The
Clothworkers’ Annual Review
2015
T H E C L OT H WO R K E R S ’ C O M PA N Y 2015-2016 Master Melville Haggard Wardens Michael Jarvis Dr Carolyn Boulter DL Nicholas Horne Michael Malyon
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Court of Assistants John Papworth Oliver Howard Christopher Jonas CBE Timothy Bousfield Anthony West DL Peter Langley Neil Foster John Wake Richard Jonas John Coombe-Tennant John Stoddart-Scott DL Philip Portal Robin Booth Andrewjohn Stephenson Clarke Christopher McLean May Alexander Nelson Michael Howell Daniel Jago Antony Jones Denis Clough Rear Admiral Michael Harris JP Tom Ingham Clark
S TA F F Clerk to the Company and Chief Executive of the Foundation Jocelyn Stuart-Grumbar Director of Group Finance, Property and Investments Hamesh Patel
Design by Chris Monk | Printing by Trident Printing | www.tridentprinting.co.uk
Chief Accountant Andy Boon
Beadle and Hall Manager Michael Drummond
Grants Manager Philip Howard
Archivist Hannah Dunmow
CONTENTS Introduction Textiles Archives and Collections Affiliations Trusteeship
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The Clothworkers’ Company The Clothworkers’ Foundation Clothworkers’ Hall Dunster Court Mincing Lane London EC3R 7AH Telephone 020 7623 7041 Fax 020 7397 0107 enquiries@clothworkers.co.uk www.clothworkers.co.uk Cover: Detail from the Company’s new 2015 Charter, showing the decorated and gilded capital E of Elizabeth. (see page 8)
Introduction Founded almost five hundred years ago to promote the craft of clothworking in London, the Clothworkers’ is today a membership organisation involved in the affairs of the City of London, and which aims to invest its surplus resources in philanthropic endeavour. This Review covers the activities of the Livery Company, The Clothworkers’ Company, and its associated grant-making charity, The Clothworkers’ Foundation. Established by Royal Charter in 1528 through the merger of two older companies, the Fullers and the Shearmen, The Clothworkers’ Company was founded to promote the craft of clothworking in the City of London. It supervised the training of apprentices and protected standards of workmanship. Its members were all actively involved in the craft. Livery Companies have always had close connections with the City Corporation and their members elect the Sheriffs and Lord Mayor to this day. The Clothworkers’ Company accumulated considerable wealth over the centuries, largely through bequests of money and property from members, and by prudent management of its assets. The Company’s overall objectives are to administer its assets and affairs responsibly, play its part in the civic life of the City of London, support the textile industry in appropriate ways and seek to increase its charitable giving. Charity has always been at the heart of the Company’s activity, initially supporting members in need, but subsequently also wider society. In modern times, the Clothworkers’ charitable activity has been channelled through its grantmaking charity, The Clothworkers’ Foundation,
established in 1977 with a significant endowment from the Company. The Company passes its income, having paid met he cost of running the Hall and its other activities, across to the Foundation each year. This, together with income from the Foundation’s own investments, is distributed to a broad range of charities. The Company remains a membership organisation, although there are limited links with its original trade. Members join as Freemen or Freewomen, and some are elected to the Livery, when they take a more active role in the Company. The Court of Assistants, headed by the Master, who serves for a year, runs the affairs of the Company, acting as a board of directors. The board of trustees of the Foundation is drawn from the Court and Livery of the Company. The Company has owned a Hall on the same site since the fifteenth century. This contains the administrative offices, together with function rooms used for member meetings and events. The latter are available for hire to third parties to make the venue accessible when not required for the Company’s own purposes and to contribute to the considerable cost of maintaining the building. This Review covers the key activities of the Company: in textiles (where the Foundation is also active), its commitment to trusteeship, the continuing interest in its heritage and collections, and its support for the armed forces. It also contains information on the broad range of charitable activity undertaken by the Foundation. The Review is directed both at the members of the Company as well as interested outside parties; we hope it will make interesting and informative reading on the modern role of an ancient City Livery Company.
