Great Missenden craftsman named among furniture industry's national rising stars

A craftsman working in Great Missenden was among the winners at a national industry awards celebrating rising stars in the sector.

Thomas Acland, who works at Richard Williams Furniture, was praised for his ability to conceive, prototype and execute innovative solutions, even beyond the expertise of experienced colleagues, at the ‘60 for 60’ campaign.

The Furniture Makers’ Company launched the competition to help celebrate its 60th anniversary. Among those recognised were everything from product designers, cabinetmakers and technical developers to logistics professionals, commercial managers and operations directors. The awards are designed to act as a showcase of the diverse range of career opportunities within the sector.

Thomas, 23, was one of five winners from Buckinghamshire alongside: Anthony Goodwin, technical manager at Hypnos Contract Beds; Duncan McGrath-Simpson, leader machinist at Ercol; and James Eddy, HSEQ manager at Ercol, all in Princes Risborough; and Thomas Winfield, operations controller at Blum UK in Milton Keynes.

Thomas said: "I feel very privileged to be considered for this award and I certainly didn't think I would be selected as one of 60 emerging talents. It means a lot to be recognised for the craft I love."

Judges praised Duncan for his dedication to preserving Ercol’s legacy while enhancing efficiency and safety, particularly in his role as a mentor to apprentices – having been an apprentice himself, he has a focus on continuous improvement, training and passing on his knowledge. He said: “I want to say a big thank you to Ercol for giving me all the opportunities I have received to develop my knowledge and skills that have allowed me to achieve this award.”

Judges from the industry reviewed the submissions and selected the winners who were announced at a special ‘60 for 60’ awards ceremony held in London last month.

Amanda Waring, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “We received hundreds of entries for ’60 for 60’, ranging from wood working to carpet and textile design, showing not only the vibrancy and diversity of British talent, but also that the industry continues to offer exciting and rewarding career opportunities."