Many people are not aware that The CO Research Trust is the owner of the CORGI Brand. And it’s easy to understand why it might be confusing. Here’s a brief history to help explain how this vital safety brand has evolved to where it is today.
When The CO Research Trust was set up in 2005 as a registered charity, it was known as the CORGI Trust. All profits from the commercial side of the CORGI business were donated to the Trust and its purpose was to help improve gas safety.
When the Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI as the gas registration body in 2009, the Trust became known as the Gas Safety Trust.
CORGI Services Limited continued to operate through its specialist licensees and offered a range of services and professional products to the plumbing and heating trades. CORGI Services also continued to donate its profits to the Gas Safety Trust.
In 2021, the Gas Safety Trust became the CO Research Trust, to provide a more accurate reflection of the work it carries out.
The common thread throughout all these changes has been gas and now more broadly, carbon monoxide (CO) safety. The CO Research Trust is now firmly established as the UK’s leading CO research charity, with the key objectives of improving gas and fossil fuel safety.
The CO Research Trust is committed to reducing the incidents of death and serious injury from CO poisoning. This is done by providing grant funding, advice and support to organisations or individuals to carry out research and evidence-gathering relating to CO.
The vision of the CO Research Trust is a world where people are not exposed to CO. They fight CO poisoning by funding ground-breaking scientific research which improves the understanding of its effects on health.
To date, the Trust has invested almost £4 million in research projects and is committed to investing a further £1. million in the next five years.
The CO Research Trust is also involved in a wide range of events which include roundtable discussions, workshops that bring experts together, as well as industry and working group meetings, with the aim of improving the broader understanding of CO poisoning.
In July 2022, the Trust held the first CO Research Conference in London, bringing together researchers, academics, industry professionals, organisations and charities who discussed the key challenges and focus on the priorities for the future of research.
The Conference provided the opportunity to review the research that has been carried out to date, as well as look at projects that are currently in progress. The 2023 CO Research Conference will take place on Weds 14th June, at Sheffield Hallam University.
To sign up to this year's CO Conference click here.
Meanwhile, CORGI Services Limited continues to serve the plumbing and heating trades through their licensees, including.
- CORGI Technical
- CORGI Home Heat
- CORGI Direct
- CORGI Controls
- CORGI Fenestration
- CORGI Vans
- CORGI Business Community
They continue to donate their profits to the CO Research Trust, enabling the Trust to carry out this vital work to improve CO safety.
The CORGI brand has been a household name for decades. It continues to command trust among tradespeople and homeowners alike.
The role of CORGI Services is to add value to its licensees (listed above), strengthening, protecting and growing the brand.
The launch of their new website illustrates how they are focused on staying relevant to both tradespeople and homeowners, in a rapidly changing market.
The view the new CORGI Services website click here.