Warrington & Vale Royal College is launching a new adult course with support from luxury wooden floor specialist, Ted Todd.
The new part-time course, Build & Create, will see students curate their own piece of handcrafted furniture using materials donated by the international company.
Ted Todd’s story began over 30 years ago in 1993, when CEO Robert Walsh spent a summer restoring reclaimed pine floorboards in his parents’ back garden. Fast-forward to 2025, and the company is established worldwide, with design centres in London and New York—as well as its Head Office based right here in Warrington—and a clientele spanning the likes of Fortnum & Mason, Google, and Harrods!
The college was first introduced to Robert Walsh, Ted Todd CEO and founder, in December and since then, Dave Love (Director of Curriculum and Quality: STEM) and Lee Moorhouse (Carpentry & Joinery Curriculum Manager) have met with him to discuss this prosperous partnership and the benefits it will bring to students.
Ted Todd regularly creates and supplies samples of flooring for clients, which cost thousands each year to produce and once finished with are placed back into storage. The company strongly considers its environmental impact and puts sustainability at the heart of every project. So much so that in 1997, it became one of the first companies in Europe to be fully FSC™ certified. It only makes sense, then, that the company doesn’t want to see its materials go to waste and is instead donating old samples to Warrington & Vale Royal College to be repurposed by its students.
Lee Moorhouse, Curriculum Manager for Carpentry & Joinery, says: “We’re so excited to be working with Ted Todd, a huge name in local business. The kind donations of reclaimed hardwood flooring have not only enabled us to set up a joinery-based adult skills course but allowed us the opportunity to use our own creative talents to determine what types of furniture we will make.”
Robert Walsh, CEO and founder of Ted Todd, adds: “At Ted Todd, we’ve always believed in the power of a circular economy—turning what might be seen as waste into something beautiful and functional. By donating our reclaimed hardwood samples to Warrington & Vale Royal College, we’re not only minimising waste but also giving these materials a new life through the hands of talented students. Supporting our local community is at the core of who we are, and we’re thrilled to partner with the college to inspire creativity, skill-building, and sustainability right here in Warrington.”
Warrington & Vale Royal College is incredibly grateful to Ted Todd for its kind donations and looks forward to seeing adult students get to grips with these high-quality, high-end materials.
For more information about adult courses at Warrington & Vale Royal College, visit: www.wvr.ac.uk/adults
Please note, enrolment for this course will not be open until summer 2025. Keep an eye on the college’s social media channels and website for more information!
