MEET THE TEAM
MR BILL MACBETH OBE
Managing Director.
Responsible for business growth, strategy and ensuring that the business remains effective in a changing global world for textile manufacturing businesses.
MRS ANDREA PHILIPSON
Company Secretary & Head of Finance.
Andrea is the Centre’s chief financial officer and manages all aspects of conferencing, accounts and the front of house provision.
She has worked directly on a number of European funded projects, including project managing the very successful, multi-million pound Textile Innovation Programme for the Centre, and is currently managing another European project, Clustem, to benefit small and medium size businesses, as well as contributing towards several others
MR MARTIN JENKINS
Head of Business Development and Apprenticeships
Martin has worked at the Centre for over 20 years and now oversees all client engagement across the industry. He has extensive knowledge of the skills landscape and works as our interface between business and government funding.
MR LEE HARRISON
Lee joined us in March 2016 as Training and Learning Team Manager. He is responsible for all commercial and funded training delivery and administration.
With a background of high level internal and external contract management, Lee has worked for Training Providers across the North of England and brings his passion and experience to our team, to help develop the quality, improve the performance and implement growth in the operation.
MR CRAIG LAWRANCE
Craig, a former Loom Tuner at Bradford based Boardman & Smith, as well as time served with Calder Weaving and J Longbottom Ltd, is the Centre’s technical warping and weaving expert and tutors our Technical Certificate in Textile Design and Manufacture programme. He also manages our short run, commission operation for warping and weaving.
DR PETER CHARLESWORTH
Pete is the Centre’s Health & Safety Advisor and Consultant.
He carries out a wide range of environmental and occupational health safety services to business across the UK. Pete has 30 years of industry experience and brings a solid depth of knowledge to our sector.
MR ROY KLAWITER
A former carding operative at JH Walker Ltd as well as time with Wormald & Walker Ltd, Roy has worked at the Centre of Excellence for over 20 years and has significant textile manufacturing knowledge. Roy is our lead Textile Assessor and Verifier and manages an annual cohort of around 40 apprentices.
MRS LYNN GIBLIN
Lynn is the Centre’s Conference Manager. Lynn and her team provide all our in-house conference and catering functions for a growing client group.
MS RUTH OWEN
Ruth is the Centre’s Apprenticeship Co-ordinator and manages the Centre’s SFA and learner data systems. Ruth has worked in a number of Training Organisations over the years and has vast experience of working with funded skills provision.
MS SIAN PATRICK
Sian has worked at the Centre for 10 years and manages our commercial services provision. Sian co-ordinates all course enquiries and administration for First Aid, Health and Safety, Forklift Truck Training and Management courses and also manages the Centre’s facilities.
MRS RUTH FARRELL
Ruth Farrell is the Clothing studio manager & garment technologist and possesses 26 years in the industry and has a full portfolio of experience (including training as a Trend forecaster in New York) from concept/establishing colours and trends/design/pattern cutting/sewing/cad /styling/fabrics through to costing/ production/quality/sales and Imports. She has worked across all sales spectrums (Retail/E-tail/Supply) for various customer demographics, including young fast fashion/mid to senior and high end luxury.
MR MARTIN MILLS
Martin joined the Centre in October 2016 as our forklift instructor and assessor for Warehousing, Business Admin & Customer Service. He has previously worked as a self-employed forklift instructor and has been an assessor for over 20 years. He also ran his own training company for six years.