Wars, civil strife and terrorism have been recurrent themes, with the shocking and heart rending stories of those caught up in them and the gamut of public and political responses to their plight. The faint glow of common humanity is still alight, but struggles to be seen under the blanket of cynicism and xenophobia that is rife.
We have been taken aback by political outcomes that were not predicted and face a new year uncertain of what will unfold. But the times, as they say, are changing and we must respond positively and make what we can of new circumstances, creating challenges to be met rather than obstacles to batter ourselves against.
We have experienced much to rejoice in on a personal basis and the last year has provided us with joy amidst the sadness. We have had our "reasons to be be cheerful".
Meanwhile, the view from Netherton HQ continues to be positive and whilst we are still not the household name I aspire to, we are gaining recognition and growing as a business, locally, nationally and internationally.
In the manner of an award winner, I'd like to thank the many people who have helped us along the way. If this sounds like a name droppers' shopping list, then so be it. We might have raised our profile without the help and support of these well known names, but not as high.
We have met some of our heroes; had a cup of tea with Nigella Lawson, met Diana Henry and Sheila Dillon in Bristol, shared a stage at Grand Designs with Steve Lamb, who introduced us to Kevin McCloud, chatted on the phone with and supplied pans to Esquire's "social influencer" Jackson Boxer and posted a pan or two to Ed Smith. Seeing Ping Coombes wield a Netherton wok, with supreme skill was a highlight of the Ludlow Food Festival. I am looking forward to meeting the charming Mark Diacono in a few weeks, when I head to Otter Farm for a course run by Diana Henry - the best Christmas present I have ever had.
On top of this, the pans themselves have starred in newspapers and magazines, with a fleeting appearance on George Clarke's Old House New Home.
The sheer love and support of our friends in Shropshire continues to overwhelm us and make us grateful to be where we are. You all know who you are, chefs, reporters, festival organisers and fellow Salopians, who simply lend their voice to the cry to "make Netherton famous".
We work hard to keep you all included in our story via social media and it is the thousands of you who follow and engage with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram who see us through the darker days, when manufacturing in Britain in the current financial, economic and political climate sometimes feels more like insanity than an act of faith. Thank you all.
From the outset, we set ourselves up to be the kind of business that we would want to deal with and to find ways to support our own philosophies.
So, we continue to do our best to provide a good, personal service. This is not always easy. The majority of customers fall into the categories of those listed above, but every now and then we encounter negativity and malice. We are fully aware that our cookware does not suit everyone and if you want a pan that you can shove through the dishwasher and replace every 12 months, then we are not the brand for you. Don't buy a sports car if you want to transport a family and 3 dogs on a camping holiday - buy what suits you. We will understand.
We also provide advice and spare parts, down to the last screw, so please get in touch if you think we can help. Just don't threaten us with "death by social media" if we are not the ones for you. We subscribe wholeheartedly to the "waste not want not" ethos and want people to add to their pan collections, not just keep buying new ones. Repair and restore, when necessary, with our spare parts, rather than replace.
The independence and variety of the High Street remains dear to our hearts and we do not wish to see individuality, retailer knowledge and customer service usurped by homogenisation and impersonal retail experiences. So we will carry on looking for and supporting the independent retailers whom we would choose to buy from. It is sad to see some of our retailers disappear, but gratifying to see our stockists list grow overall and it is always a delight when new shops seek us out rather than vice versa.
It always strikes me as strange that no matter how hard we try, there are still people close to home who have not heard of us. This is particularly true of shopkeepers, who I naively expected would seek out new ideas. Then, out of the blue, we will get requests from Shops as far afield as San Francisco and Shanghai, and website orders from Australia, Hong Kong and Malaysia. It's a funny old world.
All in all, 2016 was not an easy year, but on balance it was a positive one and we hope that 2017 will bring us and you, if not an easier ride, then one with fewer bumps in the road, a lot to of fun along the way and the outcomes you wish for.
© Netherton Foundry Shropshire 2017
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