The Company’s coat of arms over the centuries
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Textiles The Clothworkers’ roots are in textiles and support for the sector continues to be an important part of our activity.
Our objectives are to: ●
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Support textile technology and manufacturing in the UK ● Maintain our support of academic excellence and innovation in technical textiles, traditional textiles and colour science in the UK ● Encourage young adults to pursue studies and a career in these fields
Technology and manufacturing The global population is predicted to increase to c13 billion by 2067 and the increasing and ageing population is expected to intensify the global demand for high quality, cost-effective healthcare products that are readily accessed by all. In 2012 we made a grant of £1.75m to the University of Leeds to establish the Clothworkers’ Centre for Textile Materials Innovation for Healthcare.
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Selectively support and reward excellence in textile design ● Contribute to the preservation and accessibility of textiles collections of national importance On the next few pages are a some examples of how we apply our resources in this area.
Technical Textiles and Polymers, Colourants and Fine Chemicals programmes. In addition we provide funding for equipment to the Textiles and Colour Science Departments to enable academics to stay at the forefront of research in their fields. In 2015 we gave £130,000 to the School of Design which, coupled with additional funding from the University, enabled them to purchase a number of state of the art pieces of equipment.
This unique national facility focuses on the development of advanced textile materials that address key challenges in healthcare product performance. The Centre’s target areas of research are blood filtration, healthcare acquired infections, chronic wound management and incontinence management. Since its inception, the Centre has secured funding for a number of new research projects – collaborating with other healthcare experts, the manufacturing supply chain and clinicians – the value of which has now reached £1m.
Encouraging Young Adults Academic Excellence We provide funding for a number of PhD students in Textiles and Colour Science at the University of Leeds, as well as bursaries for MSc students on the
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The resurgence in the UK textile manufacturing industry, and threatened skills shortage as the ageing workforce retires, has focused our support on helping to address this issue.
Textiles
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Making It in Textiles careers conference in Bradford Since 2012, we have funded the Textile Centre of Excellence in Huddersfield for an Apprenticeship Champion to create effective links between schools and employers. This initiative is producing some encouraging results; in 2015 over 2,000 pupils were engaged from 31 schools. Some 70 companies participated and 58 apprenticeship placements were made. During 2015 we supported the Textiles Growth Programme with a grant for a textiles stand and popup factory to participate in Skills Fairs in the North of England. These were aimed at students aged 13+ ahead of their making career choices, and were very well received. Many students, and tutors, commented that they had been unaware of the career opportunities available in the textiles industry. In October we co-sponsored, with the Campaign for Wool, The Drapers’ Company and The Weavers’ Company, the second Making It in Textiles careers conference in Bradford. The aim of the two day conference was to forge stronger links between education and the UK textile manufacturing industry. Over the two days the students heard from a number of experts working in different areas of the sector including colour, yarn production, weaving and finishing. Guest speakers included Kirsty McDougall (Dashing Tweeds), Beryl Gibson, Stephen Sheard (Rowan Yarns), Richard Humphries (Humphries Weaving), Gary Eastwood (Pennine Weavers) and Paul Johnson (WT Johnson & Sons).
At dinner, Patrick Grant (Norton & Sons, Savile Row, and a judge on the BBC series The Great British Sewing Bee) spoke about his career journey and the importance of seizing every opportunity. On the second day, Sheila-Mary Carruthers (Carruthers Associates) talked through the manufacturing chain, highlighting the opportunities for graduates. The conference concluded with a panel of past textile graduates offering advice on entering the industry. Feedback from the students and tutors was, once again, very positive, with many explaining that they would not have been able to organise a similar opportunity for themselves and how it had widened their knowledge of textile production. A third conference is scheduled for October 2016. We continue in partnership with Cockpit Arts, helping graduating weavers set up in business and have recently renewed our commitment through to 2020. In addition, we continue to augment the Weavers’ Company placement scheme whereby textile manufacturing companies take on talented textile graduates for a six or twelve month placement; in 2015 eight placements were made. The programme has been very successful in seeing placements lead to offers of permanent employment.
