Front cover: Award-winning silversmith Alewijn Slingerland. Read more on page 12. This page: Master Denis Clough and First Warden Mary Ann Slim greet one another at the
The past few months have been a busy period with plenty of internal and external events. Externally, a couple of events have stood out for me in recent weeks. The first was the United Guild Service at St Paul’s Cathedral. Any service in a packed St Paul’s is special, particularly if it features fantastic music (including the efforts of our St Paul’s chorister, Lizzie), but this also displays the full pageantry of a key civic city event that brings together the many people working in and serving the communities of the Square Mile.
Even better was a superb sermon by The Very Reverend Mark Oakley, the Dean of Southwark. Maybe it is just my limited experience, but I do not think it is that frequent that a sermon is both amusing and educational, while also conveying a powerful and moving message. If any future Master is looking for a brilliant speaker, he would certainly fit the bill. He sent us a copy of his sermon, and an extract can be read on page 8.
The second event was a trip to a dinner hosted by The Weavers, Fullers and Shearmen of Exeter. They have a beautiful Hall built in the 15th century, and invite the Master Draper and Master Clothworker to dinner each year. Their history is very different in scale to most London livery companies. Dinner was for 24, not the usual hundred-plus, which made for an especially entertaining and more intimate event.
Internally, as well as continuing a huge amount of work on the New
Hall, for which enormous thanks are owed to Alastair Mathewson and the Hall Working Group that he chairs, we are also progressing with a strategy review.
The first part of this was to agree The Clothworkers’ Company main objectives. Led by Hugo Robinson, who has been superb at chairing the group, in particular producing papers and minutes which are refreshingly concise, this identified five main pillars of activity. Promoting charitable activity and philanthropy, support
for textiles, our civic role as a London livery company, our identity as a perpetual organisation and our membership (including staff). None of these are new activities; the goal was simply to summarise and clarify what we are doing.
The next stage is looking to make sure that our governance structure aligns efficiently with these. Rather than try to fit the existing committees into these categories, the plan is to have a structure that is designed to match with them. In some cases, for example
MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER (CONTINUED ... )
in textiles, we were already completely aligned, but in other areas we may need to amend our committees and structures. Much of our current structure was put in place in the 19 th century, so I don’t think we can be accused of revising these too often.
One other item we have been thinking about in the Membership Sub-Committee is how to encourage more participation by Clothworkers. This can be in terms of time, through work with The Company or Foundation, or a financial donation – sometimes referred to
as ‘Time, Talent, or Treasure’.
I have chosen, this year, to make an additional personal donation directly to The Clothworkers’ Foundation as well as my regular contribution to the Clothworker Members’ Fund.
Having been involved for many years with our Foundation, I am very confident that the money will be used wisely. I am also very aware that, despite our substantial Foundation assets, which I think can sometimes discourage Members from feeling that a further contribution can
BECOME A CMF DONOR
The Clothworkers’ Foundation is the principal recipient of The Company’s annual charitable contributions, and our Clothworker Members’ Fund (CMF) is a way for Members to contribute directly to our philanthropic activities. Each year, all participating Clothworkers, are encouraged to nominate a charity to receive one of the annual grants, and are then invited to vote on the shortlist of nominated charities (determined by the CMF Committee). Gift Aid is applied to eligible donations, and The Clothworkers’ Company matches
Members’ donations pound for pound.
Regular giving – of any amount – is a great way for individuals to contribute to a cause they believe in, at a rate that is predictable and affordable to them. For those who may be considering a new regular gift to this fund, we’ve included an easy-to-use, tear-out CMF Pledge Form on the facing page.
Whether you wish to give £5 a month or £500 a year, The Company’s match-donation doubles your contribution and maximises the impact of your charitable giving.
matter, we are struggling to keep up with increased demand from grant seekers. We are having to ration and prioritise our distributions in a way which we have not had to do in the past. I am fortunate to be in a position to contribute, but would simply like to emphasise that, despite our assets, we are struggling to cope with the demand that The Foundation is facing and any additional funds are incredibly helpful.
Read more about the work The Clothworkers’ Foundation has undertaken this year to respond to increased demand on page 6.
Use the QR code to read more in the Members’ Area about becoming a CMF donor.
BEQUESTS & LEGACIES
Please get in touch if you wish to have a confidential conversation with the Clerk, Jocelyn Stuart-Grumbar, to discuss a bequest or legacy gift.
Contact the Executive Assistant and Company Grants Officer, Emma Symington: EmmaSymington@ Clothworkers.co.uk.
I would like to make the following regular donation to the Clothworker Members’ Fund:
Monthly payments of £ _______________
Please only choose one of the above.
I will make my payment by:
Annual payments of £ _______________
Standing Order (I set up my payment through internet banking; receiving bank information is on the right.)
My first payment is scheduled for (date): ___________
Cheque (I have enclosed a cheque made payable to ‘The Clothworkers’ Foundation’.)
