25 years experience in the Fashion Industry has given me a great personal insight and understanding of the importance of protecting our “intellectual property”. Many of my friends now, who work as healers, therapists and artists in the Mind Body Spirit world, have been channelled unique and beautiful “gifts” which they are using in their work and sharing with open hearts and great integrity. Often, they have no idea that their “gift” may be of interest to those who are less honest and less scrupulous in their activities and will think nothing of copying the gift of another to their own advantage and benefit. Of course, this will serve them no favours in the long run as the Universe has a way of stopping the dishonest operators, but these “gifts” can also be protected by more than the angels or spirit! They can be protected by LAW.

The very fact you are reading this now may be guidance for you, sometimes the Universe chooses very practical ways of showing us what needs to be done!

Read on if you have a UNIQUE product, system, or trading name. . . .

Look at the website for www.patent.gov.uk – this is a very comprehensive, easy to use website which gives you all the information you need to consider registering your “gift” to give you LEGAL protection from copyists and thieves. They also have a very friendly “helpline” 08459 500505 with real people who can give you free advice on what kind of protection you might apply for.

Here is a basic guide to what is available, all this information is available on the website in full detail, but I have tried to give you the key points which may trigger your own interest in exploring further.

· Intellectual Property (IP) – allows you to own things you create in a similar way to owning physical property. You can control the use of your IP such as through licensing agreements which ensures that you are rewarded and acknowledged for your efforts. For example: if I were to allow another party to publish and produce my cards for commercial use I would require a fee and acknowledgement for each one they produce.

· Trade Marks – protect any sign or symbol that allows your customers to tell you apart from your competitors. You can enter a name, a logo, slogan, domain name, shape, colour or sound. Your Trademark must be distinctive for the goods and services you supply. It must not be deceptive or contrary to law or morality. It must not resemble previously registered marks. You may use the symbol ® when your trade mark ahs been approved for use.EG: I have registered “EVeRYDaY ANGeLS” as a trade mark for my art and related products. Please note – registration of a domain name in itself is NOT a trade mark. If someone else successfully registered your domain name as a Trade Mark you may not be able to use the domain and have to enter hefty legal wrangling to prove prior ownership.

· Copyright - automatically protects creative or artistic works. No one can use a copyrighted work without the copyright owners permission. You will see a © which indicates copyright protection, but even without this symbol present any original work is copyrighted anyway. EG - if someone reproduced my work by photocopying or scanning or even attempting to emulate my work by painting or drawing the same images, they would be infringing my copyright. Copyright infringement is a CRIMINAL offence and can result in imprisonment and a permanent criminal record!

· Design – you can protect the outward appearance of your product including decoration, lines, colour, shape, materials, texture. If you have a new shape or pattern for a product you may be able to protect it as a DESIGN. Design right is a free, automatic right when you create an original idea.EG: the distinctive Y shape of my angels is a DESIGN and may not be emulated by anyone else without infringing my legal rights.

· Patent – protects new inventions and covers how things work, what they do, how they do it, what they are made of and how they are made.

PLEASE: HONOUR, UPHOLD and RESPECT YOUR “GIFT” BY PUTTING THE RIGHT PROTECTION IN PLACE. SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE IF NECESSARY.

Shared in love and blissings XXXXxxxx Alison