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A Lasting Legacy
Ulster Carpets have been part of the fabric of the Northern Ireland community for over 80 years and an integral part of that legacy is the work carried out by the John Wilson Memorial Trust (JWMT).
Pictured at the Learning Conversation Suite in the KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre in Belfast are (from left) Professor Gerry Gormley, Inaugural chair in Simulation and Clinical Skills at the Centre for Medical Education (CME); Dr Jamie Coburn, QUB Graduate 2008 – 2013, Medicine; Dr John Wilson, Chairman of Ulster Carpets and Trustee of the John Wilson Memorial Trust; Nick Coburn, Managing Director of Ulster Carpets and Chairman of the John Wilson Memorial Trust; Teresa Sloan, Head of Health Fundraising.
Established in memory of John Wilson following his death in 2009, the Trust is run by nominated trustees involved in Ulster Carpets.
As the son of company founder George Walter Wilson, John shared his father’s vision of supporting the local community and the Trust works tirelessly to realise this.
JWMT actively encourages entrepreneurship by backing a wide range of local businesses, including several start-ups. Support is also provided to charities from across Northern Ireland.
Dr John Wilson, Chairman of Ulster Carpets and Trustee of the John Wilson Memorial Trust, explained: “Having those strong links with the community was something my father felt strongly about and the work of the JWMT allows us to continue that in his memory.
“Since 2009 we have been able to react to the needs of our local community and provide them with much-needed support. That was clear during the pandemic when we were able to support the NHS, the Southern Area Hospice and the Craigavon Area Foodbank to deliver vital services to the most vulnerable in society.”
Health research is another fundamental part of the JWMT, as reflected in an ongoing collaboration with Queen’s University that has included PhD studentships, the purchase of a Robosep Machine for MS and several giftsin-kind.
The most recent donation of £25,000 will benefit the young health professionals of tomorrow.
The sponsorship of the Learning Conversation Suite in the KN Cheung SK Chin InterSim Centre in Belfast provides a cuttingedge training facility for Medical, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing and Midwifery students at Queen’s.
The InterSim Centre is one of the few in the UK to truly champion simulation-based education with an interprofessional approach, which allows students to train together in interactive scenarios that closely replicate a wide range of clinical settings.
Teresa Sloan, Head of Health Fundraising at Queen’s University Belfast, said, “We have a longstanding relationship with the John Wilson Memorial Trust. We are grateful for their contributed generosity including the recent donation to the InterSim Centre. Sponsorship of the state-of-the-art Learning Conversation Suite in the centre helps us with our mission to promote excellence in the education of healthcare professionals to drive safe, effective and collaborative care now and in the future.”
This type of assistance will continue as the John Wilson Memorial Trust continues to create a lasting legacy of support for the local community.