CAF Cheque (I have enclosed a CAF cheque)
GIFT AID MY DONATION
... ... to enable The Clothworkers’ Foundation to reclaim 25p of tax on every £1.00 that I give. By agreeing to Gift Aid, I confirm that I am a UK taxpayer and want to Gift Aid my donation (and any other donations I make in the future or have made in the past four years) to The Clothworkers’ Foundation. I understand that if I pay less Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all my donations in that tax year it is my responsibility to pay the difference.
Signature: _____________________________
Date: _______________________
STANDING ORDER INSTRUCTIONS
Set up a standing order via internet banking to make a regular monthly or annual gift to the CMF.
Receiving Bank : Bank of Scotland
LONDON CHIEF OFFICE, Bank of Scotland plc, PO Box 1000, BX2 1LB
Account Name: The Clothworkers’ Foundation
Account number: 06064635
Sort code: 12-01-03
IBAN number: GB59 BOFS 1201 0306 064635
Bank ID code: BOFSGB2125
Payment Reference:
Please include ‘CMF’ along with a first initial and a surname in your payment reference (ie, ‘CMF, A Smith’).
RETURN THIS PLEDGE FORM
Email : ReneeLaDue@Clothworkers.co.uk
Post : Renee LaDue, The Clothworkers’ Company, First Floor, 16 Eastcheap, London EC3M 1BD
Image: The Clothworkers’ Foundation Annual Charities Reception. More than 180 representatives from the charitable organisations we supported in 2024 come together to share their work with and learn from one another.
THE CLOTHWORKERS’ FOUNDATION
Director Jenny North on Responding Strategically to Increased Demand
Our Open Grants Programme is a huge part of what we do, and how we make impact. Charities and social businesses addressing marginalisation and disadvantage in the UK can apply for support with capital costs – buildings, vehicles, equipment, and digital infrastructure. In 2024, we awarded grants in excess of £8.5 million to hundreds of organisations, reaching thousands of people. Capital funding is scarce, and impactful, and it’s a central part of our current strategy. However, since we launched this strategy in 2023, we’ve seen demand for these grants steadily rise beyond our expectations. Applications more than doubled between the beginning of 2023 and the end of 2024. This increase affected our budget, turnaround times, and success rates – and we know these all negatively impact grant applicants.
Some of the increased demand was predicted and is down to widened eligibility – for example, we now accept applications for digital infrastructure as well as for equipment, building projects, and vehicles. Our profile is also higher than it was, thanks to more outreach activities. However, we also know that funders across the sector are seeing increased demand, and we believe that we are a part of this larger trend.
During 2024, The Foundation made some tactical changes to help manage
demand. Importantly, our Trustees took the decision to increase the Open Grant Programme’s budget for the year – and we made an incredible 467 grants. We also introduced monthly and quarterly budget caps, and simplified some of our processes to ensure we could assess more applications. But the increased demand also meant we had to turn down a greater proportion of applications than in previous years.
By the end of 2024, we realised that we needed to make strategic changes that would enable us to provide the best guidance, and experience, for the charities – and communities –that need our funding. This year, we committed to refining our Impact Framework, so that we can be clear about our priorities, and redesigning our application process. We wanted to make these changes without pausing our grantmaking. To build extra capacity alongside the core team, we partnered with Rocket Science UK, which helped us process applications under our Small Grants programme, and the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technology (CAST), which did the same on applications related to digital infrastructure. These partnerships have been essential in enabling us to keep the Open Grants Programme running during the redesign process. As experienced grantmakers in their own right, these partners also provided expertise that
has helped inform the improvements now underway.
In July, The Foundation will launch a new website and go ‘live’ with a new, two-stage application process for the Open Grants Programme. The aim is to provide greater clarity to grant seekers on what we fund, who is eligible for funding, and what organisations or projects are most likely to succeed with their applications. While basic eligibility for our Open Grants Programme has not changed, we do have, and are clearly communicating, strategic priorities that inform our grant decisions – we will prioritise organisations that demonstrate high levels of ‘lived experience’ of relevant communities within work, and projects that help organisations make significant improvements to their delivery, reach or financial security. We’ve worked hard to design an application process that does not put undue burdens on applicants while providing us with the information we need to make informed decisions.
Over the next year, we’ll be monitoring whether the changes do help us manage unpredictable levels of demand, and what effect they have on which organisations – and which projects – we fund. This means we’ll end the current strategy period in 2027 with greater clarity over the impact we’re making, and the opportunities that exist to deepen this.
UNITED GUILDS SERVICE AT ST PAUL’S (2025)
Extract From the Sermon of The Very Rev’d Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark
It is a privilege to be with you this morning, but I realised that I first attended this service 30 years ago (when I was Chaplain to the former Bishop of London). This has confirmed what I already knew. I’m getting old. My broad mind and narrow waist have now swopped places, and, as John Gielgud said, ‘I’ve reached that age when most of my friends are either “dead, deaf or living in the wrong part of Kent”. As I look around, I see I’m not quite alone. In the words of Ken Dodd, who would have thought any of us would have lived long enough to see the end of the DFS sale? I thought there was some hope when I heard recently there is a new app for the very elderly to find love, and then I heard what it’s called: Carbon Dating.
