Edward has been a Trustee of the GCCT since September 2011, and he reflects on the changes over the years.
Initially, the aim of the GCCT was to raise sufficient funds to be able to reach that point where the expenditure on grants was able to be met from income from investments rather than relying on day-to-day donations.
More recently, since we reached that position, the GCCT has been able to turn its attention to other important aspects of its work, such as ensuring that all apprentices have a mentor to provide the link between the employer and the Trust, as well as developing a procedure for monitoring and measuring progress on the part of the apprentices.
The internal structure of the GCCT has also changed in that there are now specific working groups taking charge of various aspects of the Trust’s activities, such as fundraising, investment, grants and bursaries: this has led to a more focused approach within the Trustees and increased the efficiency of the Trust.
The establishment of the Certification Panel has been an important step for the GCCT: this has enabled the individual apprentices to receive a certificate from the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers to prove that they have reached a level of ability and competence and they can use this as a qualification within the trade.
One of the major developments I have seen in recent times is the formation of the 1637 Club for Patrons of the GCCT. Not only has this benefitted the Trust financially, but it has also raised the profile of the GCCT internationally.
As an importer of new foreign guns, my own work and that of the GCCT do not overlap much. My interest in the GCCT stems from an affection for English, and other guns which deserve to be looked after and maintained, as well as from a conviction that the skills of previous generations should, if possible, not be lost but transferred to willing and able members of younger generations. Interestingly, these skills are in demand across Europe, where the availability of actioners, stockers, barrel filers and the like are reducing year by year.
I would like to see the Trust become much better known within our own trade: there is much work to do in this respect. We need to be able to connect those in our industry who have the ability to teach with those who are looking to be taught; there is no shortage of gun shops up and down the country who would be keen to take on a trained gunsmith to carry out general work, but understandably they do not know where to find one. The Trust can be a go-to destination for this. We also need to find a way to incorporate the work and training which our employers do into some form of nationally recognised qualification, such as an NVQ: this is a challenge but remains a long-term goal.
