Ian Weatherill, the co-founder of Hope Technology and the Managing Director has been made a MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Ian (seen above, and below, right) has been recognised for his ‘services to business, innovation and the community in Lancashire’. He founded the company in 1989 alongside his late business partner Simon Sharp (left)
Hope now employs 160 people manufacturing quality bicycle components, with all design and production still carried out in their Barnoldswick factory despite pressures over the years to take production overseas. Ian commented
“I’m thrilled to be receiving this honour in recognition of maintaining Hopes UK manufacturing, especially in an industry so dominated by imports”.
Most of Hope Technology’s 160 staff live in and around Barnoldswick, making them a key employer in the local area. In recent years Hope has moved into carbon fibre, again keeping design and production in their Barnoldswick facility.
Ian is also the driving force behind the successful Hope Academy, a bike rental scheme giving parents the opportunity to provide their children with quality bikes, enabling them to enjoy cycling from a young age. He’s also a huge supporter of the Hopetech Women initiative encouraging more women to ride bikes.
And, in our experience, Ian has never been less than incredibly enthusiastic about everything we’ve ever spoken to him about – whether that’s creating kids’ bikes, racing the Three Peaks Cyclocross or trying to build his own full-sized velodrome next to the office. We can’t think of a better recipient…
Comments (11)
Leave Reply
Post Comment
That is very cool.
Congratulation Sir!
Cheers!
I.
Nice, well done. Very fine products too.
No reflection on him or his product, but does *doing your job reasonably well* REALLY warrant an “honour”?
Meh.
A few years ago, a chap running a factory that made poppadoms, naan breads etc. in Consett was awarded an MBE(?) “for services to speciality breads”: just another meaningless, contrived way to pat an “entrepreneur” on the back, for making money.
We’ve got our priorities wrong…
I knew as soon as I got into biking that I would need Hope products. And I wasn’t wrong. A great brand from seemingly excellent people. Well done Ian,
@keithr yes doctors nurses scientists carers etc deserve queens honors.
But entrepreneurs such as Ian have created companies that employ hundreds of people in the UK. not overseas. Manufacturing jobs at that..
They physically make products, not buy in cheap and sell for a margin like the majority of once successfull uk company..
i for one have a lot of respect for Hope and its technology..
if the queen rode MTBs then hope would definately have a Royal Warrant of Appointment
“But entrepreneurs such as Ian have created companies that employ hundreds of people in the UK. not overseas. Manufacturing jobs at that..”
So what, though? They don’t do it for other people – they do it for themselves.
Where’s the “honour” in that? It’s a self-evidently selfish motivation, isn’t it?
Then you see this:
https://www.hexham-courant.co.uk/news/17699100.northumberland-trio-given-queens-birthday-honours/?ref=mr&lp=4
Like I say – the honours system has its priorities entirely arse -backwards.
“So what, though? They don’t do it for other people – they do it for themselves.
Where’s the “honour” in that? It’s a self-evidently selfish motivation, isn’t it?”
And you know this for a fact? That anyone running a business is entirely self motivated and so lacking in empathy that they feel no sense of responsibility or gratitude to mm the people and community that enables their business to exist?
I see Keith has used the word arse in his response. That sums him up.
keithr June 12, 2019 at 1:41 pm
“But entrepreneurs such as Ian have created companies that employ hundreds of people in the UK. not overseas. Manufacturing jobs at that..”
So what, though? They don’t do it for other people – they do it for themselves.
Where’s the “honour” in that? It’s a self-evidently selfish motivation, isn’t it?
You clearly don’t know or have never met Ian. I’ve known him for many years and his main reason for growing the company is to look after his staff and help people out, If he was in it for the cash he’s have sold up a long time ago!