Author Archives: HM Government

In accepting the appointment, to which he was elected for a three year period, Noel said:

I am delighted to be elected to lead this prestigious and important body. Hallmarking verifies the integrity of some of the most precious items we possess, both on a personal and a monetary level. Without the ability to these trust these precious items are what they say they are our jewellery industry would be badly undermined. All that glisters is indeed not gold.

Noel’s key challenges will be to ensure the integrity and portability of UK hallmarks following Brexit, to ensure that consumers understand the value of hallmarks, supporting and protecting the UK’s jewellery industry through the Council’s advice to government, and to maintain the excellent worldwide reputation of the UK’s four Assay Offices in Birmingham, Edinburgh, London and Sheffield.

Noel Hunter is a former Director of Warwickshire County Council, was a former Warden of the Birmingham Assay Office. a Vice President of the Chartered Trading Standards Institute and also chairs the Myton Hospices, a Midlands based charity.

Noel’s predecessor who led the Council for the last six years is Christopher Jewitt, who continues with a number of public duties as well as being a Director of Footprint Tools, Sheffield. In his opening address to the Council, Noel paid tribute to Christopher’s prodigious and tireless work on behalf of the Council.

During his visit to New York for UN General Assembly week the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, hosted an event to launch the Principles for Global Action on tackling the stigma of Sexual Violence.

Lord Ahmad and UN Under Secretary General and Special Representative on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict, Pramila Patten were joined by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Presidential Adviser on Sexual Violence and Child Recruitment, Madame Jeanine Mabunda and Co-Founder of the Survivors Speak OUT network, Mr Kolbassia Haoussou.

A practical guide designed to raise awareness among policy makers of the challenges, issues and sensitivities of stigma from a survivor’s perspective. The event brought together Member States, NGO’s, academia and experts to see the launch of the Principles for Global Action.

With contributions from over 120 experts, 13 UN Agencies, NATO, the EU Commission, civil society, academia and the governments of Australia, Canada, France and the US the Principles document is truly a global document, it is owned by the International Community.

You can read the Principles for Global Action online and view the reports from the in-country workshops that took place in 2017.

You can also watch the event as it happened on UN Web TV