So, it’s good to spend time with the young and feel a bit younger. Let’s for a moment go for a walk with an inquisitive child, a grandchild maybe. We start up in Westminster and, as we stand outside the House of Commons, looking up at the impressive buildings, the child asks, ‘What happens in there?’ and you say, ‘Politics’. She asks, ‘What’s politics about?’ and you say: ‘Well, it’s about the creation and distribution of power’.
She’s quiet, but we move on to the bridge and look down the river and
see in the distance the City, the banks and the strangely-shaped large towers, and she asks ‘What happens there?’ and you say: ‘Economics’. And she says: ‘What’s economics about?’ and you say: ‘It’s about the creation and distribution of wealth’. She looks at us.
Then we take the boat up to St. Paul’s, having pointed first, of course, at the very beautiful, smaller cathedral of London just across the water, and we stare at the dome as she asks, ‘What happens there?’ and you say: ‘Worship’. And she asks: ‘What’s worship about? What does it create and distribute?’ And you pause, because that’s a good question – and because for many years, our lives have been dominated by the other two institutions: politics and economics, the state and the market, the logic of power and the logic of wealth. The state is us in our collective capacity. The market is us as individuals. And the debate has been, and my goodness have we been bombarded with it: which is more effective? The left tends to favour the state. The right tends to favour the market. And there are endless shadings in between.
But what this leaves out of the equation is a third phenomenon of the utmost importance. The state is about power. The market is about wealth. And they are two ways of getting people to act in the way we want. Either we force them
to – the way of power. Or we pay them to – the way of wealth.
But there is a third way and to remind ourselves. We have to imagine first that we have total power, and then we decide to share it with nine others. How much do you have left? It’s 1/10 of what you had when you began. And if you have £10,000 to hand, and you decide to share it with nine others, you are left with 1/10 of what you had when you began.
But now suppose that you decide to share, not power or wealth, but love, or friendship, or wisdom, or skills and talents, or knowledge, with nine others. How much do you have left? Not less. In fact, much more; perhaps even 10 times as much. Because love, friendship, knowledge, wisdom, skills and love are things that only exist by virtue of us sharing them. With these, the more I share, the more I have. If I win, you also win. And that has huge consequences.
Wealth and power, economics and politics, the market and the state, are arenas of competition, whereas these, what you might call relational engagements, or as we tend to call them in places such a this, covenants, are arenas of co-operation.
Where do we find these covenantal
goods like love, friendship, wisdom and trust? They are born, not in the state, and not in the market, but in marriages, partnerships, families, congregations, fellowships, communities, even in society, if we are clear in our minds that society is something different from the state. And, in companies – like yours.
Covenants are different from contracts. In a contract, two or more individuals, each pursuing their own interest, come together to make an exchange for mutual benefit. So there is the commercial contract that creates the market, and the social contract that creates the state.
A covenant is something different. In a covenant, two or more individuals, each respecting the dignity and integrity of the other, come together in a bond of love and trust, to share their interests, sometimes even to
share their lives, by pledging their faithfulness to one another, to do together what none can achieve alone. Many of us have sealed a covenant in marriages and partnerships. Or, to put it slightly differently: a contract is about interests. A covenant is about identity. It is about you and me coming together to form an ‘us’. That is why contracts benefit, but covenants can change and even transform us and our lives.
That inquisitive child might spot us leaving here today, asking, ‘What are they creating and making happen?’ Can we let her know that these all belong to a company? And they are called that because that’s what they are trying to be, good ‘company’ to each other, not giving up on each other, but trying to bring the best out of everyone, and also working to be good ‘company’ to the larger City they have been in for some years, not giving up on people who
need support, friendship, resources. The more they share their company and all they thankfully have, the more they become, not consumers or competitors, but citizens, the sort of ‘company’ we so badly need in a fracturing world ...
We all need each other more than we like to admit. There are many who need you right now, some you’ll know, and many you won’t, but they are there. I pray that you will continue the ancient and noble tradition of the liveries, coming alongside as good and hopeful ‘company’ for them to continue their lives with some blessing in it. Let’s put ourselves in gear again and seek out those we can share our own blessings with, in a covenant of some kindness.
And now. Right now. Because, as Evelyn Waugh said, the saddest words in the English language are ‘too late’.
LIVERY FOOD INITIATIVE WITH CITY HARVEST
Join the Fight Against Food Poverty in London and Volunteer With Us
Five years ago, the global pandemic disrupted daily life, isolated people from their communities and served as a catalyst for change in many areas of our society. One positive, lasting legacy of that difficult time has been the emergence of a panlivery initiative that has changed and evolved into a meaningful effort to tackle food poverty across the City of London.
In 2020, The Grocers’, Drapers’ and Merchant Taylors’ Companies offered their vacant halls – and empty kitchens – to the City caterer Party Ingredients to prepare and
provide individually-packed meals for the hard-working NHS staff at Barts Health NHS Trust hospitals like St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Royal London Hospital and Newham University Hospital. With more than £200,000 in contributions from 32 livery companies – including £35,000 from The Clothworkers’ Company – the ‘Livery Kitchens Initiative’ delivered just over 34,000 meals to overwhelmed healthcare workers at hospitals in some of the hardest-hit areas of London in the first phase of its efforts. Later, The Fishmongers’ Company added its kitchen to the initiative and the charity City Harvest
came on board as a delivery partner. As a result, the group was able to expand its scope and pivot to support people experiencing food poverty. Meal production increased, and, by January 2021, more than 60,000 meals had been distributed across communities in north and east London.
