The British Hallmarking Council (BHC) is delighted to announce that Hull City Trading Standards have won the prestigious Touchstone Award for 2024.

The UK has one of the most rigorous and long-established hallmarking regimes in the world, which delivers significant benefits to UK consumers and legitimate businesses.

Each year the Council invites applications to be submitted for the Touchstone Award from Trading Standards professionals across the UK. The award, sponsored by the four UK Assay Offices and the National Association of Jewellers, is presented for the most innovative activity related to hallmarking enforcement and education.

Hull City Trading Standards were judged to be highly worthy winners due to:

• the demonstration of their consistent, ongoing commitment to hallmarking activities
• their commitment to developing new external partnerships
• the wide breadth of audiences engaged across both physical and online retail domains
• the positive outcomes of inspections (including one ongoing case of fraud)

The judging panel welcomed the quality of applications overall and the ongoing commitment of Trading Standards to this valuable work. 

The solid silver Touchstone Award was formally awarded at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute annual conference dinner in June. A presentation, luncheon and hallmarking training event was also held at The Goldsmiths’ Company Assay Office in London in November.

Applications for the 2025 Touchstone Award will re-open in January 2025.