Bradford Mills, Burlington Mills, Bradmill, Rutherford Textiles or as it was later known National Textiles, was a thriving business - the main driver of the city's economy.

But in January 2000, nine years after the Federal Labor Government removed tariff protection, the mill closed, leaving its workforce of 350 without jobs. The announcement came just three months after the closure of Newcastle's BHP steelworks.

To mark the 20^th anniversary of 'the mill's' closure, former employees are organising a reunion that's set the rekindle old friendships and provide many fond memories.

Margaret Lawrence, her daughters Libby Lawrence and Jenni Nichols and friend Jo Threlfo, are organising the event and have set up a Facebook page to gauge interest from former employees interested in attending.

The page was created on December 19 and over that night had 80 members. Today there are almost 200 who have started posting old photographs and expressing their interest in the event which will be held on March 14 at The Bradford Hotel, Rutherford.

Margaret worked at the mill for 30 of the industry's 55 years of operation at Rutherford. "It was a workplace close to many people's hearts," she said.

"I was devastated, as were most employees, when we learned it was to close. It was like losing your family - we were all very close. It was a second home to many - a great place to work where everyone made lifelong friends," Margaret said.

The sacked workers were owed $11 million in unpaid entitlements, including annual leave, sick pay, long service and redundancy payments and superannuation, starting a 24-hour picket line outside the company's factory. They were laid off without warning after being told the company was going into receivership and would close immediately.

Former employees interested in attending the reunion who do not have Facebook can register their interest via email on ntb20years@gmail.com