Hello to you all,
Hope you are all well, I have just returned from a visit to the Abergele Friendship Day in North Wales, a nice friendly group with visitors from Cheshire, Gwynedd and Shropshire, if I have missed out a Guild, sorry! The stalls inspired and the cake was delicious! I am assuming that there isn’t anyone wishing to spin the previously mentioned rabbit fur, should you have anyone please let me know, thank you.At the AGM Jennie Parry as our new President wants to promote our skills to colleges and professional tutors, I enclose the relevant part of her email to Reps.
“As I outlined in my introductory speech I am very anxious to build links between the Association of Guilds and colleges, lecturers, students and also children. I see this is very important for the future of our wonderful skills as well as our Guilds. I am increasingly aware that when students graduate some have good skills and are confident but many feel very lost without equipment and feel in real need of learning many basic techniques. Many of our Guild members are really strong and experienced in these areas and could really help these young people, whilst the aspirations, innovation and daring of the newly qualified have much to inspire our membership.
With the imminence of the 2019 degree shows I am working on that aspect first.To this end I am endeavouring to create a comprehensive database of the various colleges where textiles is taught to degree level as well as established private tutors running their own courses. I am writing to you asking for your help with this. Each of you will have much more local knowledge than I have, and, through the guilds in your area, I hope you will be able to compile the following information:College name, address, name of textile tutor, contact details, and, if possible, when the 2019 textile degree shows are.
Name of tutor in your region running regular courses for adults, & contact details
I am planning to get to as many of the degree shows as I can, but hoping to see a good few at New Designers in June (first week shows) but I would really appreciate any help that guild members can give in viewing shows in their area, paying particular attention to students that show that extra flair. Please relay this information to me.It is my hope that the Association may be able to offer some positive support in the near future. I always carry the Association bookmarks to leave with interested people, please encourage members to do the same. I hope that we can produce an specially worded flyer about the Association and Guild movement soon too. In recent contact with students they are totally unaware of the Guilds’ existence. I shall have a copy of the Journal with me too.”
If you have information for the area you cover that is great and I will collate what you send and pass it on. Please don’t worry about duplication I can sort that out.
Thank you,
Warmest Regards Heather Beckett
Wales Rep