Totton College Governor retires after 30 years' service

Wilf Wright and his wife Hazel attended a special reception given by Totton College on 19 January. The event was to mark the retirement of Mr Wright from the Governing Body of Totton College which he has served for thirty years. It was attended by governors and staff. Roy Woolley, Chair of Governors, thanked Mr Wright on behalf of the College for his unfailing support through the evolving of the College from long before incorporation to its current status as a very successful College serving the needs of all the community.

Mark Bramwell, Totton College Principal, also expressed his thanks and announced the setting up of the new Wilf Wright Scholarship funded by an anonymous donation which would provide financial support to enable talented students to enhance their studies at Totton College. Mr Wright was delighted that this scholarship should bear his name.

Flowers were presented to Mrs Wright as a token of her support for the College.

Wilf Wright has had a long and distinguished career in industry and education. His own experiences in education are to be admired. He attended evening classes in the 1940s whilst still at school, continued for two years at Radcliffe Technical College when he was an apprentice in Trafford Park, Manchester. He then transferred to the first day release course to be held at Radcliffe. He continued one day a week day release and four evenings per week at Royal Technical College, Salford, then transferred to a six month full-time intensive course at Salford for HNC and post HNC studies. On completion he resumed one day a week day release and four evenings per week.

He later studied at Bournemouth Municipal College, Nottingham University, Derby Technical College, Ashridge and Henley-on-Thames Administrative Colleges.

He studied in turn over a sixteen year period, to degree standard and beyond : Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Combustion Engineering, Administration and Management, Nuclear Engineering.

Mr Wright has the title of European Engineer (EurIng) and has been awarded an MBE for Services to Industry (mainly commissioning and operating large prototype power stations).

He is a Master of Science (Salford) and an Associate (Royal Technical College, Salford). He is also a Fellow of, Institution of Electrical Engineers with fifty-one years membership of the Institution, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Institute of Energy, Institute of Management and Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.

He himself recognised from an early age the importance of education and training, saw the effects of recession in the 1970s on the work force. He has always been determined to give young people the opportunity to have industrial experience and receive vocational training. During the commissioning and operating of six new power stations he was able to encourage hundreds of employees to pursue vocational courses at colleges and universities. From 1962-1989 he provided industrial experience at Marchwood and Fawley Power Station for teachers and students.