The Crafty Cave has opened in Templars Square Shopping Centre in Cowley, Oxford.

The announcement comes after longtime business The Crafters Emporium was revealed to not have paid crafters for their work, or paid rent for its stores.

The business which previously boasted stores in Oxford, Didcot and Faringdon, previously announced that its remaining shop on Sheep Street, Bicester will close in October.

But now it has been revealed that the landlord of the store, Makespace Oxfordshire, has given the business a notice of forfeiture.

The business, which is run by former Crafters Emporium manager Lindsay Kin, was also forcibly removed from its store on Cornmarket Street, Oxford, after failing to pay rent.

READ MORE: Historic British shoe chain closes one of its Oxfordshire stores

Crafters collecting their unsold stock from the Crafters Emporium Oxford store (Image: Contributed)

But crafters don’t have to look far as the recently opened The Crafty Cave is home to more than 30 independent small businesses.

 With over 90% of items handmade, the store offers customers the opportunity to discover one-of-a-kind purchases while supporting talented artisans and small businesses.

The store also boasts an inclusive calm zone for families where children can relax, inspired by the owners’ experiences as parents to two autistic boys.

Many crafters that previously sold their items at The Crafters Emporium stores have turned to The Crafty Cave as another source of income as they wait to be paid their income for the last few months.

The Street Soccer Foundation has launched The Big Green Goal, a scheme that links unwanted business technology to funding credits for The Big Goal membership programme.

The initiative targets organisations with unused laptops, desktops, mobile phones, tablets, servers, monitors and networking equipment. Through a partnership with IT asset recovery specialist ICT Reverse, those items can be collected, processed and recycled, with any residual value donated to the charity on behalf of the participating business.

That value is converted into membership credits for future membership of The Big Goal, a business-backed programme run by the foundation to support young people affected by homelessness and disadvantage. The model gives companies a way to deal with redundant technology while also contributing to social programmes.

The launch reflects growing interest among companies in managing electronic waste and showing environmental and social outcomes from existing assets. It also puts the technology channel at the centre of a funding model tied to equipment that might otherwise sit unused in offices or storage.

How it works

Businesses register unwanted equipment, and ICT Reverse arranges collection and processing. The partner handles data security and recycling, while recovered value depends on the type, age and condition of the devices.

The membership credits created through the scheme can only be used against future membership of The Big Goal. They are non-refundable and non-transferable.

The Big Green Goal extends The Big Goal, which brings together businesses from the technology sector and other industries to back youth opportunity programmes. The Street Soccer Foundation uses football-based academies and employability support to work with young people facing homelessness or severe disadvantage.

Keith Mabbutt, Founder and CEO, Street Soccer Foundation, said: “Most organisations have redundant technology sitting unused somewhere in their business, and they already have a responsibility to dispose of it properly. The Big Green Goal gives them a simple way to turn that obligation into something positive.

“By recycling unwanted technology responsibly, businesses can reduce electronic waste, create measurable social value and build credit towards their future membership of The Big Goal. It is what we believe is the UK’s simplest ESG action: one straightforward decision that helps businesses, helps the environment and helps create life-changing opportunities for young people.”

The model was developed and tested with a small group of early participating organisations before the wider launch. Those companies included Giacom, Voiceworks UK and Fifteen Group.

According to the charity, those early participants helped shape the operating process for businesses that want to recycle equipment and convert recovered value into support for the programme. Giacom, also the headline sponsor of The Big Goal, was the first organisation to use the service before the broader rollout.

Early backing

Terry O’Brien, CEO, Giacom, said: “At Giacom, we immediately recognised The Big Green Goal as an incredibly smart and practical initiative – one that every technology business should be making use of.

“Through The Big Green Goal, we now have a simple solution that not only supports responsible recycling and sustainability goals, but also directly helps fund life-changing opportunities for vulnerable young people across the UK. It’s an absolute no-brainer.”

The Street Soccer Foundation was established in 2015 and works with professional football clubs, employers and community groups. Its programmes combine football with personal development, wellbeing, education and employability support for young people seeking routes into work, training and independent living.

For participating businesses, the scheme creates a direct link between IT disposal and future membership costs within the foundation’s employer network. For the charity, it opens another funding route without requiring a separate cash contribution when equipment is handed over.

The proposition is likely to appeal most to medium-sized and large organisations with regular device refresh cycles, where batches of hardware can retain some resale or recovery value. Companies with formal environmental, social and governance reporting may also see the scheme as a practical way to document equipment reuse, recycling and charitable support through a single process.

ICT Reverse, which works in IT asset disposal and recycling, is responsible for collecting and securely handling the devices. It has more than 25 years of experience serving UK and European organisations, according to background information issued alongside the launch.

Many businesses already hold equipment that is no longer in active use, making the initiative a way to turn dormant assets into support for young people who need access to opportunity. Recovered values depend on the condition of the hardware handed in.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Arsenal topped a ranking of Premier League clubs by Instagram earned media value in the first half of 2026, based on analysis by influencer marketing platform Kolsquare.

According to the research, the North London club generated GBP £37,748,895 in earned media value from 9,362 Instagram posts shared by 3,167 creators. It also recorded a 9.3% engagement rate and moved up one place from the same period a year earlier.

Manchester United ranked second with GBP £15.9 million in earned media value, rising six places. The club featured in more than 2,146 pieces of Instagram content created by 796 influencers and content creators.

Manchester City placed third with GBP £11.76 million in earned media value and posted the highest engagement rate among the leading clubs at 9.5%.

Liverpool was fourth with GBP £4.24 million, down three places, while Newcastle United completed the top five with GBP £3.8 million.

The analysis covered 21,994 Instagram posts mentioning Premier League clubs and more than 7,900 influencers and creators during the first six months of 2026. Kolsquare based the top 20 table on earned media value, a metric used to estimate marketing value from interactions including likes, comments and shares.

Wider gap

The figures point to a sharp divide in Instagram attention between a small group of clubs and the rest of the league. Arsenal alone generated nearly GBP £37.7 million, while the combined total for Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City exceeded GBP £65 million.

Several clubs outside the leading group recorded notable moves in the table. Coventry made the biggest gain, rising seven places to 11th after generating almost GBP £1.8 million in earned media value.

Everton climbed three places into the top eight. Nottingham Forest also rose three spots to ninth, while Bournemouth advanced four places.

At the lower end of the ranking, Crystal Palace fell six places, Sunderland dropped eight positions, and Brentford slipped six places to 20th.

Engagement focus

Kolsquare said the strongest results did not simply reflect posting volume. Clubs with highly engaged online communities performed best, particularly those using creator relationships, storytelling and behind-the-scenes content to encourage supporters to interact.

Quentin Bordage, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Kolsquare, commented on the findings.

“Every major tournament creates new football heroes, viral moments and millions of social media conversations. The clubs that succeed afterwards are the ones that know how to keep that attention once the final whistle blows.

“Our data shows the clubs leading on Instagram aren’t simply posting more content – they’re creating content that fans genuinely want to engage with and share. Strong creator relationships, authentic storytelling and consistent engagement are becoming just as important as performances on the pitch when it comes to building global fan communities.

“As the new Premier League season approaches, digital influence has become another fiercely contested competition. Clubs that successfully connect with supporters online are putting themselves in a stronger position to grow their international audiences, attract commercial partnerships and create value far beyond matchday.”