its exports.

Data published today by Public Health England (PHE) reveal that new HIV diagnoses in the UK have fallen for the second year in a row. New diagnoses decreased by 17% in 2017 – from 4,363 new diagnoses reported compared to 5,280 in 2016, which brought new cases down to their lowest level since 2000.

This decrease continues a downward trend that started in 2015, with an overall 28% reduction in new HIV diagnoses between 2015 and 2017. The reduction was largely driven by a decline in new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men, which fell by 17% compared to 2016 and by 31% compared to 2015. This decrease was due to the high uptake of HIV testing in this group, particularly repeat HIV testing among higher risk men. Increased uptake of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) – drugs that keep the level of HIV in the body low and help prevent it being passed on – also significantly contributed to the decline in new diagnoses.

New HIV diagnoses in black African and Caribbean heterosexuals have been steadily decreasing over the past 10 years. For the first time, a UK-wide fall was also seen in new diagnoses in heterosexuals from other ethnicities, with a drop of 20% in 2017 when previously they had remained stable at around 1000 per year.

Professor Noel Gill, Head of the STI and HIV Department at Public Health England, said:

We are pleased to see that UK prevention efforts are having a significant impact on new HIV diagnoses, and this heralds the lowest number of HIV diagnoses in the UK since 2000. However, we know that anyone who has sex with a casual partner without a condom or shares needles may be at risk of infection.

The most common way of getting HIV in the UK is through having sex without a condom – so consistent and correct condom use with new and casual partners stops you getting or transmitting HIV and other STIs. If you think you have been exposed to HIV it is easy to get tested so, if positive, you can start treatment as soon as possible.

Steve Brine, Public Health Minister said:

HIV is a devastating and life-altering disease. Today’s figures mean we are well on our way to eradicating it once and for all but we have not an ounce of complacency.

Our commitment to prevention has led to more people getting tested and almost every person with a diagnosis is now in treatment – meaning they are unlikely to pass the virus on to someone else. I am committed to ensuring that we deliver on our promise to reduce the number of people contracting HIV even further.

There are very effective treatments for HIV that enable people diagnosed with the virus to live a long and healthy life, and minimise the risk of onward transmission. Early diagnosis through regular testing ensures people get the greatest benefit from these HIV treatments. HIV testing is freely available through GP surgeries, local hospitals and sexual health clinics, as well as through a self-sampling service or by using a home-testing kit.

Public Health England, alongside other government and third sector organisations, is working to control HIV by 2030 and these new figures are an encouraging sign that this is achievable.

Background

1. Epidemiological data on new HIV diagnoses and people receiving HIV care can be found in the PHE health protection report and annual HIV data tables. Regional and Local Authority data on new HIV diagnosis rates, late diagnoses and diagnosed HIV prevalence data can be analysed on the PHE Sexual Health Profiles.
2. The data shows that:
   • In 2017, 4,363 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in the UK, a reduction by 17% compared to the 5,280 diagnoses reported in 2016.
   • There were 2,330 new HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men reported in 2017, a 17% reduction from the 2,820 diagnoses in 2016 and 28% reduction from the 3,390 diagnoses in 2015.
   • There were 594 new HIV diagnoses among black African and Caribbean heterosexuals in 2017, a reduction of 23% compared to the 775 diagnoses in 2016.
   • Overall, 42% of people were diagnosed at a late stage of infection (CD4 count <350 cells/mm3 at diagnosis) in 2017. Late diagnosis is associated with a ten-fold increased risk of short term mortality (within a year of diagnosis).
   • In 2017, there were 230 people with an AIDS-defining illness reported at HIV diagnosis (5.3%) and 428 deaths among people with HIV.
   • In 2017, 93,385 people were receiving HIV-related care in the UK, with 98% (91,266/93,385) receiving anti-retroviral therapy to control the virus. Of those receiving anti-retroviral therapy in 2017, 97% (88,528/91,266) had untransmissable levels of virus.
3. HIV is a virus which damages the cells in people’s immune system and weakens their ability to fight everyday infections and diseases. Without treatment, after an average of 10 to 15 years, the infection is fatal.
4. PHE advises gay and bisexual men to have an HIV test at least once a year, or every 3 months if they’re having unprotected sex with new or casual partners. Black African men and women are advised to have a regular HIV and STI screen, if they’re having unprotected sex with new or casual partners.
5. You can find out more information about how to prevent and get tested for HIV on NHS Choices. The HIV home sampling service offers an alternative to traditional testing offered by GPs and sexual health clinic. Visit www.FreeTesting.hiv to find out more about free HIV home-sampling test kits.
6. It is too early to know the size of the expected additional effect on underlying HIV transmission and new HIV diagnoses of the scale-up of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PHE is supporting NHS England in delivering the 3-year PrEP Impact Trial, which began in October 2017.

Today 53 new free schools and one University Technical College will open their doors, creating up to 40,000 new school places across the country.

The new openers have been set up by multi-academy trusts, charities and community groups and often provide specialist education for pupils.

Among those opening this week are the Saracens High School, which will be supported by Saracens Rugby Club – a partnership between local schools and Middlesex University to boost pupils’ education through sport. Free schools are among the highest performing state-funded schools in the country and many are in disadvantaged areas, helping to improve education for every child, such as Tauheedul Islam Boys High School, Blackburn, The Reach Academy Feltham and Dixons Trinity Academy which all received top GCSE grades in 2017.

Today’s announcement is part of a government drive to ensure more families have access to a good school place, which will see the creation of one million places between 2010 and 2020 – the fastest increase for two generations.

