Friday 30 December 2011

Santander Breakthrough Safari


Perry Uniform was one of the first businesses identified by the Santander Breakthrough programme for fast growing manufacturing businesses. Bernard Bunting, Managing Director of Perry Uniform, was invited to join Breakthrough on a “Safari Tour” of Love Film and Baxter Story to learn best practice management techniques in fast growing entrepreneurial businesses.

Click here to view full article on Santander's website.

Thursday 10 November 2011

The Big Move


Perry Uniform completed its seventh move in three years this month as it finally relocated back to Armley, West Leeds. Five years after the long established (1946) school uniform manufacturer was rescued from administration by buccaneering entrepreneur Bernard Bunting, he has remained true to the staff who’s jobs he rescued, when he promised “we’ll be back in Armley within 5 years”. Having moved the factory first to Farsley, then Bramley he has now completed the integration of the Perry operation with the move of the London warehouse to Bramley and now Armley as well. In conjunction with this the London office moved from Chiswick to Fulham to be in the heart of Perry’s London based retail market.

This fast growing company manufacture and retail school uniform through a state of the art, on line, intelligent sizing system. Commenting Bernard explained “it is important now that we have some stability and this 30,000 sq ft site offers us room for further growth and expansion”. The move went without a hitch during November 2011 and was seamless and transparent to customers and suppliers.

Sunday 30 October 2011

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Programme


As a member of the first UK cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small business programme at Leeds University, Bernard Bunting, Managing Director of Perry Uniform, exhibited his generous sense of character by fitting out every participant with a tailor made jacket in a crisp striped fabric designed by himself, inspired by the cornflower blue of the Goldman logo and the “Perry Pink” of Perry Uniform’s logo.

Click here to view full article in the Yorkshire Post

Friday 23 September 2011

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

Perry Uniform scaled new heights last week as Gavin Winter, MD of The Test People, led an expedition comprising Leeds businessmen on a charity fundraising for Candle Lighters, the Yorkshire based children’s cancer charity. Gavin, who attended the 10,000 small business programme with Perry MD Bernard Bunting, commented “Well, I did it, summited on Friday morning at about 7:30am, hardest thing I ever did in my life! I was cursing the weight of my kit on the final summit attempt but the Perry jacket made it to the top: durable, warm – an all weather garment!”

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Brand new measuring videos

Our aim is to make buying School Uniform online as easy as possible for you. We are currently putting together a two brand new measuring videos that will help you get the i-size measurements just right. All you need to do is enter the measurements online and we will do the rest.

Thursday 8 September 2011

Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania














Perry Uniform scaled new heights last week as Gavin Winter, MD of The Test People, led an expedition comprising Leeds businessmen on a charity fundraising for Candlelighters www.candlelighters.org.uk , the Yorkshire based children’s cancer charity. Gavin, who attended the 10,000 small business programme with Perry MD Bernard Bunting, commented “Well, I did it, summited on Friday morning at about 7:30am, hardest thing I ever did in my life! I was cursing the weight of my kit on the final summit attempt but the Perry jacket made it to the top: durable, warm – an all weather garment!”

Wednesday 7 September 2011

Don't get caught up in the chaos


Shopping online gives you the opportunity to order your child's new school uniform from the comfort of your own home without all of the hassle of the hectic high street, especially at this time of year. Here's a taste of what you're avoiding...

Parents were forced to queue around the block as a last-minute rush for school uniforms left some squabbling over plimsolls and dashing for the blazers.

Outside Braggs uniform supplier, in Finchley, staff had to man barriers after trouble flared over claims some parents had queue barged.
And inside, school ties and satchels were strewn across the floor as parents who had left it late attempted to kit out their children for the start of the new term.
Some parents expressed anger after they were told to join the train of people snaking outside the shop and along the high street because they wanted to exchange items they had already bought.
At one point in the afternoon more than 20 parents were left outside the shop.
Braggs sells uniforms for 23 schools in north London and for the majority is the only supplier.
When asked how they were coping, staff said they were "very busy".

Click here for the London Evening Standard

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Your deliveries


Delivery options from the 1st to 10th September: Please note that we cannot guarantee a next day or first class delivery service during these dates. If this is your preferred delivery option, please place your order before 12:30am and we will endeavour to meet your requirements.

Our free standard delivery service continues to be available to all of our customers.

Friday 2 September 2011

Photoshoot


Thanks to our six great models and photographers Nigel and Greg, we were able to have a full day of capturing lifestyle shots out in the sunshine yesterday. With two different locations we were able to capture our models moving around and enjoying each others company.

Look out for our images in our new brochure!

Wednesday 24 August 2011

August 29 Bank Holiday - We're open!



Perry Uniform are operating 24/7 throughout the bank holiday weekend.
Our web site, telephone order line and warehouse despatch will be fully operational.
Our telephone based advice line will close at 5.00pm on Friday 26th and open again at 9.00am on Tuesday 30th August.


Friday 19 August 2011

See how your Perry Uniform is made



As well as getting all of our orders complete and delivered to your door, we have been working on ways to open a window up for you to have a peek inside our factory so you too can enjoy the hive of activity that we have created at Perry Uniform.

Click here to view in full size.
Video produced by jib productions. Click here for further information.


Monday 15 August 2011

IPAD winners

Well done to all of our IPAD winners!

Every order over £80 placed before July 31st was entered into our free prize draw
Here we have our 3 winners of the IPAD competition!

Soyer
London

"Thank you so much Perry Uniform for such a nice gift and for such a pleasant shopping experience!"

