Trading Standards award for city council employee

A Manchester City Council trading standards officer has been given a prestigious national award for her work cracking down on shops selling counterfeit goods.

Nicola Bray received the Highly Commended award from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group (ACG) a national organisation that represents more than 200 companies whose products are at risk of being copied and which campaigns against the trade in bogus goods.

The announcement was made at the ACG's spring conference on Thursday, May 8, and follows raids on premises selling counterfeit goods which Nicola has carried out over the last year along with Greater Manchester Police.

She was nominated for the award by companies whose products were being copied and sold by traders across the city.

The firms, including clothing manufacturers such as Nike, Adidas and Timberland, have worked with the City Council and Greater Manchester Police by providing warehousing areas where counterfeit goods can be stored before they are used as evidence in court cases.

Councillor Neil Swannick, Executive Member for the Environment, said: "Counterfeiting is a crime which has a negative impact on the health and safety of consumers, on the economy as well as on jobs provided by legitimate businesses.

"Manchester City Council works hard with our partners at Greater Manchester Police and with trademark holders to clamp down on this problem. We have some highly skilled officers working in this area, and this reward recognises their efforts and shows how highly regarded they are by the industry."

Media contact:

Rebecca Kennedy, tel: 0161 234 3332