Post-pandemic, the pan-livery partnership with City Harvest (which usually rescues food that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to charities across the country) evolved into the Livery Food Initiative (LFI).
We were recovering from Covid-19, but the cost-of-living crisis was just beginning, and food poverty was –and continues to be – on the rise. By the end of 2022, LFI had raised more than £155,000 (including £25,000 from The Clothworkers’ Company) to fund a City Harvest Van, allowing the charity to redistribute food throughout London for three years.
Since it launched in 2023, that van has rescued more than 350,000 tonnes of food and delivered in excess of 836,000 meals. Additional livery company donations (with £25,000 from Clothworkers’) enabled LFI to add a truck to the mobile distribution ‘fleet’ in 2024, rescuing another 321,000-plus tonnes of food and distributing more than 764,000 meals. That’s more
than 1.6 million meals combined!
The Livery Food Initiative and City Harvest are not stopping there, because 30 per cent of London households – more than 2 million people – are still facing food poverty in 2025.
The Clothworkers’ Company has committed another £20,000, joining other livery companies in securing a new 2,164-square-foot distribution centre for City Harvest at New Covent Garden – where 152 fruit and vegetable wholesalers are based. The charity estimates that this will enable it to rescue healthy food from the market and distribute approximately 900,000 meals across South London – just in the first year.
VOLUNTEER WITH US
The best part? Now you can get involved and join the fight against food poverty. On Friday, 5 September, we’ve organised a Clothworkers’ group volunteer day (8.15 to 16.00) with City Harvest. Volunteers will go behind-the-scenes at the charity’s Acton warehouse (London W3 7QE), and get involved in a variety of activities – sorting produce, separating food into categories, organising donations according to ‘best-by’ dates, and even making deliveries in one of the iconic City Harvest vans!
Use the QR code here to read more or to register (first-come, first-served).
Image: Provided by Harry Stokes, working on the award-winning Kingston Chalice and Paten that he produced in partnership with Alewijn Slingerland.
MEET THE MAKERS: ALEWIJN SLINGERLAND & JONATHAN HARRY STOKES
The Head of Collections & Archives, Jessica Collins, Reports on Our Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Award Winners
This was the second year of our fledgling partnership with the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council (GC&DC), which exists to promote excellence in craftsmanship and design in silversmithing, principally through its prestigious annual competition.
The Company sponsors a prize in hand silversmithing (using traditional techniques), and this year’s gold award went to Jonathan ‘Harry’ Stokes and Alewijn Slingerland for their stunning, jointly executed, Kingston Chalice and Paten. Both are recent alumni of Bishopsland’s postgraduate residential silversmithing programme – to which we have provided tools and precious metals bursaries since 2014. Clothworkers’ Clerk Jocelyn Stuart-Grumbar presented their certificate during the recent GC&DC awards ceremony at Goldsmiths’ Hall (March 2025).
Harry and Alewijn had been approached, via Bishopsland, to make contemporary replacements for a chalice and paten stolen from the church of All Saints and St Andrew in Kingston, Cambridge.
The resulting piece was produced using traditional techniques, with the cup and paten body hammered from flat sheet; the foot fabricated sheet by sheet; and the construction of the chalice secured with a threaded system, capped by a fitted base plate. Harry undertook all the hammer work; Alewijn the fabrication and assembly. Special mention must also go to Reg Elliot for polishing and gilding.
Alewijn comments: ‘Harry and I made sure every detail was just right, honouring the craft’s heritage while adding a touch of timeless elegance. This award is not just about our craftsmanship; it’s about our friendship and collaboration.’
Completed in 2024, the piece also uniquely carries the coronation mark as well as both makers’ marks on the stem. A perfect example of collaborative teamwork, the commission stood out to the judges of the award (including Court Assistant Cordelia Rogerson), who were impressed by the quality of craftsmanship and precision of finishing.
Following his time at Bishopsland, Alewijn now works for the renowned silversmith Grant McDonald, whilst pursuing his own projects – exploring new techniques and pushing the boundaries of creativity – in his spare time. He is currently preparing a new collection for the Goldsmiths’ Fair in the autumn.
Born into a silversmithing family (Harry’s late grandfather was a successful jeweller in his time), Harry is a hand engraver and silversmith based in the Cotswolds, and part-time workshop manager at Bishopsland. He is also a recent recipient of Rod Kelly’s South House Silver Workshop Trust postgraduate silversmithing scholarship programme, to which Clothworkers’ are a major sponsor.