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Textiles
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Anja Alexandersdottir’s designs
Textile Design Emma McCluskey’s designs For some years, we have been supporting the key UK design competitions for graduating textile students – Texprint, New Designers and the Bradford Textile Society Design Competition. Anja Alexandersdottir won the Clothworkers’ Interiors Prize at Texprint and Emma McCluskey was awarded the Printed Textiles prize at New Designers. We continue to support textile design in other areas through bursaries for undergraduate students at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and the University of Huddersfield, as well as for MA students at the Royal College of Art. We also provide funding for equipment, from time to time. For the last three years, we have sponsored a Materials Innovation Fellowship through The Arts Foundation. This has produced three worthy winners – Julia Lohmann for her work with seaweed, Sarat Babu who uses innovations in sintering technology and the creation of materials through microscopic architecture and, most recently, Carmen Hijosa, for her work in creating and developing Pinatex, a natural and sustainable nonwoven textile made from pineapple leaf fibres. The Trustees have recently agreed to continue the sponsorship for a further three years.
Textile Heritage We continue to be a significant supporter of conservation skills in textiles. We have been a longstanding funder of the Centre for Textile
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Conservation, initially when it was at the University of Southampton and, in more recent years, at its home in Glasgow, where it is thriving. Our support provides a full fees bursary for one student annually for the two year duration of the MPhil programme. In addition, we have, for a number of years, supported an internship programme run by the Historic Royal Palaces Textile Conservation Studio at Hampton Court and have recently renewed our support for a further three years.
Alumni We like to stay in touch with people we have funded and, to facilitate this, we hold an annual Alumni Dinner at Clothworkers’ Hall. This is always a lively and enjoyable occasion attended by alumni across the disciplines – textile design, materials innovation, technical textiles, weaving and conservation. In 2015 we welcomed 38 of our alumni – the highest number yet.
Textiles
Charitable Grants 2015 University of Leeds – Department of Colour Science Clothworker Fellow £200,000 University of Leeds – School of Design To support postgraduate research in polyester dyeing £80,000 Cockpit Arts Bursaries and replacement parts for looms £60,000
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Royal School of Needlework Refurbishment of new space at Hampton Court Palace £45,000 City and Guilds of London Art School Conservation bursaries over five years
£35,000
Central St Martins College of Art and Design Purchase and installation of three jacquard looms £30,000 Textile Conservation Foundation MPhil bursary at the University of Glasgow £27,400 Royal College of Art Purchase of a Shima Seiki knitting machine £25,000 University of Leeds – Department of Colour Science Part-time teaching post over one year £25,000 The Weavers’ Company Textile Education Fund Industry placement scheme £24,000
University of Huddersfield BA/BSc bursaries in Textiles with Surface Design £15,000 Royal College of Art MA bursaries in Textile Design
£13,000
Central St Martins College of Art and Design Bursary and student materials fund £12,500 University of Leeds – Department of Colour Science Summer student internships Bradford Textile Society Fabric design competition Total
£10,000
£4,650 £606,550
Company Support University of Leeds Clothworkers Innovation Fund Textile Centre of Excellence Apprenticeship Champion
£100,000
£44,000
Careers Conference £12,500 New Designers Printed textile prize Total
£2,560 £159,060
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Archives and Collections We continue to preserve, make accessible and develop our archives and collections, whilst supporting talented artists and craftsmen in a number of fields.
