The Vulcan Seals Bridge to the World Fund

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This fund has been established in honour and memory of Gordon Bridge OBE, who sadly passed away in St. Luke’s hospice in May 2022, aged 76.

During much of Gordon’s long career and public service, he was one of, if not the, best known businessmen in South Yorkshire and certainly generally the most liked and admired. Gordon served as co-Director in Vulcan Seals from the turn of the century to 2019 and was honoured in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to the South Yorkshire community.

A timeline of Gordon’s professional life

  • 1950’s-1970’s; From school at King Edwards in Broomhill and after qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, like so many of that Sheffield generation, Gordon went to work in the steel industry with British Steel. Rising rapidly, he next joined Tempered Spring as Commercial Director.
  • 1980’s; During the troubled decade of the 1980’s, every Sheffield Cutlery Company, along with many other industrial famous names failed - bar one – Richardson’s. Taking over the helm of Richardson’s as  Managing Director, Gordon transformed its fortunes. So much so that it actually became a byword in Sheffield that there was hope for the future of some traditional Sheffield industries at the time.
  • 1990’s-2019; In the late 1990’s, Gordon joined AES as their Chief Executive and soon thereafter main board Director. He served AES with great distinction and of the very many public functions in his life, his very last was to raise the flag just four weeks before his passing, commemorating AES’s industry-leading achievement of The Queen’s Award for Sustainability. Gordon served as co-Director in Vulcan Seals from the turn of the century to 2019. Gordon finally stepped down from the AES Board in 2018 aged 72.

A snippet of Gordon’s endeavours

Gordon gave his time serving a plethora of good causes which contributed to the wider community, some of which are detailed below:

  • Sheffield Training and Enterprise Council, Common Purpose, the Graves Charitable Trust, the Herbert Hughes Trust, University of Sheffield’s Council, chair of the Careers Service Advisory Board, member of the Material Sciences Industrial Liaison Committee, Weston Park Museum (and was honoured with a gallery being named after him ‘Gordon Bridge Gallery’).
  • In 2007, Gordon was elected as Master Cutler of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, where he was a devoted ambassador for the region’s manufacturing industries, championing a major fundraising initiative for local hospices. This initiative continues to this day and is known as the Master Cutler’s Challenge. Vulcan has participated in this fundraising, most recently in 2019 and 2022.
  • The ‘Master Cutler’s Challenge 2023’ is in support of Wentworth Woodhouse and Vulcan will again be supporting this.

How can we keep Gordon’s legacy alive?

In taking Gordon’s great initiative, Gerry Quinn (Vulcan Seals Group Chairman), Michael Carter (Vulcan Seals Group Managing Director) along with the Vulcan Board of Directors and Chris Rea (AESSEAL Managing Director) are proud to formally create the Vulcan Seals “Bridge to the World” fund in Gordon’s memory and honour.

How are the charities we support chosen?

Gerry Quinn (Vulcan Seals Group Chairman), Michael Carter (Vulcan Seals Group Managing Director), and Louise Ebdon (Head of HR, Vulcan Seals Group) will select worthwhile registered charities.

Any registered charity elected for donation undergoes rigorous review for its legitimacy, ethical standards, social, cultural, and environmental impact, along with the percentage of donations which are utilised in fees. The majority of our funds will be donated to overseas charitable organisations. The key reason for this is that the money tends to have a much more significant impact which results in greater benefit to the charity. The remaining funds are utilised to support Vulcan Seals employees in their fundraising endeavours.

Vulcan Seals commits to 100% match any funds raised by an employee for a registered charity, (up to a maximum donation of £1000/€1000/$1200). For example, if you personally take part in an event to raise funds for charity – say running a local 10K race and you raise £500, then the Vulcan Seals Bridge to the World Fund will make a £500 donation to your fundraising.