Of the scheme, Harry writes ‘If Bishopsland opened up the world to me, it is fair to say that, through the scholarship, I have found a path to follow within it. The opportunity to visit and learn from respected makers – Chris Perry, Brett Payne, and Rod Kelly – helped contextualise for me, not only the
MEET THE MAKERS (CONTINUED ... )
various approaches to producing silverware, but the all-important planning and work that goes into the successful administration of a thriving practice.
‘It is crucial that I mention the difference it makes having monthlong periods of being immersed in learning and creating, where you can not only learn a new technique, but practice and refine before coming away with a finished piece. To have applied what I’ve learnt to my designs, and to feel confident in using the new skills, simply would not be possible without this time frame.’
It is rewarding to witness the development of skills and confidence in young makers who have passed through training programmes supported by The Clothworkers’ Company (and evidence of the importance of such learning opportunities), and we look forward to seeing their careers flourish in the future. Congratulations to Harry and Alewijn on their award!
Silver was awarded to both Daniel Bollard, for a goblet, and Luke Potts, for a vase and clock. Bronze went to Hannah Keddie, for the ‘Lamellae Cup’. Find our GC&DC award recipients on Instagram:
GOLD: Harry is @St_Oakes Alewijn is @AlewijnSlingerland
SILVER: Daniel is @MrBollard Luke is @OttewillSilversmiths
BRONZE: Hannah is @HannahKeddieDesign
Featured image: The Kingston Chalice and Patten by Harry and Alewijn. This page: Luke’s vase and clock. Facing page: Hannah’s Lamellae Cup (left) and Daniel’s goblet (right). Courtesy of Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council Awards.
Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award: Gdsm Cameron Richardson Guardsman Richardson organised and took part in an ultra-marathon, running from Catterick Garrison to St Catherine’s Hospice in Leyland. He ran 72 miles, all to raise funds for his civilian friend who died from cancer. He raised £6,050, which was given to his friend’s family for child care costs and utility bills. A great effort, and one which should be recognised more widely.
Family Award: Sgt Menzi Bhembe Sergeant Bhembe is highly commended for his outstanding dedication, resilience, and compassion in support of Prostate Cancer Research. Setting out to
run 50 miles over the month of February, he far surpassed this initial target, often running under physical load and in the early hours before the start of demanding company duties.
His determination to raise both awareness and funds for a cause that affects so many, reflects not only his strength of character, but his enduring empathy for the families impacted by serious illness. In doing so, he has demonstrated values that go well beyond the physical leadership, humility, and care for others. Sgt Bhembe’s conduct reflects the highest standards of the service and brings great credit upon himself, his unit, and the wider Armed Forces.
Colonel’s Award: LSgt Jacob Daly Lance Sergeant Daly has recently received the top student award on section commanders battle course. This hasn’t been awarded to a Scots Guards since 1993. He is everything you want from a junior commander within the battalion and holds himself and his subordinates to a high standard. An excellent soldier, he has transitioned into the Recce Platoon with ease and is a future CSM/RSM within the battalion. Fit, enthusiastic and with high levels of energy, he is great to work with. Everyone below him looks up to him, and even his Company Sergeant Major has relied on him to raise the standards! An outstanding JNCO, and one that should be recognised at the highest level.
2024 FINANCIAL SUMMARY
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
INCOME
Property Portfolio
Investment Portfolio
Interest Receivable
Other Income
Total Income
EXPENDITURE
Direct Costs of Generating Income Overheads
Loan Finance Costs
Mission Costs
Other Costs
Total Expenditure
Overheads Charged to The Foundation
Expenditure Borne by The Company
The Clothworkers’ Company makes an annual donation to The Clothworkers’ Foundation. Adjustments may also be made to the budgeted surplus or deficit each year to reflect the capital performance of the investment portfolio. Based on this, withdrawals may be made from capital; however, no such withdrawals were made in 2024.
*In addition to the annual donation, The Company made a further donation of £0.5 million.
Investment income
2022
2023
£000
£2,653
£2,144
2024 £2,199
Investment income reduced due to the equity units donated to The Foundation at the end of 2022.
Property income £000
2022
2023
2024
£2,886
£5,263
£3,218
Rental income reduced as anticipated from 2022, with the donation of the property leases over 1 Angel Court and 120 Fenchurch Street to The Foundation.
Costs of generating income £000
2022
2023 £476
2024 £349
£1,500
These costs reduced as expected with there no longer being a direct let portfolio. Costs now mainly relate to investment management fees.
Loan finance costs
£000
2022 £423
2023 £306
2024 £211
Two fixed rate loans were taken out in 2016, in conjunction with the acquisition of two properties. One loan was fully repaid in January 2022 and the remaining loan continues to be repaid in instalments.
Other £000
2022 £427
2023 £926
2024 £1,123
Costs relate to hospitality, Member activities and special projects.
Other income £000
2022 £365 2023 £1,371
2024
£3,147
Historically, other income is mainly derived from the hall hire business and service charges, plus interest on cash balances. The hall hire business ceased in early January 2022.
Interest received in 2023 and 2024 was higher than in recent years due to the increase in interest rates and significant cash balances following receipt of the first and second tranches of proceeds on the 50 Fenchurch Street transaction.
