This week, Anna (FTCT Director) completed her very own Tour-de-Yorkshire (minus the bike), visiting major textile manufacturers in the region, to promote FTCT grants and the financial support the charity can give to UK fashion and textile workers.

First stop was Bill MacBeth (OBE), MD, Textile Centre of Excellence (pictured right with Anna and Martin Jenkins-left) which provides a wide range of training and development for employees within the textile, fashion and apparel sector. (Thank you to Eric Musgrave for introducing us to Bill!)

Other stops included WT Johnson where MD Paul Johnson (pictured right) showed Anna round their mill: one of the world’s leading textile dyeing and finishing companies.

Anna also met with James Hinchcliffe, MD, Z.Hinchcliffe & Sons, a supplier of top quality cashmere, lambswool, angora and camel hair yarns to the world of fashion, Jane Taylor, Finance Director, Bower Roebuck, manufacturers of specialist fine worsted menswear suiting, jacketing and coating fabrics, Andrew Seal and Jayne Woodford, Joshua Ellis/SIL Holdings and finally, Julie Bailey, HR, Camira Fabrics. 

The visit to Yorkshire also included a visit to AW Hainsworth & Sons, where Adam Hainsworth, Director, pictured left, (with ‘Oliver’ – centre!), gave a tour of his family run mill which has been producing specialist textiles for over 230 years! AW Hainsworth manufactures fabric for a range of purposes including pool tables, airline seats and Royal clothing. Great to meet Becky their lovely HR Director, too! 

Thank you to all of those we met in Yorkshire – a brilliant two days and your warm welcome was hugely appreciated! We really look forward to details of our grants being included in your newsletters, sending you our posters, tweeting away and most importantly supporting the families who work for you!

If you would like to start promoting FTCT within your textile or manufacturing business, wherever you are in the UK, please contact Anna on 020- 3667-7882 or email [email protected]