Industry Year 1986 took place because it was considered that in the late 1980's the decline in UK manufacturing seriously threatened our ability to maintain let alone improve the quality of life for our citizens. Industry Years' slogan 'Thanks to Industry', was intended as a challenge to a society which is insufficiently aware that almost everything we do depends on industrial activity and which shows little appreciation of such activity. The Industry Committee was formed towards the end of 1982 to carry forward an initiative begun at St. George's House, Windsor, in conjunction with the earlier, 'Comino Committee' of the RSA. The committee members included: \nSir Geoffrey Chandler, Director, Industry Year; Diana McMahon, Deputy Director, Industry Year; Lord Vinson, Chairman, Industry Year Executive Committee; Christopher Lucas, Secretary; John Robertson, Assistant Secretary\nIts main objective was the promotion, throughout the United Kingdom, of a recognition of the importance to the future of our county - and to its influence on the world economy - of a prosperous and profitable British Industry in all its branches based upon modern technology and , with that, to help to effect a positive change in the cultural attitude towards industry in Britain on the part of the public as a whole. The Industry Committee which was formed to take over from the Comino Fellowship Committee, the latter formed in 1979, was established with much wider terms of reference than the running of Industry Year 1986.\n\nIndustry Matters was the successor of Industry Year. It was a clearly targeted programme of action which continued to stress the importance of industry and its role in our lives, building on the momentum achieved during Industry Year 1986. The main aim was to encourage continuing action in three main areas: developing partnerships between industry and education; action by industry to communicate more effectively the part it plays in society; increasing awareness of industry's role and its service to the community. The work was carried on through a network of regional and local groups, with a central team provided for up to two years by the RSA.\n\nSeries of records which include minutes of various steering committees and correspondence relating to the development and administration of the project.
