A good year for TTBS

2013 has brought considerable benefits to the Society, starting in February, when it was announced that the Trussed Rafter Association and the TTBS had agreed to bring employees from all accredited TRA fabricators within the TTBS beneficiary criteria.

Together with the TRA member companies that supply timber, who are already included, this initiative is a further step towards helping the sick and retired from our industry, with the addition of the fabricators who use considerable volumes of wood products.

We hope that this agreement will, in time, bring new beneficiaries for the TTBS to assist and also a greater involvement from TRA members in our TTBS regional committees and social activities.

In May, this strong relationship with the timber engineering sector was further demonstrated when the UK Timber Frame Association (now the Structural Timber Association) held a table collection at its Manchester AGM & Conference dinner and donated £1,300 to the TTBS.

Our AGM at the Royal Air Force Club in London in May saw the appointment of our new national president, Malcolm Cowley, and national vice-president, Robert Bruce of MH Southern & Co Ltd, together with the appointment of past national president Richard Bagnall of Robbins Timber joining Ian North, Ian Menzies and David Francis as trustees.

Outstanding achievements from supporters have come from Becca Smith and Harriett Heardman of Coillte Panel Products who, to date, have raised over £3,400 from the London2Brighton 100km Challenge and from Ainslie Webster's success in completing the Vattenrundan 300km cycle ride in Sweden, raising £700.

The TTBS National Golf held at the Northumberland Golf Club in July, with main sponsor MH Southern, was hugely successful and raised nearly £11,000, supported by many industry subsponsors and loyal golfers.

Finally, we were at Timber Expo last week, thanks to the generosity of the organisers who donated a stand.

Please remember, we are the timber trades' own charity, dedicated to assisting the less fortunate from our industry.

• TTJ Industry Updates are a forum for trade bodies to address key issues.