SPRING 2022 | No. 25
THE CLOTHWORKER
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WHAT’S INSIDE ... MISSION, OBJECTS, VISION AND VALUES
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THE EXPERIMENTAL WEAVE LAB
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MEET THE WEAVERS AT COCKPIT ARTS
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A NEW BOOKBINDING JOINS OUR COLLECTION
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BISHOPSLAND AT CLOTHWORKERS’ HALL
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SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN CRISIS
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THE GOVERNANCE APP FROM DSC
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NEW FOUNDATION DIRECTOR ...
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FOUNDATION GRANTMAKING ...
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MILLIONS OF SEEDS PLANTED FOR SUPERBLOOM
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POLLINATING LONDON TOGETHER
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HMS DAUNTLESS
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NEWS & NOTICES
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MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER, PHILIP PORTAL
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his is an unsettling period. All periods involve transition and change: but I did not realise quite how prescient my theme of ‘change’ would be for my Master’s year. Foremost in all our minds as I write is the change in the landscape in Ukraine – and the outlook for peace in the western world. Many of us have been following Francis Fukuyama’s writings recently, reminding us all that liberalism and liberal democracy do not just continue; they have to be defended. As I write, more than 100,000 Britons have signed up to welcome Ukrainians into their homes. The Company has so far given £50,000 to help Ukrainians on the ground in Ukraine (read more on p 14). Meanwhile, my eight months to date as Master have, I’m delighted to say, been hugely active. While the final signatures on our property project remain pending due to the prevailing uncertainty, my year has been packed with meetings, extraordinary social events, traditional ceremonies and visits
Below: Theatre Director and writer, Jeremy James Taylor and Musical Director, John Pearson are associated with two performing arts-based educational charities, namely the National Youth Music Theatre and Creative Youth (Rose Theatre, Kingston upon Thames). Guests at our March Masters’ and Clerks’ Dinner enjoyed a short performance from the National Youth Music Theatre’s The Ragged Child, Cover: Passementerie design by Elizabeth Ashdown,
performed by young people aged between 10 and 20, from the Kingston
artist and weaver (read more on p 6).
area. It was one of several highlights for the evening!
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to the livery movement and our affiliates in, so far, Worcester, Exeter and Liverpool respectively. Peoples’ enthusiasm and courage to resume our lives despite most of us still needing to ‘Covid isolate’ occasionally has been heartening – even uplifting.
£7,370 (over £8,790 with Gift Aid). The Clothworkers’ Company made a match gift of the same amount, and the charity received more than £14,740 (plus Gift Aid). This was extraordinarily generous. Thank you so much.
I have been delighted with each of my dinner speakers so far. Ben Page, CEO of Ipsos Mori, led us off with key societal trends unfolding in our world. Archbishop Justin Welby spoke of the rapidly building refugee crisis – likely to expand 10-fold over the next 20 years as a vivid consequence of climate change – and of the potentially vital role of ‘intermediary organisations’ such as livery companies. James Scroggs, ex MTV director and Chairman of the Campaign against Living Miserably (CALM), spoke about the growth and importance in human empathy in our lives, work and families, as well as in our broader societies.
The Deputy Director of the charity sent this message:
A selection of this year’s speeches and entertainment can be found in the playlist, ‘2021-22 Master’s Year’ on our YouTube Channel, ‘The Clothworkers Company’. We’ll add more recordings of relevant speeches and virtual events as they happen. In the rarefied world of Masters and Prime Wardens also, change is the key theme this year. Clothworkers’ efforts to bring our governance further in line with industry and society today are in tune with those of several other livery companies and the City Corporation itself. It is clear to me that, with our own houses in order and fully fit for purpose, the livery movement deserves and needs to take steps to be more widely known and respected in the country at large for the remarkable work we do. Meanwhile, it has been so wonderful to see many of our own Freedom and Livery Members in person over the past months! You are our future;
‘We were blown away by your generosity and support for The Salmon Youth Centre, and we are so grateful for your very kind gifts this Christmas. The money you raised is going towards providing transformational opportunities for the young people we help. Thank you for your kindness and support.’