Charter
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The Company’s original Charter was granted by Henry VIII in 1528. Between 1558 and 1947, seven further Charters were granted. Many of the provisions in these Charters had no operative effect and in a number of cases had been superseded by the general law that had overridden provisions in the earlier Charters. Following the approval of a new set of simplified Ordinances in 2014, together with revised Standing Orders, the Court determined that it would be advantageous to seek a Supplemental Charter that superseded the earlier Charters save for the provisions concerning the incorporation of the Company, its perpetual succession and common seal as set out in the Foundation Charter of 1528. All other provisions of the 1528 Charter and all the subsequent Charters would be revoked.
Portraits of former Clerks Continuing a long tradition of commissioning testimonial portraits of its former Clerks, the Company acquired a striking portrait of Andrew Blessley, who retired in 2015, painted by Paul Benney. Set against a dramatically dark background he is working, with items of particular interest on his desk – two of the Company’s bookbindings, an architect’s impression of the Company’s development at 120 Fenchurch Street, and a small bowl designed and made by his wife Linda, a potter. Andrew was keen that his computer be included in the composition to reflect contemporary working practices for future generations. The oil on canvas painting was unveiled in November and hangs in Clothworkers’ Hall, along with portraits of seven earlier Clerks, covering the period 1867 to 2000, when Andrew took up the post.
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Her Majesty the Queen approved an Order in Privy Council granting a Supplemental Charter to the Company in October 2014. Although not required, the Company chose to have a handwritten copy of the Charter on vellum which was sealed by the Crown Office at the House of Lords. The design, calligraphy and illumination were completed by Timothy Noad. He successfully incorporated the entire text, some 1200 words, on a single sheet of vellum, and created our first Charter employing coloured decoration and gilding. The Great Seal was affixed on 15 June 2015 and the new Charter came into effect on that date. A facsimile copy of the founding Charter, with a replica seal, has long been on display at Clothworkers’ Hall. During the year, new photography of all the Company’s other Charters, Ordinances and Grants of Arms was commissioned, and the prints framed. A selection, including the new Charter, is now on display at the Hall. Replica Great Seals were also ordered and attached to the relevant documents. However, we are not allowed to replicate Elizabeth II’s Great Seal from the new Charter.
Archives and Collections
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The new Charter
An illustrated booklet about the Company’s Charters, Ordinances and Grants of Arms has been produced and is available on request.
THE CLOT HWO
RKER S’ COM PANY
Charters, Ordinances an Grants of Ar d ms
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Archives and Collections
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Bookbinding The Company continues to support bookbinding, recognised to be an endangered craft.
More recently, Stuart Brockman delivered his binding of The Costume of Yorkshire by George Walker (1814). The design depicts a view over a North Yorkshire coastal village through a mill window, showing the silhouette of a mill owner and a spinning wheel. The book is covered in full transparent vellum, over watercolour painting, with goatskin onlays added and gold tooled. The end-papers consist of marbled paper specially made by his wife, Louise. It truly is a family affair as Stuart co-runs the bindery with his father, James, from whom we commissioned a binding in 2010.
We are slowly building up a collection of fine bindings and currently have three books out with designer bookbinders. During the year we took delivery of two of our completed commissions. The first is by Flora Ginn who bound a copy of Wilberforce Jenkinson’s London Churches before the Great Fire (1917).
Supporting talent The revival of the annual competition by students at the Royal School of Needlework to design a kneeler for use at our guild church, St Olave’s, continues with great success. Two designs were chosen in the 2014 competition which had the theme of Samuel Pepys. One was delivered during the year with the other expected to arrive during the summer of 2016.
The theme for the 2015 competition was the Great Fire of London, as 2016 marks its 350th anniversary. Three designs were submitted. Sarah Smith’s vivid imagery of flames over buildings bordering the Thames, complete with boatmen, was selected as the winning design. The scene is viewed through windows inspired by the shape of those high in the nave at St Olave’s. We also award a small monetary prize each year for the best Future Tutor in any year at the School. Annalee Levin, a student now back in the United States, was the 2015 recipient. In bookbinding, we fund prizes in the Open Choice category at the Designer Bookbinders’ annual competition. The winning designs were Kaori Maki’s binding of The Texture of the Universe by Henry & Thomas Vaughan, and Pamela Richmond’s elegant binding of Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy.
