NAJ News

The Return of the Grand Benevolent Society Ball as Trade Charities Honoured with Chair’s Award

For the first time in 70 years, The Benevolent Society returned to the opulent ballroom of the Grand Hotel Birmingham to celebrate with almost 200 trade guests and friends.

On 9th December, The Benevolent Society Christmas Ball, sponsored by the Parify Group, returned with fun and frivolity at its core. The jewellery trade members came together and generously dug deep to raise money for the charity, and then partied the night away.

David Doyle, the organiser of The Benevolent Society Christmas Ball, said: “What a fantastic evening it was. Thank you to all attendees, sponsors and hotel staff for making the ball such a memorable occasion. To return to a setting with a proud history of hosting jewellers’ balls as far back as the 1800s, it was a delight to host so many friends in the trade.

“The ball has always been about two things: raising significant funds for The Benevolent Society and attendees having fun and enjoying themselves. I’m delighted to say we achieved both of these and, in fact, exceeded expectations.”

Chair's Award Winners

Chair’s Award goes to trade charities

The inaugural NAJ Chair’s Award, sponsored by Windiam, was fittingly shared between the three trade charities: The Goldsmiths’ Company Charity, the Silversmiths and Jewellers Charity and The Benevolent Society. The judging panel recognised their tireless work mobilising to support individuals and businesses that had fallen through the gaps of government financial support.

The charities’ trade support – raising money from donations and golf days to gala dinners – is one to make the industry proud. The committed work of volunteers behind the scenes, giving their time and making crucial decisions, made a significant difference to people’s lives within the trade.

Accepting the award on behalf of The Goldsmiths' Company was Andrew McGowan; Julie Griffin was there on behalf of the Jewellers and Silversmiths Charity and Gay Penfold accepted on behalf of The Benevolent Society.

How can the charities support me?

The Silversmiths & Jewellers Charity

Grants are accessible to any current or previous professionals in the silversmithing and jewellery trades, whether in manufacturing, wholesale or retail, as an employee or self-employed. Evaluating every application individually and on merit, the trustees are clear there are no age bars.

Two types of grants are available: first, a one-off payment to cover short-falls or complete purchases, for example, a wheelchair or new white goods you can’t afford, but need. Second, an annual grant to go towards basic living costs.

More information:

Visit thesjcharity.co.uk Email info@thesjcharity.co.uk Call 020 8265 9288

The Goldsmiths’ Company Charity

The Goldsmith’s Charity Committee makes two sizes of grants. Large (up to £30,000) and Small (up to £5,000) with a focus on prisoner resettlement, youth and the ageing population. The charity also manages a 1327 Fund and a Global Majority Fund, as well as a Goldsmiths’ Covid-19 fund.

The 1327 Fund is a charitable giving initiative for Goldsmiths’ members, launched to offer more choice and greater flexibility for the giving of every goldsmith. Members can choose to give directly to young people, emerging talent and established makers working or aspiring to work in the jewellery, silversmithing and allied industries through the Members’ Industry Scheme (managed by The Goldsmiths’ Centre).

The Global Majority Fund offers grants to existing projects or new ideas that facilitate an increase in the representation of people from the Global Majority in the jewellery, silversmithing and allied industries. Working in partnership with the Jewellery Futures Fund, the Goldsmiths’ Company Charity is looking for individuals representing themselves or established groups who identify as being from the Global Majority community and who want to see change in the industry.

More information:

The Benevolent Society

The Benevolent Society has two types of grant: a one-off payment for essential specifics, such as household items, or perhaps repairs, or even an education course, and also has a quarterly payment scheme to assist those most vulnerable and in need.

Anyone in the industries that the BATF represents can apply for the grants and bursaries, no matter which part of their industry they represent (retail, wholesale or manufacturer) and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the Society's Trustees.

The Benevolent Society is currently looking for new Trustees to fill voluntary roles and anyone who is interested in learning more about working with the Benevolent Society as a Trustee is encouraged to contact Laura Banner.

More information:

Visit thebenevolentsociety.co.uk Email laura.b.banner@gmail.com Call 0121 236 2657

Please note, these are not the only charities in the jewellery sector to support you, the NAJ Educational Trust as well other organisations both in the jewellery sector and local bodies have grants you can apply for. For more information on other bodies, visit naj.co.uk/financial-support.

Kassandra Lauren Gordon

The Chair’s Award judging panel, led by Harriet Kelsall and supported by Anna Blackburn, Lindsey Straughton and Mark Smith, collectively described their task as challenging due to the sheer number of high-calibre recommendations.

Jewellery designer Kassandra Lauren Gordon was also highly commended for kickstarting much-needed conversations and actions over the past 18 months. Her open letter to our industry highlighted the inequality and racism in the trade towards black people. Kassandra created and delivered the UK Black Jewellers hardship fund, started a podcast for Black creatives and won a gold award in the equality and diversity category of the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council awards. Speaking to attendees in the grand ballroom, Gary Wroe, NAJ chair, described Kassandra’s contributions as outstanding to better the industry.

Presenting the Chair’s Award, NAJ Chair Gary Wroe said: “All recommendations had been submitted because a person or company had gone above and beyond to help a person, project, workforce or community through what has been a challenging time. We were heartened by the significant number of recommendations that came flooding in, and we’d like to thank all those that took the time to put forward a recommendation.

“The sheer number of recommendations demonstrates that there are many people out there that stood up and unselfishly helped others through the past two years. This is a great sign of how the jewellery community can and has pulled together. In truth, many of the people and businesses recommended could have been deserving winners of the award.

“I’d personally like to see that sense of collaboration and support continue and grow for the benefit of the trade and the people in it.” Overall Sponsor: Parify Group

The Parify Group Ltd has many facets to its portfolio – lighting, retail design and e-commerce. Best known for being the industry standard of jewellery-focused lighting, the Parify Group is an expert in its craft.

Chair’s Award Sponsor: Windiam

Windiam sources and delivers an extensive selection of polished diamonds both to the world’s leading brands and jewellery chains, as well as smaller boutique shops. Leveraging its intergenerational expertise to turn rough into polished in an efficient, cost-effective manner allows Windiam to offer large, highquality stones at competitive prices.

Save the date

The Benevolent Society Ball 2022, which will again feature the NAJ Chair’s Award, has been confirmed for Thursday 8th December, 2022, once more at the Grand Hotel Birmingham.