Walsall Business Support, which was launched to help grow business and skills in the town, made the headlines on the TV news for donating £10,000 to support the world-famous leather skills industry.
Walsall Business Support was featured on BBC TV’s Midlands Today, the regional daily evening news programme for the West Midlands, after it provided funds to a centre teaching the next generation of saddle, bridle and leather-goods makers.
The TV news team visited to report on the specialist equipment being bought for learners at Walsall Leather Skills Centre, in The Bridge, following the Walsall Business Support grant was made, for the evening bulletin on Monday (Oct 3).
The centre opened in 2020 to develop skills for jobs in the high-quality leather businesses upon which Walsall’s reputation has been based for centuries. The centre is run by the Saddlers Company Charitable Fund, the principal charity of the Worshipful Company, which traces its roots back to the 11th Century, with Midlands-based training company Performance Through People.
Formed by leading local business figures to distribute funds collected from the legacy of Walsall Chamber of Commerce, Walsall Business Support provides grants to applicants who want funding for projects to enhance business life in the borough.
Among those to be interviewed was Walsall Business Support board member Rob Colbourne. He said on the programme: “The leather industry has an ageing workforce and if people want to upskill or move into the industry they may have to go as far as London to get that training. So now we have an academy in Walsall to help local people and local companies.”
Also interviewed was Stu Annikin, saddle director at Albion Saddlemakers, who said: “To have this right now in Walsall is perfect because we are finding it much harder to get young people into the trade.” Walsall Leather Skills Centre manager Christer Dahlberg said: “This is kind of outside the box, to have young people here doing leather work because not many people know it still exists.”
TV interviews
As well as interviewing the young trainees starting out in their courses, the TV crew featured Hannah Scoffham, one of the apprentices to progress to employment through the Walsall Leather Skills Centre. Having moved to Ideal and WRS Company Ltd, her saddles are among those to be used by the Royal Horse Artillery.
Hannah told TV interviewer Laura May McMullan: “It is all hand done. All my skills and everything are used to make these saddles which are very prestigious and very cool.”
Walsall Business Support can provide grants and a free training needs analysis to businesses looking to generate growth, create employment or shape training opportunities for the borough of Walsall. Using an online application form on the WBS website, bids for financial support can be submitted by businesses needing investment in a new project or a company wanting to improve skills.
Walsall Leather Skills Centre received £5,000 to purchase new tools from Walsall Business Support. A second Walsall Business Support grant of £5,000 will go to The Equine Fitters Council to administer and operate a new directory of Equine Fitters, which is being launched to improve standards.
New applications for Walsall Business Support funding can be made via the website www.walsallbusinesssupport.co.uk
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- Rob Colbourne, Walsall Business Support
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- Teaching at Walsall Leather Skills Centre
