Kind + Jugend runs in Cologne from 15th to 17th September. I am going for one day, an early flight out and a late flight home, and how I plan to spend that single day is the whole point of this week's piece.

Autumn Fair 2026 runs 6th to 9th September at the NEC. The entire Counter Talks programme is free, the one-to-one mentoring is free, and there is a Pitch Live session dedicated to kids, toy, play and clothing on the Tuesday morning. For the price of a train fare, it is the cheapest business development in the calendar.