Ian Maclean MBE, MD of John Smedley has grown up with the John Smedley brand as an 8th generation family member. Through his roles as Vice-Chairman of UK Fashion Textiles (UKFT) and Trustee and Honourable Treasurer of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) he works to ensure the longevity of the time–honoured craft of manufacturing knitwear and other textiles in the UK.

Ian will share the history of John Smedley Ltd and how it continues to be relevant today.

The Textile Institute is a professional body for those engaged in clothing, footwear, and textiles. The Institute was founded in 1910 and incorporated in England by a Royal Charter granted in 1925 and is a registered charity. The Textile Institute works to promote professionalism in textiles and its related industries worldwide. www.textileinstitute.org

John Smedley is renowned throughout the world as a leader in the production of fine gauge knitwear products. Still family owned, the company continues to innovate while retaining the hand-crafted finishing techniques that have established its reputation for more than two centuries. Based at Lea Mills, Derbyshire, John Smedley is the world's oldest manufacturing factory in continuous operation. www.johnsmedley.com

Tips for Accessing Zoom Webinars

It is important to us that you get the most out of your experience with our webinars. If you are signing up and are unfamiliar with the process, here are a few tips that will help you to ensure that you are set up and ready in advance.

Before the webinar

The webinars are being delivered using Zoom. If you are unfamiliar with Zoom webinars we recommend that you read the information in this support guide: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115004954946-Joining-and-participating-in-a-webinar-attendee-

If you are new to Zoom, you may wish to download the desktop or mobile app depending on the device that you are using prior to the start of the event. Make sure that you use the same email address to register on Zoom and Eventbrite. However if you have not downloaded the Zoom app, the link on the Eventbrite notification email will take you through to the webinar.

Zoom is compatible with a range of devices including Windows or Apple computers, iOS (Apple iPhone) or Android mobile devices and phones. You do not require a camera or microphone to view the webinar, but you do need sound capability to hear the presentation.

You will be sent notification emails 2 days before, 2 hours before and 15 minutes before the event. These will provide you with instructions of how to join the webinar. The emails are automated and will be sent via Eventbrite using the email address that you signed up for tickets with. Please ensure that your email address is correct otherwise you will not receive the notifications.

If you think that you have not received the notification emails, please check your email spam / junk folders. The emails will clearly state that they are in relation to the webinar that you have booked on to.

If you are still unable to locate the joining details, please email us at secretary@bradfordtextilesociety.org.uk and we will be on hand before the webinar to respond to enquiries.

Starting the webinar

Your link will only take you through to the webinar if we have activated the webinar. We will do this 10 minutes before the event to enable participants to join ahead of the start time. When you access the webinar you should either see The Bradford Textile Society crest or the title slide for the webinar, you will not see the presenter live on screen.

For most users clicking on the link provided will allow easy access to the webinar. Zoom is compatible with a broad range of mobiles, tablets and desktop devices. If you experience difficulties viewing the webinar this may be due to a slow internet connection or if you are using an older device. If this is the case, try exiting Zoom and then re-clicking the link. Be patient, it may take a little while for your device to synchronise with the webinar. The following FAQ includes troubleshooting tips: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/206175806#h_8f38d3af-506f-4c33-8269-4b649d5c1aee

During the webinar

Use the chat function in Zoom to contact the panellists. If you wish to ask formal questions regarding content of the talk during the webinar, please do so using the Q&A button to ensure that your question is easily identifiable. Questions will be answered following the formal section of the presentation, so please phrase your question clearly.

Remember - if you experience any difficulties throughout the webinar, contact the panellists through the chat function. This will be monitored throughout and we will do our best to help where we can.