we are keen to welcome you to participate in as much of what we do as we can! Please also join our virtual events whenever you can – we have made Christmas crackers, heard from Prof Stephen Westland about the characteristics of colour in textiles and learned from Dr Edmond Smith about the Clothworkers’ merchants and the origins of England’s trade and empire back in 1500-1650. Then, this March, we had a doughnut quiz followed by doughnut decoration in person at the Hall! You will find several additional opportunities to engage with The Company further inside this issue. I would like to say a belated but enormous ‘thank you’ to each of those who contributed to my St Thomas’ Eve charity appeal, for The Salmon Youth Centre in Bermondsey (near my London home), which literally transforms young peoples’ lives. Together, we raised in excess of
On a personal level, I have enjoyed my year so far immensely. As Master, I receive enormous appreciation from so many different people for the remarkable work being done every day by our Company and by The Clothworkers’ Foundation. This includes seeing and listening to the outcomes of our financial contributions to so many amazing causes – projects to remove blindness in Sierra Leone and Ethiopia, countless extraordinary causes throughout the UK in all tiers of society and in our own specific world of textiles. It also includes huge appreciation of our extraordinary hospitality by charities, guests, Members, grant recipients and so many others. I have been bowled over by the positive, collaborative spirit and the strong work commitment at Clothworkers’. The quality of the work being done day to day by each and all of our remarkably talented Staff, as well as by an enormous number of our Members working pro bono – in some cases for hundreds of hours a year – is astounding. I would like to say a profound ‘thank you’ to each of you. THE CLOTHWORKER | SPRING 2022
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MISSION, OBJECTS, VISION AND VALUES Weaving our Mission, Objects, Vision and Values into the fabric of all that we do, now and in the future
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ember’s may be aware that our Court of Assistants and Staff, with help from many additional Clothworker Members as well, have been using the past year or so to reflect seriously on our past, present and future, and what improvements we can make to ensure that we remain not only relevant to Members and the City of London, but that we can be an inspirational force for good in the Square Mile and all our communities across the UK. In this same magazine last autumn, the Clerk reported on recommendations from an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and our continued progress on implementing changes throughout The Company (‘Reflecting on Our Future’, p 10, The Clothworker, no 24). A Mission, Objects, Vision and Values (MOVV) working group – chaired by Court Assistant Joanna Dodd and comprised of Clothworkers drawn from across the Livery and Freedom – spent a few months reviewing and redeveloping a clear mission statement, as well as a vision and values system to help us better understand who we are as Clothworkers and what we aim to do as an organisation for our Members, partners, grant recipients and more. Rachel Schon, who served on the group, said, ‘Being involved [in this] has really deepened my awareness and admiration for everything The Company does and made me feel really proud to be a Clothworker ... I feel that having been part of this exercise will really help me going forward in explaining about Clothworkers’ to family and friends, and being a better ambassador for The Company.’ The working group’s task was not easy, as they investigated the history and recent activities of The Company, learned more about the work The Company is
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currently engaged in and immediate priorities, canvassed family and friends, and challenged their assumptions and improved their understanding of all that we do together and all that we represent to the outside world. William Perrott, another working group participant, said, ‘As someone who has come in via Redemption, it was fascinating and useful to hear what others had to say, especially their feedback from family members, as it helped challenge and
stakeholders across The Company before settling on the three it submitted in its recommendation. Following the final meeting, MOVV participant Philip Bousfield said, ‘I am enormously proud to be part of Clothworkers’, particularly at what I feel is a pivotal time in its history – the plans for the new building (to sustain its good works for generations to come), the partnerships it has built with UK textiles
“Being involved [in this] has really deepened my awareness and admiration for everything The Company does and made me feel really proud to be a Clothworker ... I feel that having been part of this exercise will really help me going forward in explaining about Clothworkers’ to family and friends, and being a better ambassador for The Company.” Rachel Schon, Livery Member
form my views. Knowing that the Court is thinking about things like MOVV and wanting to be progressive and remain relevant is hugely encouraging for a young(ish!) member of the Freedom.’ The deliberations were not just about choosing the right words and getting a great tag line for our website. The final draft of the MOVV recommendation was tested against historic and modern ‘proof’ points, looking back at all that The Company has actioned or promoted from 1528 to the present day and evaluating how truthfully and accurately the mission statement encompassed or represented our work, then and now. The group also thoroughly debated earlier recommendations from the EDI Working Group, on values, evolving and re-articulating them, consulting various
(with the vital academic research being undertaken in relation to sustainability, which is very much in focus following COP 26), and with The Foundation (at a time where there is significant inequality following the pandemic) ...’ Having completed its task, we are delighted to say that the MOVV working group’s recommendations were approved, first by the Superintendence Committee and then by the Court of Assistants. Now, we wish to share them with you, invite you to reflect on how these affect or even inform your view of The Company and what membership means to you. We hope you will help us stay focused on our newly articulated mission and committed to what we hope will become (if they are not already) shared values across the membership.
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MISSION STATEMENT Our mission is to inspire and empower individuals and communities through action, partnership and financial support. We are particularly focused on UK textiles, charity governance, and philanthropy – through The Clothworkers’ Foundation and beyond. We achieve this through:
CHAMPIONING TEXTILES
FOSTERING COMMUNITY
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
We are a leading supporter of UK textiles, developing partnerships that enable us to invest in and support education, academic research and innovation, skills development, training, textiles design, heritage and conservation.
Our Members come together in friendship, giving their time and expertise to serve others and to make a positive and sustainable impact in the City of London and beyond – by serving on our Court, as trustees or school governors, and volunteering.
We direct our resources towards promoting opportunity and empowering people and communities. We are able to achieve this through our own initiatives and partnerships with appropriate organisations.
OBJECTS OF THE COMPANY In pursuit of achieving our mission, our current strategic priorities include: •
TEXTILES – acting as a collaborative champion within the sustainable UK Textiles Sector.
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LIVERY – developing and maintaining strong relationships and building a sense of community or fellowship within our livery stakeholder groups, including our own membership, livery partners and the City of London.
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SERVICE – making a meaningful difference to people and communities, both as an organisation and through individual service and skills development – such as trusteeship (our modern purpose), volunteering, and more.
VISION STATEMENT Our vision is to build on our history and heritage of philanthropy and fellowship, becoming increasingly responsive, adaptive to change, outward looking and ambitious.