Overheads £000
2022 £3,369 2023
£4,816
2024 £2,723
Overheads reflect the costs of running the office and day-to-day operations. A portion of this cost is recharged to The Foundation.
Mission £000
2022
2023 £368
2024
£1,627
£1,957
These costs are split between Industry Mission (Textiles) and Charitable Mission. Alongside donations to The Foundation, these costs support our strategic objectives.
2024 FINANCIAL SUMMARY
COMPANY INVESTMENT
ASSETS
£000
COMPANY ASSET
£127,211 (54%)
£3,724 (2%) Direct Property
£13,066 (5%)
£92,956 (39%)
Interest / Commodities
The Company has total assets of more than £236 million, which includes directly owned freehold property investments of more than £127 million. The property investments are largely located in the City of London.
Public Equity £000
2022
2023
2024
£76,266
£82,794
£92,956
Investments are held through pooled index-tracking funds, covering UK, International and emerging markets.
Direct Property £000
2022
2023
2024
£128,636
£120,756
£127,211
Properties are stated at market value[s] at each year end.
Private Equity £000
2022
2023
2024
£19,054
£15,928
£13,066
The Company holds stakes in 12 funds of funds, covering the UK, US, Europe, emerging markets and the Far East.
Fixed Interest / Commodities
£000
2022
2023
2024
£0
£0
£3,724
Historically, fixed income and commodities fund investments have been held as deflation and inflation hedges respectively. Available cash is reinvested across the portfolio. The commodities fund holding was sold in 2022 as part of the investment strategy.
THE CLOTHWORKERS’ FOUNDATION – SUMMARY
The Clothworkers’ Foundation funds its grants through donations received from The Clothworkers’ Company combined with income earned from its own investment portfolio.
In 2024, The Foundation awarded more than £10.78 million in grants, including new commitments and recommitted funds.
FOUNDATION
ASSET ALLOCATION £000 70 25 3 2z
(.5%)
£12,052 (3.5%)
£79,150 (24%)
(72%)
The Clothworkers’ Foundation has total assets of more than £335 million, including one freehold property in the West End and two leasehold interests in City properties donated by The Company at the end of 2022, with The Company retaining the freeholds.
Income from investments (including property and cash balances) totalled £10.41 million in 2024.
MASTER ELECT (2025-26)
MARY ANN SLIM, 506TH MASTER OF THE
COMPANY
Mary Ann was elected to the Court in 2020, having become a Clothworker in 1986 and joined the Livery in 1996. She sits on a number of committees and sub-committees, including the Hall Design Working Group (HWG) and Interior Design Sub-Group, and is currently Chair of the Members’ Activities Committee.
Having been educated in London at St Paul’s Girls’ School and King’s College London, Mary Ann began her career working in the film industry for Working Title Films and Revolution Films. She was head hunted into the music industry by BMG Music Publishing, where she headed up the Film & TV department for the UK and Europe. Mary Ann left BMG to become a founding member of Stage Three Music, an independent music publisher backed by private equity (Ingenious Media & Apax), as Global Head of Film, TV & Media. After seven years, her old company, BMG, bought Stage Three Music. She became part of BMG’s global management team and Managing Director of BMG Ireland, setting up a successful Dublin office. There, she grew the value of an internationally renowned US catalogue, following which she oversaw the catalogue sale to a major US music company. In addition to this, Mary Ann has worked within
the interior design business for Alain Mertens, as a director of Perring Design and as COO at Guy Goodfellow.
Mary Ann is a third-generation Clothworker and the daughter of John Slim (Master 1995-96) and granddaughter of Bill Slim (Master 1961-62). Both of her brothers, Mark and Hugo, are on the Livery. Jessica Slim, her niece, will soon join the Livery, and Solomon Slim, her nephew, is on the Freedom.
Mary Ann has first-hand
experience as a long-term carer for the terminally ill and as a special needs advocate, and was an NHS Volunteer during the COVID-19 crisis. She enjoys film, music, theatre, spin and TRX classes as well as travel. She is a devoted dog owner who is most often to be found walking her beloved dog.
The roles reported here were confirmed at the Election Court (June 2025).
This page: Master Elect Mary Ann Slim. Facing page: Wardens Lucy, Joanna, Hanif and James (left to right).
ELECTIONS (2025-26)
WARDENS, COURT ASSISTANTS & LIVERY
First Warden
Lucy Rawson
Lucy became a Clothworker in 1988 and served as Chair of The Clothworkers’ Foundation from 2020 to 2023.
She studied medicine at King’s College London, qualifying in 1989. She joined a rural general practice in Surrey as a GP Principal in 1994, taking on further roles as a GP Trainer and Appraiser for colleagues across Kent, Surrey, and Sussex. Over three decades, she helped guide the practice through significant growth – doubling its patient numbers and expanding the healthcare team extensively. She was actively involved in Dorking Healthcare, a private provider of NHS services, and represented her practice within the Dorking Primary Care Network. In recognition of her contributions to general practice, she was awarded
Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners in 2016. Although she retired from her practice in 2025, she continues to work as a GP locum and Appraiser.
