Tom Daley launches line of knitting kits on LoveCrafts.com

The celebrity collection the nation has been waiting for is finally here: Made with Love by Tom Daley – a line of the Olympian’s very own knitting kits – is now available to purchase exclusively on LoveCrafts.com.

Tom hopes these kits will aid people’s mental wellbeing, giving the nation the chance to unwind and get rid of any stress or anxiety.

The designs include sweater vests, a bubble cuddle cardi, a colourful flamingo and a hat and scarf. Each kit contains everything you need to make your knitted creation and every little detail has been carefully considered. The designs use 100% merino wool, sourced from happy sheep, which, as Tom says, is “just so soft and squishy, like a warm cuddle.”

Everything in the box can be used again or recycled; even the instructions in the box are printed on a 10x10cm card, so purchasers can use it to measure their tension square. Designed for beginner knitters, the kits will help newbies learn new skills too, with helpful videos to explain new techniques along the way.

Tom says: “I do think I have crafting to thank for the way I was able to compete at the Olympic Games. During Covid, at the Olympics we couldn’t do anything, we couldn’t go outside, we couldn’t go and interact with anyone else, so we had to find something else to distract ourselves from it and honestly that was where my Olympic knitting project came about.
My baby, if you like, Made with Love by Tom Daley started on my Instagram. I started off learning to knit with kits and the fact I’ve been able to design some of my own and share my love of knitting with other people is super exciting. I didn’t want anything to be too difficult so they are very much on the beginner to easy scale. There are lots of different designs – we’ve got a Christmas jumper, a cardigan, a vest, we’ve got some flamingos, stockings, hats, scarves, and a blanket as well.
My next thing is the Minister of Knitting and I’ll get knitting and crafts into schools as part of the curriculum. I think it would be an amazing thing for kids to learn to unwind. I think people would really like it.”

You can listen to The LoveCrafts Show x Tom Daley here.

Team GB to present Day 1 keynote at Brand Licensing Europe

Fresh from securing 63 medals at Tokyo 2020 this summer, Team GB will present the opening day keynote at Brand Licensing Europe in November when British Olympic gold medallists Tom Daley and Charlotte Worthington will talk about their journeys to the 2020 Summer Olympics.

BLE – the meeting place for the European licensing industry – takes place in-person at ExCeL London from 17-19 November followed by an online event on 30 November to 1December. Visitors can register for a free ticket now at www.brandlicensing.eu

The Team GB keynote will take place on Wednesday 17 November at 4pm (GMT) in the Platinum Suite of ExCeL London, and open with the Olympians’ personal accounts of their experiences before, during and following their gold-medal-winning performances at this year’s 2020 Summer Olympics.

The first Team GB diver to win four Olympic medals, Tom Daley will appear by live video link from Canada. BMX Freestyle gold medallist Charlotte Worthington will appear in person alongside Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director of Team GB, and Will Stewart, Managing Director of The Point. 1888 (one of Team GB’s brand licensing partners).

A panel session will follow, featuring all four speakers and covering: how Team GB are building the brand to inspire future athletes and sports fans; how will Paris 2024 be a new milestone for the Team GB brand and its athletes?, and Team GB’s unique approach to brand licensing with sports and fan communities in mind.

Charlotte Worthington will join The Point. 1888 on their stand for a meet-and-greet following the presentation at 5pm.

“The brand licensing stories behind Team GB and our British Olympians are fascinating for retailers, licensees and consumers at any time, but this year – when the pandemic delayed the 2020 Summer Olympics by 12 months – they are particularly compelling,” says Informa Market’s VP of Licensing Anna Knight.

“How do you extend your campaigns while also ensuring they have the same impact with consumers? How do you maximise the window of opportunity when an athlete strikes gold? And how do you prep for something that’s three or four years ahead?

“BLE is truly honoured to have two of this summers’ most popular and inspirational Team GB Olympians participate in what will no doubt be an exceptional keynote at the event next month.”

“The Tokyo Games were a sporting event like no other and the postponement to a year later created some complicated challenges, not only for the athletes but also off the field of play in the commercial and licensing world,” says Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director of Team GB.

“Our ability to come together and find creative solutions for our partners and licensees played a huge role in ensuring that when the Games arrived we had everything in place to provide the athletes with the best possible platform to go and perform. We’re very excited to join the panel on the day and provide an insight into what was another fantastic Olympic Games for Team GB.”

Please note, attendees must pre-register for Brand Licensing Europe to ensure a seat.