Benchpeg turns 18!

Benchpeg was formed back in 2006, in an environment where the jewellery, silver and allied trades faced myriad challenges such as fragmentation and lack of interconnectivity and when digital media was in its infancy. Yes, we’re that old.

We hope that we have helped address some of those issues over the last 18 years.

We couldn't have made it this far down the road without our fantastic community of jewellers, retailers, makers, silversmiths, educators, those at the bench and those in the background, the small and large businesses in trade, retail, wholesale and manufacturing, employers, students and those on their own skills training journey, our valuable trade organisations and associations, our precious charities and support mechanisms – and most importantly you, our reader and supporter, who turn the kettle on and make a brew before opening up the weekly Sunday issue of the newsletter.

We thank you.

Our Benchpeg community is an aberration, apparently. IT folk tell us that our 10,000 weekly subscribers defy modern myth. Usually you’d expect to see many peaks and troughs in subscribe and unsubscribe figures, but Benchpeg experiences continual growth.

It constantly amazes us still, that when we are out and about at craft and industry events people have heard and know if Benchpeg, wherever we go.

Benchpeg has allowed a privileged position, one that learns the news first, it allows us to hear first hand the issues our sector faces, it provides access to people for us to understand how we can help. This is a privilege and an honour.

Its also affords a position which allows us to present these issues, represent our craft and industry and convey the still very real challenges we face as a sector.

We thank you for the continual support which allows us to do this.

Its been the most fantastic 18 year journey, with many lows, but these have been superseded by the very many highs. It makes us chuckle. When we were told over 18 years ago, that we were “neither wanted, required or desired” [in supporting the trade] it was the sheer inherent belligerence that made us create Benchpeg in the first place, and 18 years on, we’ve proved the exact opposite.