Crisis Text Service Offering comfort in a crisis

In 2022, on World Mental Health Day, we announced a new ongoing partnership with Shout with the aim of supporting anyone working in the UK furnishing industry who is struggling to cope.

Powered by charity Mental Health Innovations, Shout is the UK’s first and only free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging support service that can help with issues such as anxiety, bullying, depression, loneliness or isolation, money worries, relationship problems, self-harm, stress and suicide.

Anyone in distress who wishes to start a conversation with a trained volunteer simply needs to text the word ‘COMFORT’ to 85258.

Jonny Westbrooke, CEO of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “We’re proud to partner with Mental Health Innovations to offer free and confidential support round the clock to anyone who needs to talk. We hope our new text support service will provide comfort to those working in our trade who need someone to talk to.”

Victoria Hornby OBE, CEO of Mental Health Innovations, said: “We are pleased to be working with The Furniture Makers’ Company to raise crucial awareness of mental health and let anyone working in the UK furnishing industry know that free, confidential help is available to them 24/7 through Shout. Our partnership will help more people who are struggling to cope get the support they need, when they need it.”

Any company wishing to promote the service to staff is encouraged to enquire about a free pack of promotional materials. furnituremakers.org.uk/crisis-text-service Text ‘COMFORT’ to 85258

One of the principal functions of guilds and livery companies in medieval times was to regulate competition in the City of London and ensure high standards in professions were maintained.

Today, we pay homage to this fine tradition of upholding excellence through our three Guild Marks – the Bespoke Guild Mark, Design Guild Mark and Manufacturing Guild Mark.

Presided over by independent experts and arbiters, our Guild Marks honour and decorate the very best designers and manufacturers in the UK, giving them invaluable marketing tools to promote themselves in Great Britain and to the rest of the world. British design and manufacturing are second to none, and we are committed to helping our industry publicise it on the world stage.

The following pages recognise the individuals and companies that have won or maintained these covetous awards in the past livery year.