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Archives and Collections
Samuel Pepys
Several significant items from our collections were loaned to a major Pepys exhibition, Samuel Pepys: Plague, Fire and Revolution, which ran at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, from November 2015 to March 2016. On show were our portrait of the diarist by John Riley; an ivory portrait medallion by Jean Cavalier, dated 1688; a wooden tobacco box Pepys once owned; and the magnificent suite of plate he presented to the Company as his Master’s gift in 1677. The fully illustrated catalogue from the exhibition is available in the Library at Clothworkers’ Hall.
Over the summer, the stained glass window on the Reception Landing at Clothworkers’ Hall, which commemorates Samuel Pepys, Master 1677-78, was conserved. Designed and executed by Anthony Griffin, and presented by Viscount Hyndley, Master 1953-54, its two glass panels had been bowing considerably. The stained glass conservator, John Corley, cleaned and flattened the panels and attached a number of discreet saddle bars to the backs of the leads for additional support.
Silver We have an extensive collection of silver, dating back to the seventeenth century. Our policy is to add to the collection by commissioning contemporary pieces for practical use from talented up-and-coming silversmiths. This is augmented by generous gifts by some Past Masters following their year of office. During 2015, we took delivery of an engraved and enamelled goblet designed by Jane Short, featured in last year’s review. This is the Master’s gift of Robin Booth, Master 2012-2013.
Nearing completion, Rauni describes the background and inspiration behind the piece: “The inspiration for the Loving Cup design was the teasel plant, especially the characteristic spiky flower heads, being an emblem of The Clothworkers’ Company. I did several first-hand drawings, and took a number of photographs of fresh and dried teasel flowers, stems, leaves and bracts. The form of the cup is based on an upturned whole flower head, while the three holding handles are based on the bracts, as are the three base ‘handles’, which visually and physically balance the cup.
In 2013, we commissioned a three-handled silver loving cup from the up-and-coming designer, Rauni Higson. Since then, alongside working on the cup, Rauni has exhibited at The Silversmith’s Art at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, and has become a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths’ Company.
In the design proposal meetings, the importance of functionality was stressed – clear handles, a well-fitting lid that is easy to lift and relocate, and of course, it must be agreeable to drink from. The three handles are comfortable to hold, but I wanted to evoke the feeling of spikiness, so the ridged edges have a sharp hammered texture which is polished for contrast. The lid has an easy to grasp handle, based on the cross section of the prickly stem, with an embossed design on the lid to suggest the bracts emerging. After the initial sketch drawings, I developed the design in 3-dimensions, carving modelling materials and moulding aluminium mesh and papier maché. A full size model was made and approved before starting in silver, to refine the proportions”.
Rauni Higson’s design: resin model and silver cup in progress
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Affiliations We currently enjoy strong affiliations with four units of the Armed Services. Our financial support is largely applied for welfare activities for the servicemen and servicewomen and their families.
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During 2015 we were delighted to offer hospitality to our affiliates on two occasions – at our Dinner in March, when the guest speaker was General Sir Peter Wall, former Chief of the General Staff, and in December, in the presence of HRH The Duke of Kent, when the guest speaker was Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent.
HMS Dauntless 2015 saw the Ship deployed to the Arabian Gulf to take over responsibility for keeping open sea lanes and conducting anti-piracy and escorting operations. She returned in the summer for postdeployment maintenance works. The Master recently led a group of Clothworkers on a visit to the Ship in Portsmouth, where she will be docked for refit until 2018.
Scots Guards In June Major James Kelly succeeded Lt Col Andrew Foster as Regimental Adjutant. The move from Catterick to Aldershot went smoothly and the Battalion have now settled into their new home.