Lucy is the daughter of Sam Rawson (Master 2004–05). She is married to Marc Kernick, and they have three sons, two of whom are members of the Freedom. In her spare time, she enjoys walking Rosy, a fox red Labrador, through the footpaths of the beautiful Surrey Hills, as well as cycling and hill walking in the Lake District. Lucy and Marc are active members of their local church and share a love for sailing – many adventures have been had aboard their much-loved dinghy, Skylark, and on bareboat charter worldwide.
Second Warden
Joanna Dodd
A former Clothworker Exhibitioner
(Classics and Modern Languages) at St Catherine’s College Oxford, Joanna got back in contact with The Company some years later, when one of her then clients, the Royal Hospital Chelsea (home of the Chelsea pensioners) was in contact with several Livery Companies. She was admitted by Redemption in 2009, joining the Livery in 2010 and the Court in 2016. Joanna sits on a number of Company committees and sub-committees and is currently Deputy Chair of Superintendence.
Prior to St Catherine’s, she was educated at Roedean and has worked in Public Relations since 1986 –both in-house and in consultancy, working for independent agencies as well as within the Saatchi & Saatchi and Bartle Bogle Hegarty groups. She was a director of the ChinaBritain Business Council 2010-16 and founded and ran a generalist PR agency, Lawson Dodd, from 1992 to
ELECTIONS (2025-26)
2011. She then went on to set up Rochester PR Group in 2011, which specialises in helping international companies and brands with their market entry into the UK, with a particular focus on the tech, professional services, food & drink and lifestyle sectors.
Joanna was a Trustee of The Clothworkers’ Foundation (201119), and in 2019 Joanna became a Trustee of Carers Trust, the charity for unpaid carers.
Outside work, her interests include travel, film and music. She has two grown-up daughters and lives in Kent.
Third Warden Hanif Virji
Hanif is a first-generation Clothworker who served as a Trustee and Chair of The Clothworkers’ Foundation (201524), and joined the Court in 2019.
After training as a theoretical
physicist at the University of Bristol, Hanif worked in investment banking at firms such as JP Morgan and Lazard Brothers. In 2001, he started a corporate finance boutique and a financial disputes advisory firm. Hanif has a particular interest in education and women’s rights. He served on the board of the RSA for six years as well as on the board of the Womanity Foundation. His interest in education is international, and he has been involved with schools in Jamaica, Afghanistan, East Africa and other countries.
A recent retiree, Hanif is now studying towards an MSc in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
In his spare time, he enjoys reading, cooking, the theatre, and, somewhat late in life, attending pop concerts. He has two adult children and lives in London.
Fourth Warden James Langley
James joined the Court in 2023,
having been admitted to The Company in 2007 and promoted to the Livery in 2012.
Educated at Winchester, James went on to study Philosophy at Edinburgh University, followed by an MSc in Information Systems at Napier University. He started working in the Oil Industry building visualisation tools, before starting a company in the United States to help newspapers build websites. He then moved into Financial Services, working at a number of banks including Dresdner Kleinwort, UBS and HSBC to build electronic trading systems across Fixed Income, FX and Equities. He is currently Head of Markets Trading Architecture at the London Stock Exchange Group.
Outside of work, James’ other interests include woodworking, food and drink, travel, skiing, Ultimate Frisbee.
He is married to Pip with two daughters, and is the son of Peter Langley (Court Assistant).
Livery
Catherine Brown
Catherine obtained a degree in Neuroscience from the University of Oxford and has since gained experience in the healthcare sector in both London and Singapore. In 2024, Catherine returned to London from Singapore, where she worked at a luxury Longevity Medicine clinic. She is currently employed in digital health at Manual/Voy in the Clinical Innovation and Research team focusing on strategy and operations.
Her interests include art, tennis, film, and travel.
A fourth-generation Clothworker, Catherine is the daughter of William Walter Brown (Livery), and the great-granddaughter of Walter Pothecary, who served as Clerk (1933-50) and as Master (1952-53).
Sarah Churton
Sarah is a corporate international tax partner at KPMG. She is also
the regional head of tax for the South Central Region and splits her time between working in London, Reading and her home in Bath. During her career, Sarah has spent time working in New Zealand and New York.
Her connection with Clothworkers’ comes from her grandfather, Gus Claxton, who was Rector at St Olave’s and chaplain to The Company for many years until the mid 1980s. Sarah is the current captain of our sailing team.
Luke Farrant
Educated at St Edward’s, Oxford and Newcastle University, Luke is a Company Executive with media agency, White Spider Media. In his spare time he enjoys sport, reading and travelling.
A fourth-generation Clothworker, Luke is the son of Jane Frazer (Freedom), and grandson of The Hon Mrs Una Rowcliffe, née Slim (Freedom).
Sarah Harrison
Sarah is a retired teacher after being Head of Classics at Queen’s College, Harley Street, where she enjoyed devising little Latin plays and was keen to promote the recitation of Latin and Greek. Her interests include art and architecture, photography, history, music, languages and religions. She volunteers at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield, where she is on the PCC as Safeguarding Officer and Education Officer.
