After ten years as the Chair of Trustees for the Foundry Training Trust, FTT, John Parker has stepped down and is handing over to a new Chair.  Jim Birch, who started his career at British Non-Ferrous, moving on to the Zinc Development and then the British Metal Casting Association before retirement in 2020, has been a trustee of the FTT for many years and will now take up the role of Chair.

Founded when the National Foundry College closed its accommodation facilities, and the proceeds from the sale of the building were invested, the charity now provides grants and bursaries to individuals from the UK casting and foundry industry to help support their professional development.

John took up the voluntary role of Chair soon after he stepped down as CEO of the Cast Metals Federation.  During his tenure the Trust has undergone a name change, from the Tor Lodge and Applecross Trust to the Foundry Training Trust and has also revised and updated its charitable objects to enable it to support more individuals in the industry.  Originally only grants towards the cost of accommodation associated with training were permissible, but with the change agreed by the Charity Commission the trustees can now offer a wider range of support, including grants towards course fees and tuition costs, travel bursaries to attend conferences and technical events, or grants for PhD students as well as supporting specific projects that will enable the development of more young people in the UK industry.

Over recent years several hundred thousand pounds has been distributed in grants and hundreds of people have benefited from the support of the Trust with their development - and through their upskilling the companies that employ them have also benefited.

More information about the Trust including the grant application process can be found at www.foundrytrainingtrust.uk