Charitable Giving and Company Grants
The legacy of The Clothworkers’ Company has been built on fellowship and charitable giving – the warp and the weft that connects the threads of our past with those of our present and our future.
2023 Charitable Impact
Charitable Giving and Grants
The wealth of The Clothworkers' Company is built upon our historic property assets, and has continued to grow through generous bequests and responsible stewardship. The Court of Assistants (and supporting committees), staff and professional advisers work hard at maximising our resources to cover the cost of our operations and fund our ambitious charitable objectives.
Each year, we donate our surplus income (usually £1 to £3 million) to The Clothworkers' Foundation and direct additional charitable grants towards textiles, trusteeship, support for our military affiliates, and more.
We also direct funds towards a variety of other community projects and inter-livery initiatives, and we commission contemporary silver and designer bookbindings as a means of supporting endangered crafts.
2023 Impact in Textiles
Industry Mission
Textiles: Our 'Industry Mission' refers to our annual contributions towards textiles. We make strategic grants toward four key areas to support the UK textiles industry:
- Academic Research and Innovation,
- Technical Education and Vocational Support,
- Textiles Design and Craft, and
- Textiles Heritage and Conservation.
2023 Impact of Other Grants
Charitable Mission
Trusteeship: We encourage trusteeship among our members, and make strategic grants to organisations and projects aiming to improve charity governance across the UK. Find out more about our activities in Trusteeship.
Military Affiliates: We have long-standing relationships with a number of military affiliates, and fund work to support the service men and women and their communities. Find out more about our Military Affiliates.
Misc Giving: We use our position and our wealth to fund a number of other causes in the City of London, and beyond. In 2023, this included sponsorship for No Going Back as well as the City & Guilds Foundation Intertrain programmed (both are aimed at providing training and rehabilitation services for prisoners and ex-offenders). We made grants to St Paul's Cathedral to support a bursary for a chorister at the Cathedral School, to the Creative Dimension Trust, the Camden School for Girls, and the Aldgate School – among others.
We also funded bursaries for Bishopsland Educational Trust and the South House Silver Workshop Trust, supported the Licentiate Pilot Scheme to support a mentoring and training programme with Designer Bookbinders, and sponsored a new award for the Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council Competition (among others).
The Clothworkers' Foundation
We make substantial annual donations to The Clothworkers' Foundation. In 2023, this was approximately £1.06 million.
