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Presenting a new loom to the college (from the left): Mr J. N. Atherton, Mr Ian Lindsay, Councillor A. Proctor, Dr J. Ross and Mr R. F. Bowler.

Burnley's College of Arts and Technology which provides textile training for local industry and specialist training for some students throughout the country, on Wednesday, 9th April 1975, received the gift of two looms costing over £10,000 from the Cotton and Allied Textile Industrial Training Board. The new equipment will enable students to continue to be instructed on the latest modern equipment - in this case on Saurer 300 automatic looms, the first of which was installed and operating in time for the official handing-over ceremony.

The official presentation was made by Mr Ian Lindsay, on behalf of the CATITB of which he is regional manager. Also present on the occasion were Councillor A. Proctor (chairman of the college board of governors), Mr W. Higginbottom (vice chairman), Mr Roland Richardson (president of the Overlookers' Association), Mr J. Cooper (chairman of the Textile Advisory Committee), County Councillor Mr R. W. Hill (vice chairman of that committee), Mr R. H. Reed (managing director of William Reed and chairman of the manufacturers' association), Dr J. Ross (Principal of the Blackburn College of Technology), Mr R. F. Bowler (Principal of the Burnley College) and Mr J. N. Atherton (Head of Textile Department).

Under the new Lancashire County Council arrangements for further education the Blackburn and Burnley colleges share the responsibility for textile training for students in the county and also act as a national centre for weaving technology, thereby being supported by the CATITB whose responsibilities include training weaving technicians. The new equipment will be among the items on display in the Textile Department's open week, starting next Saturday afternoon.