She is married, with two children and three small grandchildren. Granddaughter of Sir Stephen Gaselee (Renter Warden, made Free in 1903), her connection with The Company goes back to her threetimes-great grandfather James Horne (Master, 1846-47).
Harry Matovu
Harry was admitted by Redemption in 2022. A barrister and King’s Counsel at Brick Court Chambers, he is also
ELECTIONS (2025-26)
the Founder and Chair of the Black Talent Charter and interested in issues of racial disadvantage (in particular, the need to improve the representation of talented black professionals in business, finance and other professions). Harry’s passion for the arts and work, over nine years, as a Trustee of Chichester Festival Theatre has confirmed his belief in the transformative power of the performing arts and music to change individual lives and to deepen understanding and societal cohesion across many divides.
Harry has a wide-ranging and high-profile legal practice, domestically and abroad. He has built up a substantial litigation and international arbitration practice (as counsel and arbitrator), worked in banking, energy, insurance/ reinsurance and fraud claims, and is a leading silk for Africa-related disputes – he received the ‘Africa’s 30 Arbitration Powerlist 2020 Award’ from the Africa Arbitration Academy.
Emily May
Emily became Free by Redemption, highly recommended by Past Master, Christopher McLean May. After winning the New Designers Clothworkers’ Award for Printed Textiles in 2014, Emily has now served as a Clothworkers’ judge
for the New Designers Associate’s Prize for a number of years. In 2019, Emily also became involved with the Bradford Textile Society Design Competition in a similar capacity. She is the first ‘alumna’ to join The Company since the annual Alumni Dinner was established. In 2020 Emily was invited to become a member of the Textile Sub Committee where she continues to contribute her knowledge of textiles and textile production in the UK.
In 2024, Emily became a trustee of the Fry Art Gallery. She enjoys spending time in museums and galleries, where she gathers the vast majority of her inspiration for her designs. The main body of her work is illustrative, narrative textiles produced for fashion design. Emily is very passionate about supporting the UK fashion and textile industry through all of her professional activities.
Daniel Portal
Daniel is a professional property investor with a diverse academic and professional background. He studied the piano, maths and physics at university, and is a former professional pianist and music school head teacher.
Son of Philip Portal (Master, 202122), Daniel is a third-generation
Clothworker. The connection dates back to 1928 when Daniel’s grandfather, Sir Francis Portal, Bt (Master, 1970-71), was made Free by Redemption.
Jessica Slim
Jessie is a University of Cambridge graduate with a degree in French and Russian. She had a previous career in the film industry before completing the Graduate Diploma in Law in 2022.
In 2024, she qualified as a solicitor at Bindmans LLP, a leading human rights firm, where she gained particular expertise in Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs), Citizenship Deprivation Orders, and asylum seeker accommodation challenges. Jessie is now a criminal defence solicitor at Blackfords LLP, a top tier legal 500 firm and one of the top ranked criminal legal aid firms in the country. Based in Croydon, she balances a combination of court advocacy and litigation, running a broad range of general crime cases in both the magistrates courts and the crown courts.
Daughter of Dr The Hon Hugo John Robertson Slim (Livery), Jessie is a fourth-generation Clothworker. Her great-grandfather was Field Marshal Viscount Slim (Master, 1961-62). Her grandfather, the second Viscount Slim, also served as Master (1995-96).
DID YOU KNOW?
The Annual Meeting of the Livery, which is followed by the Election Dinner, is an important date in our Clothworkers’ calendar. It is a chance to hear news and updates on the work of both The Company and The Foundation. In 2025, this will include a presentation on the work of The Clothworkers’ Foundation and an update on 50 Fenchurch Street (and Clothworkers’ Hall).
The Election Dinner, for Clothworkers only, allows us to welcome new Livery Members and celebrate the service of those ending their terms as Master and Warden, who pass the baton on to our soonto-be Master and Wardens.
This page: Images from our Election Dinner at Drapers’ Hall (2024 and 2025), by Kate Darkins Photography. You can find images from all our recent events on the passwordprotected Members’ Area, under ‘Event Photography’.
IN MEMORIAM
We regret to announce the following deaths among the Livery and Freedom:
Amy McVittie Livery (May 2025)
Amy is pictured (top right) with Alex Milne (FANY) at the recent Masters’ & Clerks’ Dinner.
Jane, Lady Portal, DL Freedom (April 2025)
Lady Portal is pictured (bottom right) with her son, Past Master Sir Jonathan Portal, Bt at the St Thomas’ Eve Freedom Luncheon (2019).
Announcements include notices missed in the previous publication or those for Clothworkers who have passed since we published our previous magazine.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY
FRIDAY, 5 SEPTEMBER: City Harvest Volunteer Day. Register early! More information on page 10.
SATURDAY, 6 SEPTEMBER: Clothworkers’ Country Walk, organised by Livery Member Oliver Hamilton.
SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER: The Woolmen’s Annual Sheep Drive and Livery Fair. Watch the Master in the first drive of the day and explore the fair, where we’ve sponsored a stall for Bishopsland.
Visit the website and Members’ Area: www.Clothworkers.co.uk. Connect with us at:
