Adam Mansell, CEO of the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) has received the Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Weavers in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the woven textile industry.

The award was presented by Wayne Hemingway at an event at the Saddlers’ Hall in London on Tuesday 22nd February.

David Collinge of John Spencer Textiles and a member of livery company, said: “Adam has been instrumental in championing, both at home and overseas, UK manufacturing, skills and training, international business, innovation, research and development, and sustainability.

“Along with his team, he has helped hold the hands of the industry to guide companies through the turmoil of Brexit and the global pandemic. Working with government and industry, he has endeavoured to find practical solutions to the issues that have been raised and to explore new opportunities that have arisen.”

Adam is a liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters and is a key member of the newly formed Textile Livery Group that is working to combine the energy and resources of the City’s textile livery companies to provide inspiration and support to the UK textile sector and to students considering the industry for a career.

The Weavers’ Company also presented scholarships to students totalling £45,000 at universities including Falmouth, Glasgow School of Art, Heriot-Watt, Manchester Metropolitan, Nottingham Trent and Huddersfield.

The company presented grants totalling £58.788 to support the above education facilities to upgrade or renew weaving equipment, as well as visit mills and factories.

The Weavers’ Company runs a scheme to support new or recent graduates to undertake industrial placements for a trial period of six months. The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers agreed to also support the scheme this year and combined, the scheme supported nine students at firms including Mourne Textiles, Alex Begg, Marton Mills, Abraham Moon & Sons, Wallace Sewell, Fermoie and UKFT.