During the year, troops were deployed to Texas as part of an ongoing mechanised infantry development programme, and on a NATO exercise when over 30 vehicles completed the 220 mile journey to Hull – the longest mechanised infantry road move conducted in the UK – for shipment to Denmark. St Andrew’s Day Celebrations saw the Regimental Colonel, HRH The Duke of Kent, visit the Battalion in Aldershot, for the first time, when he presented a number of service and conduct medals. Our funding supported varioius welfare activities for the Battalion and their families, including the annual theme park trip and children’s Christmas party. In addition, we have agreed support towards the cataloguing of the Regiment’s archives.
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Affiliations
First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (Princess Royal’s Volunteer Corps)
investigations and operations to recover children assessed as at risk. In 2015 they provided over 524 days of support to 20 different organisations, completely free of charge
Our affiliation with the FANY goes back some ten years. Our current support funds its Operations Officer and Administrator positions, two of only a handful of paid roles.
They are supported by several Livery Companies and do much for the City. In an effort to help with their fundraising, we recently facilitated their holding a fundraising event at Clothworkers’ Hall, attended by HRH The Princess Royal.
FANYs deploy in support of non-emergency operations such as economic crime, murder
We were delighted to make the Commanding Officer, Kim McCutcheon, an Honorary Liveryman.
47 Squadron
In addition they maintain a presence in The Falklands as well as carrying out operations and exercises in other areas around the globe.
A year on, all the C-130 engineers are now settled within 47 Squadron, taking its total strength to more than 500. The engineers have received recognition for their exceptional efforts in improving the serviceability of the Squadron’s aircraft. 2015 saw 47 Squadron deployed in support of British Forces in Iraq and the broader Middle East.
2016 marks the Squadron’s centenary year and there are a number of events planned to celebrate this. Unfortunately duties precluded their joining us at our Dinner in December but we hope to be able to welcome them to Clothworkers’ Hall in 2016.
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Trusteeship In line with our common purpose, the Company continues to work with its partners to encourage members to become trustees. 2015 saw the introduction of a number of new initiatives.
Trustee Leadership Programme
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In 2015 we teamed up with Cause4, a social enterprise which works with charities on strategic issues, and the Merchant Bank, Close Brothers, to run a programme which delivers trustee training and a charity matching service for people interested in taking on a role. Each programme consists of five modules covering different aspects of being a trustee, including governance and strategic planning, and financial management. Attendance has been over 60 for each programme and, to date, 11 Clothworkers have participated. Over 66 direct matches have resulted, leading to 25 confirmed Trustee appointments. The next programme is scheduled for Autumn 2016.
Charity Governance Awards In partnership with New Philanthropy Capital, Reach and Prospectus, we have developed an annual awards event to celebrate good charity governance. The response to the inaugural event was encouraging, with over 100 entries submitted across the six categories. These include impact, board diversity, managing turnaround, and embracing opportunity and harnessing risk.
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A number of Liverymen assisted with the online shortlisting process ahead of the Awards Reception in May. We were delighted to be able to link this initiative with our Textiles support by commissioning a woven textile design for the award piece from Cassandra Smith, one of our Cockpit Arts bursary recipients.
New Philanthropy Capital We continue to support NPC in hosting trustee seminars on a variety of relevant topics. In 2015 these included Trusteeship in Small Charities, Impact, New Funding Sources and Strategic Oversight. A new series is planned for 2016.
Reach This charity acts as a broker between volunteers seeking roles and charities seeking trustees. We support their TrusteeWorks service which, in 2015, saw the registration of trustee roles rise from 674 to 968. Happily this growth in demand is matched by a rising number of volunteers. In addition to supporting Reach’s core costs, we provided funding for their new IT platform, launched in 2015. This includes a ‘knowledge centre’ and a widget to allow the streaming of trusteeship opportunities to third party websites. As a result, we now have, on our own website, a live stream direct from Reach of Trusteeship opportunities.