VALUES STATEMENT We want our Members to be proud of being part of our livery company and to see the need to encourage and nurture the next generation of Clothworkers while inspiring one another to deliver our best. In all the work that we do, internally and externally, we aim to be: PROGRESSIVE, COLLABORATIVE and SUSTAINABLE. THE CLOTHWORKER | SPRING 2022
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THE EXPERIMENTAL WEAVE LAB Visit TEWL in Mark Lane from April to September
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he Experimental Weave Lab (TEWL) is launching the City of London’s first contemporary, innovative weaving season. Opening in April, TEWL will be taking over the St Olave’s Parish Hall on Mark Lane, right outside Clothworkers’ Hall. The Company is delighted to host and co-sponsor TEWL (alongside The Mercers’, Drapers’ and Weavers’ Companies as well as the City of London). Curated by Elizabeth Ashdown MA RCA and Philippa Brock MA RCA, this six-month programme will include short- and long-term weaving residencies, talks and workshops, culminating in a final exhibition in September. The programme aims to explore the experimental, interstitial spaces that weavers work within throughout UK craft, research, art, design and industry.
Part of the ‘weaving season’ planned for TEWL will include a special schedule of events for London Craft Week (11-15 May 2022), exploring the rare and fascinating world of handmade passementerie. One of the oldest of all the textile arts, passementerie is classed as an endangered craft by the Heritage Crafts Association and historically was designed and made in the City of London. Visitors will have opportunities for free demonstrations in cord winding and passementerie with a variety of textile artists, as well as to book a oneday hands-on workshop with co-curator Elizabeth Ashdown. London Craft Week activities will take place across TEWL’s main location in Mark Lane as well as inside Clothworkers’ Hall. More information about the six-month programme and London Craft Week can be found on the website at www. TheExperimentalWeaveLab.co.uk.
Above: Co-curators Elizabeth Ashdown (left) and Philippa Brock (right). Facing page: Elizabeth’s passementerie work-in-progress for our commission, woven pieces to be featured inside the trophies for winners of the Charity Governance Awards. This is the second round of work we have asked her to complete for the award trophies, and her earlier work can be seen in the thumbnail image, set in acrylic. THE CLOTHWORKER | SPRING 2022
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MEET THE WEAVERS AT COCKPIT ARTS Recipients of the Clothworkers’ Award 2021
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hree new weavers joined the Cockpit Arts studio, each with a bursary funded by The Clothworkers’ Company. The Clothworkers’ Award was designed to support graduate weavers in setting up business. Recipients can work across any form – such as soft home furnishings, woven artworks, product design for manufacturing, etc. For up to three years, they receive heavily subsidised shared studio space equipped with Leclerc, Louet and ARM looms and a dye area. They also receive business support from the dedicated Cockpit Arts coaching team and opportunities to promote or sell their work during Open Studio events. The 2021 awards went to Peipei Wang, Fadhel Mourali, and Ashley Jess Knight. Peipei seeks inspiration from nature and human emotions. From aesthetic
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to approach, she aims to encourage her audiences to engage with nature. Her work explores colours, textures and woven structures, creating a personal textile language to narrate nature-inspired stories and producing sophisticated design works. Coming from a mixed background, with roots in both Sweden and Tunisia, Fadhel is intrigued by identity and discovering a specific place of longing within his work. In theory and practice, he explores storytelling through tactility, in the hope of reaching the core of a subject and of fully understanding both the medium and the narrative. Being trained as a hand weaver, Fadhel is driven to discover the possibilities of material processes and how to translate them visually to create new meanings and concepts. Through
in-depth research studies, he aims to investigate, question and develop these notions through techniques that can express contemporary narratives and functions. Ashley specialises in woven textiles, exploring tactility, colour, and creating juxtapositions within her work, alongside working with her ethos of ‘Happy Design’. Focusing on hand-made woven products and collaborations, she offers a freelance commission-based service for clients interested in custom luxury, handcrafted textiles for either fashion or interiors. Passionate about sustainability, Ashley attempts to create as little environmental impact as possible with her designs. Through using deadstock yarns and fabrics, upcycling and zero-waste practices, her aim is to work within sustainable production and create long-lasting products. She takes inspiration from pop culture and nostalgia from her childhood, from vintage toys, anime, and the act of play. Ashley works to capture the memories and sensations of growing up within her textiles.
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“As a hand weaver, I am intrigued by recontextualising traditional handicrafts to explore their contemporary meaning.” Fadhel Mourali, Recipient of the Clothworkers’ Award.
