REPRESENTATIVES of some of the area’s longest-established businesses are gathering in Keighley to celebrate a milestone.

Keighley College next Wednesday (February 26) hosts an event marking its 200th anniversary.

And guests will include Michael Parkinson, former managing director of Haworth-based Airedale Springs, a company with its own landmark birthday this year – its 80th.

The firm’s links with the college date back more than half a century.

Mr Parkinson, 89, who is still a non-executive director at Airedale Springs, says: “The event is a chance to see some old familiar faces, including former principal Doug Hardaker.

“I was privileged to work with Doug during my time as a governor, and whilst he and I always had a very business-like relationship, we were good friends. We also battled effectively together to fend off attempts to merge us with another college.

“My links to Keighley College lasted nearly 40 years – starting with me attending some management training at evening classes in the early 1960s and running through to 2000, when I was vice-chair of the governors.”

Airedale Springs is now managed by Michael’s sons, Tim and Sean, who both trained at the college’s old Dalton Lane annexe.

Michael says: “Over the years our business has had just about every kind of working relationship you can think of with the college – recently that’s involved taking on engineering apprentices, but we’ve also had employees studying on block release and at night classes.

“Even my wife, Audrey, has been to evening classes at the college – initially she went along to sign up for German but ended up doing carpentry, and we’ve still got a record player cabinet to show for it.”

Airedale Springs, which produces components for a range of products, has faced a number of challenges during its eight decades of operation.

The most significant was in 2010, when a huge blaze destroyed its Ebor Mills factory.

After using Haworth Masonic Lodge as a temporary base, the firm moved into new purpose-built premises in Bridgehouse Lane in 2012.

Michael – whose father, Gordon, formed Airedale Springs with partner Cecil Hopkinson – adds: “Over the years, particularly in the 1990s, I like to think my input to the college was enhanced through ‘outside involvements’ which locally included being vice-chair of Bradford & District Training & Enterprise Council.

“During my times at the college, my attitude was that I was a member, not an outsider.”