David Mellor Family Jewellers are a family run retailer with three stores and a jewellery workshop based in Hampshire. We spoke to Amy Mellor from David Mellor to find out a little more about their business and recent charity sponsorship supporting Jordan Wylie MBE.

Tell us about what your business specialises in?

We have a very varied offering which continues to diversify, but the largest aspect of our business is our pre-owned selection – from vintage jewellery, luxury watches and designer handbags – we have found our niche here whilst also catering to shoppers of ‘new’.

A close second speciality is our jewellery workshop which offers repairs, restorations, remodelling and bespoke design/manufactures, as well as offering trade work to our industry colleages.

 What is the best thing about running a family business?

Well, that answer can hugely vary depending on what day you ask haha! On a positive day, it’s being able to celebrate the wins with your siblings and see your team proud of their hard work. On a tough day, I would say it’s being able to have your family there to lean on and know that we’re all in it together.

 How would you like to see the business grow in the next 12 months and beyond?

We have (this week!) launched a new website which will enable us to grow our online sales in the same trajectory as our physical, and broaden the reach of our varied inventory and services.

Please tell us a bit more about why you decided to sponsor this challenge.

We decided to sponsor Jordan Wylie MBE with his Tower Power 2024 ‘eco-triathlon’ because of his focus on sustainability, his ethos of wanting to leave the planet a little bit better than how he found it, and his visits to local primary schools in order to educate and encourage our next generations to be more conscious of what we can do to help. David Mellor Jewellers is a work-in-progress in this area, as I feel many of us are in retail, but we felt there was a clear alignment via our pre-owned offering and our workshop restoration/remodelling service in terms of providing a circular economy. It has massively encouraged us to think about our eco-footprint and make better choices within our business.

What have you got out of sponsoring a challenge like this?

Whilst the sustainability ‘health check’ has been a great positive for us (along with being mentioned on Sky News…*humble brag*), we would say that seeing the opportunities that the fundraising has provided to young people via ACCT UK is a huge highlight – a charity whose aim is to increase the life chances for young people via access to the Army Cadets.

Are you going to sponsor again or do anymore charity work in the future?

We always have and always will continue to sponsor or collaborate with charities in the future as it’s such a crucial value of ours, both as a family and professionally. We would love to plan and launch our own event in the future, so watch this space!

 Why do you think it is important for businesses to support and get involved in charity work?

The cliché, yet still valid, reason is to ‘give something back’ but I think that it goes deeper than that. Running a business is very often about numbers, stresses, growth, pressure, fatigue, deadlines etc, but by supporting your community and working with charities, you remind yourself that there are bigger things than your balance sheet.

 What do you enjoy most about being part of the CMJ?

The CMJ has been a brilliant sounding board for us over the years, particularly from a networking perspective as myself and my brothers took the business over from our parents. Succession planning can be messy but with the advice, support and experience of other CMJ retailers, we’ve found it invaluable!

 Would you recommend that other retailers should join the CMJ?

Running a business can be a lonely place and you often think that the issues and problems faced are unique to you and your business…until you talk to another business owner and you realise you’re not alone! It’s a lovely thing that an industry full of ‘competitors’ can be so helpful to each other.

Please visit the Tower Power website to find more information about the challenge and a donation link.