Timeline

1978 Colt Foundation is set up by Deed of Charitable Settlement 1979 First grant awarded, for £15,500 to the Back Pain Association (now BackCare). 1981 Dr David Denison is appointed the first Scientific Adviser, leading to our association with the Royal Brompton Hospital/National Heart and Lung Institute and our interest in respiratory medicine. 1988 Green College Conference, led by Professor Sir Richard Doll and supported by the Colt Foundation, leading to the formation of the British Occupational Health Research Foundation, and a general revival of interest in occupational health research. 1989 Long term support promised to Dr Anthony Seaton at the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh - £100,000 p.a. for five years. This is the start of a long association with Dr Seaton, and also with Dr Donaldson. 1989 Grant awarded to Jonathan Gale at the University of Bristol for research into hearing leading to a PhD and subsequent postdoctoral research. The start of a long association with the Hearing Research Trust (now Defeating Deafness). 1990 The start of the Colt Foundation PhD Fellowships. 1990 The Colt Group undertakes a capital reconstruction, resulting in the reduction of the Colt Foundation holding of Ordinary Shares, and acquisition of Redeemable Preference shares, redemption of which provided £4,150,000 for investment in marketable securities in 1996. 1992 Long term support agreed with Kings College London for the support of students on the MSc course in Human and Applied Physiology. 1992 Agreement with Professor Malcolm Harrington to support the Institute of Occupational Health in Birmingham. 1993 Long term support of the National Heart & Lung Institute at the Royal Brompton Hospital is agreed with Professor Anthony Newman Taylor for a study into "Why asthma is becoming more common" based in Ashford, Kent. 1995 First grant to Napier University relating to molecular toxicology of particle related lung disease. This leads to the formation of ELEGI in 1997, and the Foundation grant of £150,000 toward the cost of refurbishment of a laboratory to accommodate ELEGI, known as the ELEGI/Colt laboratories. 1995 Tim Ault (son of Mary Ault), Clare Gilchrist (daughter of Alan O'Hea) and Peter O'Hea (son of Jerome O'Hea) appointed Trustees. 1996 Professor David Coggon agrees to become a Scientific Adviser to the Foundation. 1998 Professor Sir Richard Doll formally opens the ELEGI/Colt laboratories in Edinburgh. 1999 Colt Foundation Day is held at the Royal College of Physicians in London, at which all major project grant holders, and all Foundation supported students give a presentation of their work to an audience which included all the major parties in the world of occupational health research in the UK. The Wellcome Trust provided an assessor. 2000 Jerome O'Hea retires as Chairman of the Trustees, although remains a member of the Board of Trustees. Patricia Lebus is appointed Chairman. 2001 Retirement of Mary Ault, one of the founder Trustees. 2001 Juliette O'Hea (daughter of Jerome O'Hea) and Natasha Lebus (daughter of Patricia Lebus) appointed Trustees. 2001 Professor David Coggon agrees to serve as a Trustee of the Foundation, and Professor Anthony Newman Taylor agrees to become a Scientific Adviser. 2002 A grant of £308,000 is awarded to Professor Raymond Agius with a view to creating a centre of excellence in occupational health research at the University of Manchester. 2002 A five year Colt Professorial Fellowship is awarded to Professor Ken Donaldson to enable him to remain as co-Director of ELEGI at the University of Edinburgh. 2004 A grant of £139,068 is awarded to Professor Jon Ayres at the University of Aberdeen for work entitled “Occupational and environmental exposures and health: linking human exposure methodology, mechanisms and epidemiology". 2005 Professor Anthony Newman Taylor agrees to serve as a Trustee of the Foundation. Professor Ken Donaldson agrees to become a Scientific Adviser to the Foundation. Patricia Lebus retires as Chairman of the Trustees, although remains a member of the Board of Trustees. Walter Morison is appointed Chairman. 2006 A further ten year Colt Professorial Fellowship is awarded to Professor Ken Donaldson to enable him to remain as co-Director of ELEGI at the University of Edinburgh. 2006 A second Colt Foundation Day is held at the Royal College of Physicians in London. All major project grant holders give presentations of their work, and all the major players in the world of occupatonal health research are invited to attend, as well as all current Foundation supported students.   A grant of £202,595 is awarded to Dr Paul Cullinan at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College for work entitled "Does FEV1 predict capacity to work in an ageing population?" 2007 Retirement of Tim Ault as a Trustee. The Board of Trustees is very grateful for his contribution over a long period of time. 2007 A grant of £107,452 is awarded to the University of Aberdeen for work entitled "Workplace health surveillance for occupational skin diseases - diagnostic accuracy and reliability of a teledermatology tool". The work is led by Dr Finlay Dick, with Dr Markus Steiner, Dr Sean Semple, Professor Jon Ayres, and Dr Anthony Ormerod. 2008 Walter Morison retires as Chairman of the Trustees, although agrees to remain as a Trustee. Professor Anthony Newman Taylor is appointed Chairman. In the Queen's Birthday Honours List annnounced on 14th June 2008, is awarded a Knighthood. 2009 Walter Morison died in March after a short illness. Walter enjoyed a full and varied life, and his association with Colt Group, the O'Hea family and the Colt Foundation lasted more than 60 years. He will be sadly missed by Trustees and grant holders.