Education Secretary Damian Hinds said:

I want to create new, great schools where they are needed most and give parents greater choice when looking at the schools that are right for their children. For years, innovative free schools have been leading the way on this – from the specialist maths schools run by some of our top universities to the special free schools creating places for children who have additional learning needs.

The new schools opening their doors this term will build on this record, bringing in the likes of Saracens Rugby Club and Sky to provide pupils with excellent sports activities and classes on cutting edge media technology. Thanks to reforms like this and the hard work of our teachers, we have 1.9 million more children in good or outstanding schools than in 2010 – I look forward to seeing these new schools flourish too.

Schools opening this week will range from primary schools to sixth form colleges, with some tailored specifically to provide technical education. The new openers include:

• Saracens High School in Barnet – a mainstream secondary school which will provide 1,130 places, including a 230 place sixth-form. This will be the first school opened by a The Saracens Multi-Academy Trust, which includes Saracens Sport Foundation and Middlesex University.

• Bolder Academy in Hounslow – which is being set up by a group of local headteachers and has teamed up with Sky to deliver in-school and extra-curricular activities in sport, media and technology. It will offer 1,150 places, of which 250 will be sixth-form.

• John Taylor Free School in Staffordshire – will be the first new 11-18 secondary school to open in Staffordshire for a generation. The school will offer 1,440 places and form part of the successful John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust which has consistently had strong results with some of the highest performing schools in the region.

• Red Kite Special Academy in Northamptonshire – a special provision school for 100 pupils with severe learning difficulties and those on the autistic spectrum. The school is part of the Kingsley Learning Foundation Trust between the Kingsley School and the Red Kite Free School.

• North East Futures University Technical College in Newcastle – will specialise in healthcare science and digital technology. The University Technical College is part of the Tyne Coast Academy Trust (TCAT) and has been set up in partnership with the University of Sunderland and businesses including Accenture, Ubisoft and Newcastle-upon-Tyne NHS Trust.

Of those inspected by Ofsted, 85% of free schools are rated good or outstanding, while 31% are rated outstanding. In 2017, two of the top 10 Progress 8 scores for state-funded schools in England were achieved by free schools.

The new openers announced today take the total number of these schools open to 520 since 2010 and means more than 120 in 152 local authorities now have at least one free school, studio school or university technical college in their area. The Department has committed to approving a further 110 new schools by 2020.

The new schools open as 20 local authorities across the country are set to receive a share of a £50 million funding boost to support the creation of new free schools where they are needed most. The Presumption Free School Grant will help pay to build the new free schools and will create around 15,000 places across the country. The Department will work closely with the 20 local authorities selected for the Presumption Free School Grant to support the building of the new schools.

Mark Lehain, Interim Director of New Schools Network, said:

It’s fantastic to see another 53 free schools opening their doors for the first time this September. Opening a new school is, rightly, a challenging process and it’s thanks to the hard work and dedication of these groups of people that scores of families will benefit.

This cohort of free schools is particularly exciting; it spans the breadth of the country, as well as all phases and types, including four special free schools. It also highlights the strength of the free school policy, which allows schools to provide the education their local community wants – such as Saracens High School, set-up by the rugby club, Middlesex University and the Gold Star Federation, or the Bolder Academy that has teamed up with Sky to provide media and technology teaching.

The free school programme continues to be the most successful and cost effective way of providing much needed new school places. I wish all of those opening this year the very best.

Andrew Griffith, Group Chief Operating Officer for Sky, said:

As Bolder Academy will be literally right on our doorstep, we can see exciting opportunities to be a good neighbour. We have a huge array of skills and expertise here on-site and I hope that we can support the school in many ways, including Sky colleagues volunteering to help out with in-school and after-school activities in areas such as sport, media and technology.

Nigel Wray, Saracens Chairman, said:

What a challenge and a privilege to be able to open a school, to try and make a real difference to young people in a disadvantaged community.

The Saracens High School is, we believe, the first mainstream secondary school ever to be set up by a professional sports club. Our aim, as it is for our players, is to help every young person to be the best that they can possibly be.

Maro Itoje, Saracens Rugby Union player and England International said:

It’s exciting as a player to see the Saracens High School’s vision and ethos is built on the core values that have helped us as a team to be successful over recent seasons. I’m proud to be at a club that is committed to providing young disadvantaged people in our local community with an education.

Mike Donoghue, Head of Trust at John Taylor Free School, said:

We are delighted to be sponsoring the delivery of John Taylor Free School in Tatenhill, which will be the first new build secondary school in Staffordshire for a generation. As is the case with all schools in our Trust, the school will welcome children of all abilities, faiths, social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds and will be a learning hub for the wider community.

John Taylor Free School will equip young people with the knowledge, experiences, skills and attributes to enable success beyond school and will further the innovative heritage of John Taylor High School. John Taylor Free School will share the ‘DNA’ that has helped make our Trust’s schools successful: a focus on quality teaching, the setting of high expectations for all, a belief in collaboration and the added value that it brings to, and an emphasis on the development – academic and personal – of all children and adults who work with us. However, it is a sibling, not a clone – having a character and context that makes it individual, and valued for it.

John Taylor Multi-Academy Trust has worked closely and harmoniously with the DfE, the ESFA, Staffordshire County Council, contractors and other partners to deliver a truly amazing new school which we are convinced, over time, will become a leading presence in the sector across the region and beyond. Today’s announcement follows the news earlier this year that an additional £50 million will be spent on creating new school places for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), and a further £630 million in basic need funding for 2021 to help meet local demand for places.