Facing page: On the left is detail of semi-transparent fabric by Peipei, who works in homewares and textiles. On the right is a photograph of Fadhel inside a studio; he works on artworks and collectible objects. This page: Detail from a colourful work-in-progress by Ashley, which is still on the loom. THE CLOTHWORKER | SPRING 2022
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“On Weaving is the passionate love-letter of a weaver to her craft. Anni Albers was not only a maker but also a thinker, educator and collector ... She advised, ‘Don’t pretend to be anything that you are not.’ I heeded her advice. I pared my design elements right back to dots and lines, and focused on the core elements of rhythm and repeat ... ” Annette Friedrich
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A NEW BOOKBINDING JOINS OUR COLLECTION
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e recently took delivery of a stunning new binding for our growing collection. It was created by Annette Friedrich, a renowned artist binder whose works are exhibited internationally, and who relocated back to Germany during the pandemic. Annette was commissioned to bind On Weaving by Anni Albers, the celebrated textile artist, following the first major exhibition of the latter’s work in the UK at Tate (2018-19), in overdue recognition of her pivotal contribution to modern art and design. Originally published in 1965, On Weaving is a ‘luminous meditation’ on the history and art of weaving, and was expanded and reprinted in full colour in 2017. It was a particularly apt marriage of book to binder – as Friedrich had long admired Albers’ work and visited the exhibition. She produced a full leather binding in
dark purple goatskin with green sewn silk headbands, leather joints, and moss green coloured bord-à-bord doublures and purple flyleaves. When not on display, the binding sits within a dark purple goatskin and silver paper chemise, which slots perfectly into a slipcase covered in bright blue paper, complementing the aubergine tone of the leather beautifully. All the papers used were hand-dyed by the binder, who also makes her tools herself. The goatskin is tooled in Annette’s characteristic style (a free-flowing arrangement of organic shapes and lines), and is executed with three shades of metallic foil, nine shades of colour pigment foil (4x blue, grey, green, and white), and is occasionally topped off with transparent pearl foil. The abstract arrangement was, however, meticulously planned – the design went through some 50 iterations before a final pattern was reached. Front and back covers are, deliberately,
not quite symmetrical, and the spine acts as a break between them. Annette writes: ‘On Weaving is the passionate love-letter of a weaver to her craft. Anni Albers was not only a maker but also a thinker, educator and collector. It is a beautiful book, where she reflects on the art of weaving as the “event of the thread”, on pattern, on historic examples, and on its implications on modern design. And though she loved the abstract figurative forms of Mexican and Peruvian pattern, she looked with a wry eye on European Renaissance tapestries, where they strove to translate paintings into tapestries. ‘[Albers] advised, “Don’t pretend to be anything that you are not.” I heeded her advice. I pared my design elements right back to dots and lines, and focused on the core elements of rhythm and repeat that arise when using the spine as a core axis.’
Images used with the kind permission of Annette Friedrich.
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BISHOPSLAND AT CLOTHWORKERS’ HALL
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he Clothworkers’ Company was delighted to host the Bishopsland Educational Trust at Clothworkers’ Hall in November. The programme, which provides a one-year residential postgraduate course, is the only postgraduate residential facility in the UK for emerging silversmiths and jewellers. The Trust used the Hall for an exhibition and sales fair for its students and Fellows. The Victoria and Albert Museum’s Curator of Metalwork, Kirstin Kennedy, offered a lecture to guests on the evening, with silversmiths Ndidi Ekubia, Alice Fry and Leo de Vroomen joining her for a panel discussion and Q&A. The main focus for visitors was the three-hour exhibition that featured live demonstrations alongside the display of work representing more than 20 talented silversmiths including: Abigail Brown; Angela Cork; Bryony Knox; Claire Malet; Daphne Krinos; Hiroshi Suzuki; Jacqueline Mina; Jessica Jue; Karen Westland; Kathryn Hinton; Leo de Vroomen; Malcolm Appleby; Manasi Depala; Marissa Ziesing; Miriam Hanid; Ndidi Ekubia; Peter Musson; Rajesh Gogna; Ryan Mcclean; Sheila McDonald; Theresa Nguyen; Yusuke Yamamoto. Proceeds from sales went to support the Bishopsland Educational Trust.
Images: Clothworkers’ Hall sparkled with the silver exhibition and buzzed with interest from visitors who attended the event to learn about contemporary silver and look for unique silver pieces from the sale. Used with the kind permission of the Bishopsland Educational Trust.
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SUPPORT FOR THOSE IN CRISIS
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n 24 February, the world watched while Russia began its invasion of Ukraine. Since then, a number of governments, charities and individuals have scrambled to find a way to help those most affected by this crisis, whether they have remained in Ukraine to resist the Russian invasion, been trapped without a safe way to escape, or been forced to abandon their homes and find safety beyond the Ukrainian borders with nearly three million others. After careful consideration, The Clothworkers’ Company has selected the WithUkraine appeal from the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK and the World Central Kitchen as the recipients of a combined £50,000 in charitable aid. The official website of the Embassy of Ukraine in the UK is, at the time of writing, down due to the continuous campaign of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks that Ukraine is facing as Russia continues its invasion. However, the WithUkraine giving platform is enabling the collection and consolidation of international donations intended for humanitarian support to Ukraine and its people. Organisations such as Royal Mail, Vestey Foods,
Logistics UK, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and more are working with the Ukrainian Government and charities including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Ministry of Social Policy, the International Charitable Foundation for the Health of the Ukrainian People, Wings of Hope Charitable Foundation, and more. The Clothworkers’ Company has donated £10,000 to WithUkraine. If you would like to make a donation of your own, you can read more at www.WithUkraine.org. World Central Kitchen (WCK) aims to be one of the first responders to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The organisation builds resilient food systems with locally-led solutions. The founders were inspired by their experiences cooking meals for displaced Haitians in a camp, and being taught how to cook black beans the way the people they were serving wanted to eat them. They saw how important food was in a middle of a crisis – it aims to go beyond food relief and to also provide comfort, inspire hope, and rebuild resilience among
individuals and within communities. Today, WCK has travelled around the world to provide food relief – feeding an island after Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico, serving tens of millions throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, rushing to help following a blast in Beirut, bushfires in Australia and volcanic eruptions in Spain. The charity also runs a Food Producer Network to train aspiring chefs in skills and safety that help them build their careers and the food economy. It advocates for increased hunger relief and better nutrition around the world. The charity is currently serving millions of meals across Ukraine, as well as Poland, Romania, Moldova and Hungary. You can follow their progress and learn more about their impact during this time through their #ChefsForUkraine stories on the ground series. The Clothworkers’ Company has made a donation of £40,000 to support this work. You can learn more or make a donation online at www.WCK.org. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THE UK This past November, we were also part of the City of London effort in support of Afghan resettlement across the UK. The Company granted use of the former Flight Centre on Fenchurch Street to the City, and it is being used as a place to store and distribute the donations that were collected as part of the Afghan Appeal. The Company also made a donation to a City-wide (and inter-livery) initiative to provide school uniforms for children affected. Thanks to these efforts, 200 children and young people were able to move from a temporary education provision to a new school in London, wearing school uniforms complete with shoes and bags.
Twitter: @WCKitchen
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THE GOVERNANCE APP FROM DSC
VOLUNTEER!
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he Governance App is a new tool aimed at supporting trustees across the UK; it launched last autumn after two years of development. The Directory of Social Change (DSC) has been helping trustees and their boards for decades. They are trusted to know what works (full board participation in conversations about performance in specific areas) and what can get in the way of meaningful discussions happening (time on agendas, finding time outside of board meetings, the cost of facilitators and trainers). In 2018, DSC wanted to take its model of using a simple shared questionnaire to drive specific conversations about governance, and combine it with the depth and detail of the Charity Governance Code. The aim was to create a review process that could start outside board meetings, and that would provide targeted and easy guidance on what areas to focus on in board meetings. With funding from The Clothworkers’ Company, DSC was able to begin working on its idea, and further funding from The Tudor Trust and Lloyds Bank Foundation helped it over the finish line. The Governance App works as a free and easy way for boards to have discussions centred on reviewing and improving
governance. It can be used to: • Gather comments from the whole bbboard • Earn a performance score in seven dddifferent areas • Highlight where board members hhhave different views • Facilitate targeted discussions aaabout what’s going well and where t t to focus on improving For boards that want to review their governance practices but don’t know where to start or can’t afford outside consultants, this is a critical tool. DSC’s ambition for the future of the app is to revolutionise how funders, infrastructures and membership organisations support governance. That’s why they hope to add a data visualiser soon to help identify trends in charity governance. For example, if DSC is able to show that health charities tend to be stronger on integrity and board effectiveness but less strong on managing risk, then DSC could start to develop and offer less general and more specific advice. The Company also funded the research and development of the Charity Governance Code (2017), and its review and update in 2020.
ow recruiting: Advocates for Inspiring Connections advocacy and mentorship programme. We are one of the founding partners and sponsors of this project with Catch-22. Inspiring Connections is a personal development and network-building programme to help young people gain the opportunities, support, and momentum they need to take the next steps in achieving their career goals. Advocates, people with a range of professional skills and experiences, are able to support Candidates, people with barriers to work, through group and one-onone sessions. Opportunities for volunteering are coming soon. The next programme cohort will begin on 5 April, and run for approximately six weeks, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Another kicks off on 5 May. If you’re interested in learning more, or registering, visit the website at: www.Catch-22.org.uk/ About-Inspiring-Connections/.
“[It] made me want to volunteer again as a mentor ... our collective discussions made me feel that we helped a group of wonderful candidates move forward with their aspirations.” Inspiring Connections Advocate
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A NEW FOUNDATION DIRECTOR JOINS OUR TEAM
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e are delighted to introduce Jenny North, who joined us as Director of The Clothworkers’ Foundation this March.
Jenny has left Dartington Service Design Lab, where she was Deputy CEO. She worked closely with local authorities, funders, and charities to support the organisation’s strategy development, service design and evaluation needs. In particular, she led on projects using rapid-cycle methods for design and testing of programmes – helping organisations generate and use their own evidence to improve their services and, ultimately, outcomes. Dartington’s focus on outcomes for children and young people is a theme throughout Jenny’s career. She previously worked at Impetus, a venture philanthropist supporting charities focused on narrowing the disadvantage gaps in educational attainment and youth employment. There, she developed
her interest in supporting organisations to focus on improving, not just proving, their impact. She also led the commissioning of ground-breaking research to understand the impact of disadvantage on young people’s job prospects. Prior to that, she worked as Head of Policy at Relate, campaigning around the impact of parental conflict on children, and lobbying successfully for more support for families navigating relationship breakdown. She has also worked at the Maternity Alliance, New Policy Institute and the Home Office. Jenny is a Non-Executive Director at Youth Futures Foundation and the Social Investment Business, as well as a member of the Advisory Committee for Impact on Urban Health’s Child Obesity Programme.
Jenny said ‘I am delighted to be joining The Clothworkers’ Foundation with its track record of needs- and evidenceled funding. I am looking forward to working with the staff team at The Company and Foundation to build on these strengths, and put our resources where they need to be. The pandemic has revealed great inequalities and challenges, but also great strengths and assets within society – I believe The Clothworkers’ Foundation can enable great charities and social businesses to meet these challenges.’
MEET THE TEAM AT CLOTHWORKERS’ HALL Clerk to The Company and CEO to The
Beadle / Facilities & Events Manager:
Foundation: Jocelyn Stuart-Grumbar
Michael Drummond
Executive Assistant and Company
Senior Maintenance & Events Assistant:
Grants Officer: Emma Temple
Mark Harding Maintenance & Events Assistant:
Director of Finance, Property &
Paul Smith
Investments (DFPI): Hamesh Patel
Steward: Heather Rawlins
HR Asst & PA to DFPI: Suzanne Hamilton Housekeeping: Joanne Farrelly, Christina Chief Accountant: Andrew Boon
Kartsiou, Patsy Jarrett, Carol Taylor
Management Accountant: Graeme Hurd Finance Assistant: Antoinette Stevens
Head of Collections & Archives: Jessica Collins
Foundation Director: Jenny North
Archivist: Hannah Dunmow
Learning & Development Manager:
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Patrick O’Kelly
Membership & Communications
Grants Manager: Laura Street
Manager: Renée LaDue
Grants Officers: Jack Abbotts, Nelly
Event Co-ordinator & General Office
Koko-Konan, Ayesha Tariq
Administrators: Catherine Mann,
Grants Assistant: Catherine Godack
Sophia Watkins
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SPOTLIGHT ON CAPITAL FUNDING WHAT IS CAPITAL FUNDING? The Foundation awards grants towards capital funding for large and small projects such as: • Buildings: purchase, construction, renovation or refurbishment. • Fittings, Fixtures, and Equipment: examples include (but are not limited to) office equipment/furniture, sports/ gym equipment, digital/audio visual equipment, specialist therapeutic (excluding medical) equipment. • Vehicles: This includes a minibus, car, caravan, peoplecarrier, etc. Paces, a specialist school in South Yorkshire for both children and adults with Cerebral Palsy and motor disorders, received £30,000 from The Foundation toward a building refurbishment to relocate their school (pictured here).
Twitter: @WeArePaces
FOUNDATION GRANTMAKING ROUNDUP
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n recent months, The Clothworkers’ Foundation has approved a number of new grants, including the following: POSSILPARK PEOPLE’S TRUST £125,000 - construction of new building for a charity supporting disadvantaged young people and the community in Glasgow. THE MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS THERAPY CENTRE (NW) £75,000 - refurbishment of a therapy centre for a charity that works with people with disabilities in Manchester. COMMUNITY ON SOLID GROUND £102,000 - construction of a building for a charity supporting disadvantaged
minority communities in Greater Manchester. CROYDON VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND £88,500 - refurbishment of a building for a charity supporting people who are visually impaired in London. THRESHOLD DAS LIMITED £64,000 - conversion of offices into accommodation units for a charity supporting those experiencing domestic abuse in Wales. EMMAUS CAMBRIDGE £17,900 - refurbishment of warehouse facilities in Cambridge, including the installation of a lift, for a charity focused on supporting people who are
experiencing homelessness. DAGENHAM BANGLADESHI WOMEN AND CHILDREN’S ASSOCIATION £7,400 - purchase of IT equipment and furniture equipment for a charity supporting disadvantaged minority communities in Essex. SEVERN ANGELS HOUSING AND SUPPORT £5,700 - installation of a kitchen for a charity supporting people experiencing homelessness in Worcestershire. Read more about The Foundation and its grantmaking on the website at: www.ClothworkersFoundation.org.uk. THE CLOTHWORKER | SPRING 2022
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MILLIONS OF SEEDS PLANTED FOR SUPERBLOOM An exhibition at Historic Royal Palaces’ Tower of London
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ore than 20 million seeds will be sown in the moat at the Tower of London in March and April, as Historic Royal Palaces continues its progress towards launching the ‘Superbloom’ display at the Tower. The exhibition will commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. From June, the Tower will be encircled with a vibrant field of flowers, creating a welcoming new habitat for wildlife in the urban landscape of the City of London. The ‘Superbloom’ will then evolve throughout the summer, becoming a haven for pollinators and creating a stunning spectacle of changing colours and patterns, flowering until September. The seeds sown this spring were carefully selected by Nigel Dunnett,
Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture at the University of Sheffield, who is the lead horticulturist on the project and has designed the planting scheme. Nigel has meticulously created a series of colourthemed seed mixes that will merge to produce beautiful, magical and dramatic impressionistic visual effects across the moat, whilst simultaneously delivering small-scale sparkle and detail. These mixes feature different varieties of many familiar wildflowers, such as red Poppies, yellow Corn Marigolds, and blue Cornflowers. The Cornflowers occur in all of the seed mixes, and when in full flower, the burst of brilliant blue will connect to a time in the Tower’s history when the moat was filled with water. In addition to the wildflowers, a range
of garden plants are also included in the seed mixes to heighten the colour effects and to extend the season of flowering to cover the whole summer, before and after the wildflowers reach their peak. Sunflowers, Cosmos and Rudbeckias will flower into early autumn, and the snapdragon-like Fairy Toadflax, and Baby’s Breath will bloom at the very beginning of the summer. Taller plants will create a wonderful, totally immersive experience for visitors, and the millions of simple, uncomplicated flowers in the Superbloom will become an important source of food and nectar for pollinators in London. Nigel said, ‘The Superbloom is without doubt the most thrilling project that I have been involved with. It has been a real combination of art and science to
© 2022, Historic Royal Palaces.
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develop the final planting scheme for the moat, and with the seeds now going into the ground, I can’t wait to follow their progress, from the first green shoots emerging within weeks, through to the full spectacle of the amazing ocean of flowers filling the moat in the summer.’ Extensive landscape work has been taking place in the Tower’s moat for several months already. More than 10,000 metric tonnes of carefully calibrated soil has been deposited in the moat to nourish the seeds with a precise combination of nutrients. Winding paths have been installed and are being lined with woven willow edging — visitors will enjoy a varied journey around the moat, sometimes observing fields of flowers and sometimes feeling immersed within the blooms. A willow sculpture by artist
Spencer Jenkins already occupies the moat’s north east corner. Tom O’Leary, Director of Public Engagement, Historic Royal Palaces, has said, ‘Creating Superbloom is the result of an incredible collaboration, and has been years in the planning. However, as the seeds go in the earth ... we are now directly collaborating with nature, which we hope will look kindly on us as we wait for the flowers to burst into life for June!’ The Superbloom and its accompanying schools initiative are generously supported by Lead Sponsor Burberry, Coronation Crown Platinum Partners Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Rothschild & Co and Schroders, State Crown Platinum Partner Bloomberg and Diadem Platinum Partner Marsh
and other generous donors. The Clothworkers’ Company was honoured to become a sponsor, committing £10,000 to the project, alongside the City of London as well as a number of other livery companies: The Grocers’, Drapers’, Fishmongers’, Goldsmiths’, Merchant Taylors’, Wax Chandlers’, Tallow Chandlers’, Saddlers’, Airpilots’, Builders Merchants’, Actuaries’ and Engineers’ Companies. We also recruited 10 Members to join our group volunteer day in August, to help Historic Royal Palaces welcome the public and care for the exhibition at the Tower. Find out more about Superbloom, including information on donating, volunteering or visiting at: www.HRP.org.uk/Tower-Of-London.
© 2022, Historic Royal Palaces.
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POLLINATING LONDON TOGETHER A Pan-Livery Initiative Promoting Climate Action and Improved Biodiversity in the Square Mile
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ollinating London Together (PLT) is a Pan Livery initiative that is raising awareness of the importance of biodiversity, and of the substantial recent decline of pollinators. The initiative is a collaboration of City of London livery companies, initiated by The Wax Chandlers’ and Gardeners’ Companies. PLT’s purpose is to help champion and create green places, starting in the City of London, ensuring better conditions for pollinators to thrive, and allowing workers and visitors to the City to benefit from the tranquillity of those green spaces. We are proud to support the efforts of PLT, through our support of Superbloom at the Tower of London, our own flower boxes at Clothworkers’ Hall, and helping to educate other businesses and individuals in the Square Mile and beyond on how they can get involved. PLT was formally launched at Mansion House last September, in an event hosted
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by The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman William Russell, and the Lady Mayoress, Hilary Russell. The Rt Honourable Lord Mayor said: ‘I am very excited to be supporting Pollinating London Together. It’s a brilliant initiative that brings attention to the importance of increasing green spaces in our great city. This is something that I am very passionate about. I hope that PLT’s work will encourage others to take action.’ The initiative has gained the attention and support of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Minister Rebecca Pow. Urging everyone to participate, she said, ‘We’ve set a legally-binding target to halt the decline of species abundance by 2030; that’s a ground-breaking commitment.’ Highlighting the introduction of nature recovery networks and habitat restoration projects, she said, ‘We can all make a difference to helping our pollinators and that doesn’t just mean
bees. It means a whole range of other insects – moths, butterflies, hoverflies, and all the different bees. Together, we need to provide them with food and nectar, that’s where you and I come in, greening up London. There’s a great stat that says on average three gardens together every day could produce one teaspoon of nectar; that’s the food energy that our pollinators require.’ Minister Pow also encouraged guests to support app-based pollinator monitoring schemes, which help the Government work out what is happening with pollinators and how to help them. PLT is seeking to partner with Citizen Science and other projects to educate and inform children and adults alike of the importance of pollinators and their crucial role in our food supply, the health of our environment and maintaining biodiversity. Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor
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for Energy and Environment, has highlighted how activities to protect pollinators play a positive role in enhancing London’s green spaces for human benefit too. She said, ‘Protecting, restoring and increasing London’s natural green spaces is at the heart of the Mayor’s plans for a green recovery, creating a healthier, more resilient city where everyone has access to a green space and wildlife can thrive. This includes continuing to work to fulfil his ambitious manifesto pledge that no Londoner should be more than 10 minutes away from a green space ... It’s great to see action being taken to improve the capital for pollinators, enabling more Londoners to experience wildlife.’ PLT has launched a series of events, exhibitions and more across the Square Mile and is promoting projects across the City that align with its message in order to raise awareness of its cause. In April, a week-long exhibition will open at Vedast-alias-Foster to celebrate pollinators. The shared goal of the venue’s host Rev Paul Kennedy and the exhibition’s featured multi-media artist Alex Hirtzel is to help the City of London pollinators and people thrive
by (re)creating a healthy ecological habitat in an established green space. Hirtzel’s work fuses classical painting methods with augmented reality, often referencing historical artworks and recent scientific research. Visitors will be able to enhance their experience with the help of 3D augmented reality via their own smart phones. Leading up to The Lord Mayor’s annual Big Curry Lunch, the Guildhall Yard has been enhanced with a display by Garden Designer Gianna Utilini that promotes the charity event and commemorates the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Utilini,
with help from Master Gardener Paul Rochford, got on board with PLT’s mission and prioritised benefits to insects throughout the designed landscape. They showcased a number of plants with long-lasting, fragrant blooms to attract pollinators. The garden is set to leave Guildhall Yard following the Big Curry Lunch, but the City Corporation is already considering plans to relocate the garden to another public space within the City. For more PLT news or advice on what you can do to support pollinators at home or work, visit the website at: www.PollinatingLondonTogether.com.
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HMS DAUNTLESS
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ur Master and Clerk had a unique opportunity to visit the HMS Dauntless this past February, following an extensive programme of maintenance and repair over the past few years. This is one of our several designated military affiliates, with which we’ve been developing a relationship and supporting through grants over many years. The Clerk, Jocelyn Stuart-Grumbar, reported that he was delighted to be welcomed by the positive energy and excitement of the Ship’s Company, who are all eagerly awaiting their return to sea. During the visit, the Master and Clerk were able to hear from many of those who have recently taken up their duties on board. They received the Ship’s Crest, to display at Clothworkers’ Hall during events, and enjoyed lunch prepared by the Ship’s Cook and Gallery crew. Most importantly, they were there to begin
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the discussion with HMS Dauntless about how The Company can best help to foster community and family wellbeing for the Ship’s Company going forward. Lieutenant Commander Ian Le Poidevin, Weapon Engineer Officer, wrote to the Clerk following our visit: ‘It was fantastic to have you on board yesterday. The members of the Ship’s Company thoroughly enjoy talking about their roles to visitors, as you no doubt noticed. I have passed on your specific messages of thanks to Amy and the Galley Staff. Thank you for your generous offer of support; we are in discussion regarding how we can best improve the lives of our sailors and their families.’ Find out more about our support for military affiliates on the website at: www.Clothworkers.co.uk/About/ Military-Affiliations/.
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Images used with the kind permission of HMS Dauntless .
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NEWS & NOTICES CLOTHWORKERS’ EVENTS Civic Dinner (26 April) We welcome the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs and other members of the Civic party to dine with us. Invitations are sent to Court, Assistants Emeriti and Livery with spouse/partner. This is primarily a couples’ event for Members and partners. However, Members may attend unaccompanied, and Assistants Emeriti may attend with a grandchild or unaccompanied. Link Luncheon (28 April) An annual meeting for Assistants Emeriti,
IN MEMORIAM We regret to announce the following deaths: Mr David Smith Freedom (November 2021) Col Alan Roberts OBE TD KStJ Livery (December 2021) Miss Gillian Yeatman Freedom (February 2022) Mrs Rosemary Pegram Livery (February 2022)
All Members’ Summer Party (20 May) This new addition in our calendar is an opportunity for all our Members to spend time together. Invitations will be sent to Court and AE, Livery and Freedom (without guests). Save the date so you don’t miss out on what promises to be a memorable night at Clothworkers’ Hall.
produce our wonderful events by ensuring they were all remunerated as if the luncheon had proceeded. In spite of the cancellation, Clothworkers demonstrated wonderful generosity in donating to The Salmon Youth Centre Bermondsey, the charity chosen by The Master. With The Company’s match gift of £7,370, the total amount the charity received was in excess of £16,415 (including Gift Aid). We would like to thank you for your kindness and understanding, as well as your generosity, during such a difficult time.
ST THOMAS’ EVE UPDATE
CATCH UP WITH US ON YOUTUBE
It was with great regret that we were unable to hold our annual St Thomas’ Eve Freedom Luncheon (December) due to Covid. We know how disappointed our Members must have been, as we were, to miss it again. We’d like to share with you some of the ways we tried to make the best of a difficult situation. To begin with, we minimised food waste by donating the provisions that had been ordered to The Connection at St Martin’s (supporting people who are rough sleeping or experiencing homelessness). We also took steps to limit the damage that the cancellation would have had on the suppliers, vendors and staff that work hard to
As you heard from the Master, Philip Portal (pp 1-2), a selection of speeches and virtual lectures has been recorded and made available to Members. You can listen to a speech by Ben Page and a piano performance by Daniel Portal, (October 2021), and a speech from James Scroggs. There are also lectures from Prof Stephen Westland of Leeds University, ‘What is Colour and Why Is It Important?’, as well as Dr Edmond Smith, who presented his research from our archives in a lecture titled The Clothworkers’ Company: Its Merchants and the Origin’s of England’s Trade and Empire (1500-1650). Find the playlist, ‘2021-22 Master’s Year’ on our YouTube channel.
followed by lunch with the widows of former Court Members. Invitations are sent to Assistants Emeriti and widows of former Court Members.
GET INVOLVED WITH OUR INTER-LIVERY SPORTS Golf Team: Adam Walker (adwchiefy@gmail.com) Sailing Team: Andrew Yonge (andrew.yonge@zen.co.uk) Shooting Team: Charlie Houston (charles@goingsolar.org.uk)
To be contacted directly about sports, update your online profile in the Members’ Area of our website to include ‘golf’, ‘sailing’, or ‘shooting’ as a ‘sport you play’. To find out more about inter-livery activities, and how you can become more involved in events in the City of London, check out the new Livery Committee website (and calendar) at www.LiveryCommittee.org.
Visit the Members’ Area at www.Clothworkers.co.uk or connect with us at: @ClothworkersCo @ClothworkersCo @Clothworkers_Co 24
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