Rawlinson
Gloucestershire

"I have been very impressed the service that Perry's have given me. It has been the first time I have bought uniform for boarding school for my son so the advice and professionalism has been invaluable! The uniform is lovely and great quality, my son will be proud to wear it. Winning the iPad is the icing on the cake!"

Pragnell
Northamptonshire

"A fantastic prize from a uniform supplier that provides you with what you need when you need it - an all round excellent service."

Tuesday 2 August 2011

We're making a video


Keep your eyes open to see our latest in company video! We are about to give you a glimpse of our strong, efficient work force. There are so many hard working individuals involved in the creation of our high quality Perry Uniforms that we thought it was about time to let you in on a few little secrets...

Friday 1 July 2011

Count down to the Independent School Awards now well under way


This year’s awards ceremony will take place at the National Motorcycle Museum, in Warwickshire on November 16th 2011.

The awarding panel are deliberating over this years record number of entries and we anticipate the short list to be announced on September 7th.

As sponsors of the Best Strategic Initiative Award, Perry Uniform are delighted to be involved in recognising the hard work and excellence of all staff in the independent schools sector. With all the pressure on school budgets posed by the current economic climate, innovative ways to derive efficiencies and release cash to support educational activities must be a priority. Having financial capital and classroom space tied up in uniform stock is one quick win on any financial review.

Perry have a wealth of experience and a variety of case studies that demonstrate our innovative approach to achieving these dual objectives.

For more information call Bernard Bunting on 0113 236 2095.

National Motorcycle Museum Warwickshire

Friday 17 June 2011

Trutex

Matthew Easter, Managing Director of Trutex, an important Perry Uniform wholesale supplier, tied the knot this summer. Keen to ensure his supporters were suitably attired for the day he commissioned these smart jackets from Perry Uniform. The rich, vibrant linings gave a subtle grey jacket something to shout about.... looking especially smart with their matching pink ties!

Thursday 9 June 2011

Trutex


Matthew Easter, Managing Director of Trutex, an important Perry Uniform wholesale supplier, tied the knot this summer. Keen to ensure his supporters were suitably attired for the day he commissioned these smart jackets from Perry Uniform. The rich, vibrant linings gave a subtle grey jacket something to shout about .... looking especially smart with their matching pink ties!

Monday 23 May 2011

Raising £2200 for cancer research


"Just to say a big thank you to all at Perry Uniform for the amazing Blazers and all the hard work put in to finish them on time. The quality was of the highest order and a very professional finish, plus the lads took extra pride with the "Made In England" Tag on the inside. They were a definite highlight of the weekend and I am in the process of organising the second batch. In Total we raised £2200 for cancer research UK so a very positive result for the weekend"

Ross

Tuesday 25 January 2011

Perry Uniform creating job opportunities

Leeds Chamber of Commerce support the need to strengthen the manufacturing base through entrepreneurship.

Click here

Saturday 1 January 2011

The Story of Christ Hospital's Bluecoats

Uniform:
1 the distinctive clothing worn by members of the same organization or body or by children attending certain schools:
Oxford Dictionary ©

Being the manufacturer of Christ’s Hospital distinctive school uniform we pose the question - how did it all begin? What is the heritage of school uniform?

School Uniform in England has its origin in the 16th century during the reign of King Henry VIII when the ‘bluecoats’ were introduced. These are long trench coat style jackets, made from a heavy serge cloth and dyed blue, blue being the chosen colour at the time because it was the cheapest available dye and could therefore be reproduced in large quantities at a reasonable cost.

There are numerous Blue Coat Schools throughout the country that started out as charity schools: the earliest and most famous being Christ's Hospital, in the City of London (now removed to Horsham, Surrey), which was founded in 1563. Leigh Hunt who was educated at Christ's Hospital from 1791 to 1799 described the bluecoat uniform:

"Our dress was of the coarsest and quaintest kind, but was respected out of doors, and is so. It consisted of a blue drugget gown, or body, with ample coats to it; a yellow vest underneath in winter-time; small-clothes of Russia duck; worsted yellow stockings; a leathern girdle; and a little black worsted cap, usually carried in the hand.

Samuel Pepys (1633 - 1703) records on several occasions coming across the Blue Coat School, in London and this is the extract found in his diary:

“I went this Evening to see the order of the Boys & children at Christs hospital, there was neere 800 of them, Boys & Girles: so decently clad, cleanely lodged, so wholesomly fed, so admirably taught, some the Mathematics... They sung a Psalme before they sat downe to supper in the greate hall, to an Organ which played all the time, & sung with that cherefull harmony, as seem'd to me a vision of heavenly Angels: & I came from the place with infinite Satisfaction, having never in my life seene a more noble, pious, & admirable Charity. - Diary March 1687.

Most Bluecoat schools have abandoned the uniform and replaced it with more modern styles. There are a few schools however that still retain the uniform, but use it for special occasions only. Christ's Hospital is the only school in the UK that still uses bluecoat uniform as normal day wear.

The Elementary Education Act in the 19th century saw the introduction of free primary school education for all children in England. This resulted in an increased popularity of uniforms until eventually most schools in the country were following the trend. Even with dramatic changes in the schooling systems, school uniform continues to hold a practical, consistent influence.

In society today the Government believes that school uniforms play a vital role in education and in contributing to the ethos of schools. They are seen as instilling pride, supporting positive behaviour and discipline, encouraging identity of the pupils along with the support and school ethos, protect children from unnecessary social pressures to dress in a particular way and because they also nurture cohesion between different groups of people.

As you can see the team in the machine room at Perry’s are proud to continue the manufacturing tradition in making Christ’s Bluecoat - known in the school as the “housey”.