"Their commercial success, coupled with their commitment both individually and collectively to extensive charitable work, makes Richard King, Joe Kissane, Jon Diver and Kiran Shah very deserving recipients of the BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award."
The British Toy and Hobby Association are awarding Character Options co-founders Richard King, Joe Kissane, Jon Diver and Kiran Shah with a prestigious BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award.
The four recipients will become part of an exclusive group of LIfetime Achievement Awards winners, as the award is only presented in exceptional circumstances to individuals who have made a truly outstanding and significant contribution to the toy industry.
To be eligible to be recognised for a BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award, an individual must have facilitated positive and sustained change in the toy industry as a whole and be an inspirational achiever who is widely acknowledged to have made a fundamental and beneficial impact on the sector over the long term.
The individual must also be recognised as a leading figure within the industry, and have demonstrated an extraordinary level of commitment, passion and integrity throughout their career.
"The BTHA Council believed the four founding members of Character Group fulfill the criteria of the Lifetime Achievement Award perfectly," said Phil Ratcliffe, BTHA chairman.
"They have made a significant contribution to the UK toy industry and through their entrepreneurial spirit have established Character Group PLC to be the largest UK based toy company which also operates on an international stage. This commercial success, coupled with their commitment both individually and collectively to extensive charitable work, makes Richard King, Joe Kissane, Jon Diver and Kiran Shah very deserving recipients of the BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award."
Jon Diver, joint managing director of Character Group, added: "On behalf of myself, Joe, Richard and Kiran, we are both honoured and delighted to have been chosen to receive the BTHA Lifetime Achievement Award. We are all equally looking forward to receiving the awards and celebrating what promises to be a great occasion at this years Industry Day at Great Fosters."
The presentation will be made following the Toy Industry Day at Great Fosters Hotel on June 29th 2016 during a special awards lunch.
A celebratory book and presentation will be produced celebrating Character Options and its founders achievements and each winner will be presented with a specially commissioned bronze sculpture by Ronald Cameron.
