NLTG Celebrate their 40th Year Anniversary in Style
Date: 01/09/2009
In August 2009 NLTG celebrated their 40th Year Anniversary in style. A lavish event, organised by the NLTG team, was held at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel. Chris Lovell recalls the evening's events.
7.00 p.m.
Reception in the Dunkenhalgh Hotel where all our Member Company guests, invited guests and staff were entertained by two Magicians and also a Caricature artist
7.30 p.m.
All were called through for the Annual General Meeting of the North Lancs Training Group. Following this Dinner was served at approximately 8.30 p.m. where guests were entertained once again by the Magicians and the Caricature artist. A special guest was introduced by Jim.
9.00 p.m.
Some months ago he was walking through York and he heard the most amazing voice. On locating the source he found it to be Rebecca Newman who is our surprise guest this evening as she was at last Christmas' staff Christmas Party at the Sparth House Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors. Jim explained how once he had found the source of the voice he had invited her to visit Accrington and perform at our staff party and hence the reason for her surprise appearance this evening. Rebecca went on to entertain the whole room with her repertoire of songs including the classic football anthem, You'll Never Walk Alone.
10.00 p.m.
Memories - A Review of 40 years of the North Lancs Training Group commenced with a look back at the early days and the birth of the Training Group and also a closer look at Jim's background where many people in the room were not aware that Jim was a professional footballer at Bury, Wigan Athletic, Ashton United where he played under Alan Ball's father, Lancaster City and Darwen before taking over as player/coach at Darwen and ultimately Manager. People also weren't aware that Jim was also the youngest Football Association League Coach in the Country at the age of 27 in fact her took his Coaching Badge with the great Nat Lofthouse. It was only when he broke his leg that his playing days finished. Jim was brought up on a Chicken Farm in Westhoughton, he had a busy life and the guests were made aware that a typical week in Jim's life would involve an apprenticeship at De-Haviland Aircraft Co during the day, two nights a week football training, 2 nights a week at Technical College, Saturday was the football match and Sunday he cleaned the chicken runs on the farm. One of the Group's greatest assets has been the team and the extra hours put in, we now all know where he got the idea of extra hours from a typical working week way back in Jim's teens. Having had a successful career at De-Haviland, Jim held various positions from the age of 15 to 29 where he finished his career working with the Guided Missiles. He then spent 2 years with Blackburn Training Group, now known as Training 2000 and then he joined North East Lancs Training Group and it was during those early days that he met a successful furniture company owner in Colin Greenwood who owned J H Sutcliffe and Keith Marsdens.
10.15 p.m.
Jim and Colin then joined Chris Lovell at the front of the room where they talked about those early days and in particular Jim thanked Colin for his support in those early days and his tenacity at encouraging people to join the Courses and also to Colin and all the Member Companies who had backed him financially and with support in those early days.
A further account of the Group's activities including Weekend Courses and Trips Abroad to Furniture and Woodworking Machinery Exhibitions during the 70s was given. Mrs Thatcher then appeared on the scene and abolished Training Boards but obviously NLTG were one step ahead of them and sufficient funds were made available for Jim to continue.
In 1981 another formidable women joined the Group in Pam. After being turned down twice Jim gave in and gave her a job. It was well documented how some of the Furniture Training Board not our Board felt a woman was not appropriate for the Training Group - how wrong they were. (Today this is known in legislation as discrimination.)
Jim then gave an emotional story of how by an amazing coincidence he had helped Pam locate her mother.
The Group Chairman David Monks came forward and made a presentation on behalf of the Group to Pam for her contribution during the 40 years of the North Lancs Training Group. She was also presented with some flowers by the Skills for Life, Recruitment and Training Manager and personal friend Collette Humphreys.
10.35 p.m.
The story then moved into the 80s and the disbanding of Training Boards and how the Manpower Services Commission approached the Group with a view to looking after apprentices other than those within Member Companies. This then expanded into various different Training Schemes and Apprenticeships.
The story continued into the 90s with an explanation of how Jim gave a talk to the Northern Ireland Furniture Industry about the philosophy of North Lancs Training Group which ended in them applying and being accepted to join the Group. Also attention was drawn to our fabulous Titanic Room which holds the exact replica of the original Titanic Captain's Table which was purchased from Gilbert Logan & Sons Ltd based in Northern Ireland and how Gilbert was one of the apprentices who made the table during his apprenticeship. Gilbert Logan & Sons Ltd became Members of the Group.
An account of December being a very special month in the North Lancs Training Group calendar was given. It is about giving to and helping others and illustrations were given about the Carol Concert, our Children's Christmas Party and also how our staff meal had grown from 4 people in the early days to 200+. The event is now held in the famous Accrington Town Hall and yes we provide our very own entertainment. John Street and Donna Coleman were then introduced, they gave a rendition of Celebration by Cool & The Gang and then entertained the room with one of the games from the Christmas Parties. Group Members and staff including Colin Greenwood and Chris Durr entered a limbo dancing competition which was ultimately won by Colin Greenwood - well done Colin.
At this point in the evening Sinead Mulcair who is only 17 then gave an amazing rendition of the Leona Lewis top 10 hit ‘Run'.
Finally ‘Dolly Parton' joined the room from ‘Dollywood' in the guise of John Street to give a rendition of one of her top hits.
11.00 p.m.
Vivian Stokes then gave a short address to the room outlining the simplicity of how North Lancs Training Group has grown and is run and how simplicity has helped to bring its success.
Everybody in the room was then invited to charge their glasses with Champagne and Stuart Chadwick gave an account of congratulations from the Patrons Company just as he had done some years earlier (on behalf of Prince Andrew).
11.10 p.m.
The guests in the room were then invited to move outside the Hotel where they were treated to a 5 minute Firework Display. On returning to the room the were greeted with the sounds of the song ‘Star Maker' which was sung by the kids from ‘Fame'. This illustrated a amazing journey the Group had covered over 40 years. The majority of which one person had been at the forefront of all our lives and Group activities, that person being Jim.
It was while doing research of this particular part of the evening that Chris Lovell came across an article from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph on 15th February 1971. The picture showed the Darwen Manager Jim Harkness with Darwen's goalkeeper Lindsay Wallace receiving a clock for 751 record appearances. If you look above the picture there is an article regarding Derby County's forthcoming visit to Manchester United. The irony of this nearly 40 years on is that Jim has used Brian Clough as a role model and example during our Team Building Courses illustrating a clear message that if you let people use both their ability and give them freedom to think and contribute then they will become better than they every thought possible. In essence treat North Lancs Training Group like their own and it will bring success and happiness and profitability to all. This happened at Nottingham Forest and Derby County and has been the philosophy of how the North Lancs Training Group has grown to the successful team it is today. Three other facts were given about Jim, he had spent 900 days, the equivalent of 2 ½ years delivering Courses at the Fernlea since 1974 and 180 days, the equivalent of six months of his life delivering Courses at the Europa Hotel in Belfast (avoiding the bombs), and since 1969 (40 years ago) when Jim broke his leg he has not had a day off work except for holidays.
11.25 p.m.
David Monks again joined Chris Lovell on stage but before David made his presentation Chris Lovell invited the room to view a compilation of Jim's moments from his career from his time with the North Lancs Training Group which was put together with the music from the BBC TV Show ‘Jim'll Fix It'. This also included various contributions from various senior people within the North Lancs Training Group who had paid tribute to Jim's contribution to the Group.
The whole room then gave Jim a standing ovation and Jim expressed his thanks for all the support he had received over the years at North Lancs Training Group.
11.30 p.m.
The guests were then treated to a variety of songs by the band ‘Sweet Sensation,' Carriages were at 1.00 a.m. and a good time was had by all.
