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Last week the Company recognised the contribution Last week the Company recognised the contribution of some very special young people: the Queen Elizabeth II Citizenship Awardees.

Established in 2024, this Award seeks to recognise the contribution of students who give back to their schools and wider community through the characteristics of the late Queen: tolerance, kindness, selfless service, loyalty, integrity and respect.

These are often students whose achievements may go unacknowledged, but whose actions benefit others and whose importance should not be overlooked.

The 2026 QEII Citizenship Awardees came to the Hall in July to meet the Prime Warden and Wardens. They were thanked for the work they undertake in their schools and communities. All had chosen a charity that would benefit from a small award of £250 each.

Students selected to support charities ranging from those providing musical instruments to schools, to those providing therapy to families, to those supporting older people suffering from loneliness.

All of these young people have made an exceptional contribution to their school and wider communities, displaying values that each of them should be deeply proud of. We hope that they will continue to carry these wonderful values forward into their futures.

IMPORTANT NOTE OF CLARIFICATION: We deeply regret that in a previous iteration of this post, incorrect information was published surrounding the tragic death of a student from Haberdashers' Adams school. We recognise that this mistake has caused significant pain for Max's family and those who love him. The Company apologises wholeheartedly and unreservedly for any distress caused.
Last week we celebrated the medieval history and h Last week we celebrated the medieval history and heritage of the Company, with a very 21st century group of young people: our Fashion & Textiles scholars.

At the annual Fashion & Textiles RoundTable we offered our scholars the chance to reflect, to be inspired and to network. From institutions including the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London, University of the Arts London, Royal College of Art (Textiles) and Cockpit Arts, Deptford, they represent the history of the Company – given our ancient roots in the haberdashery trade – but with a very modern and creative outlook.

Scholars were reminded to build their personal brand, that networking is their superpower and how mentors can help provide the guidance needed to move forward in the sector. Failure is feedback rather than a dead-end or disaster, and rooting yourself in a community can be a lifeline when things are challenging.

Thank you to Monique Walcott, Faith Johnson and Caroline Attwood for hosting and speaking so powerfully at this session.

Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAzXm63Z
Last week @stjohnshoxton - one of our eight Haberd Last week @stjohnshoxton - one of our eight Haberdasher parish churches - celebrated 200 Years of being ‘a beacon of hope for East London’.

Over 600 local residents and guests joined St John's Hoxton in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the church’s opening this June, culminating in a special service attended by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. 

Across a weekend of festivities, worship and thanksgiving, the celebrations reflected three themes that have shaped the life of St John's since 1826: faithful worship, service to Hoxton, and investment in future generations.

The most striking feature of the bicentenary celebrations was the prominent role played by children and young people.

From performances at the Summer Fair to welcoming HRH, from leading the intercessions to sharing personal testimonies during the service, young people were at the heart of the celebrations.

Read more: www.haberdashers.co.uk/blog/st-johns-hoxton-celebrates-200-years/
In June 300 Year 5 pupils from across the family o In June 300 Year 5 pupils from across the family of schools joined us at Haberdashers Hall. Split across four days, pupils were in mixed groups from the beginning of the day – gaining the opportunity to meet one another as well as take part in sessions to better understand the work of the Company and how it connects to their school. By the time they left at half past three, they had handled historic artefacts, grown herb kits for families in need, pitched charity ideas as a BBC Newsround segment, and discussed what it means to be a Haberdasher.

The Haberdashers’ Advantage – the combination of Futures, Character, and Working Together that defines what our schools offer – has historically taken shape at secondary level. These Year 5 visits change that by laying the groundwork early: introducing pupils to the Company, building the foundations for the Futures programme they will experience in secondary school, and making clear from the age of ten that they are part of something significant. Through sharing the stories of our members, and highlighting the skills pupils develop throughout the day, career stereotypes are challenged and children begin to imagine a future they might not otherwise consider.
The Haberdashers' Company uses its grant-making ca The Haberdashers' Company uses its grant-making capacity to support micro charities close to its schools and its ancient churches. The Company believes in a whole-community approach to giving where they can have multiple potential touchpoints in young peoples lives. 

St Peter’s is a church in the heart of the town centre. It would be easy to assume there isn’t any need for the Company to support young people in and around Chertsey. But dig below the surface and you will soon find students who have typically struggled in mainstream education: young people for whom a more traditional approach has simply not worked.

The Company has supported GASP Motor Project since 2024, funding its programme with young people in Chertsey secondary schools.

Many young people arrive at the project disengaged, low in confidence, and unconvinced that achievement is something that happens to people like them. Most leave with certificates, skills, and a different sense of what’s possible.
In April 2025 @sportsfun4all received their first In April 2025 @sportsfun4all received their first ever piece of core funding — £5,000 from the Haberdashers’ Company — given to them as an organisation to invest in their people and capacity. It sounds simple, but for a community charity running free football sessions across London, it was anything but.

The reality for most small charities is that writing funding applications takes dedicated time. That time is hard to find when you’re busy delivering the work. The funding is out there but it's therefore difficult to tap into.

The grant enabled CEO, Kieran, to spend 10 dedicated hours each week on applications. Two hundred and fifty hours of focused effort that simply wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

In total, they secured £98,839 — meaning that for every £1 we invested in their CEO’s time, brought back roughly £19.77. That’s an impressive return on an investment for any small organisation and underscores the power or resilience.

Read more: https://lnkd.in/eu95YYX4

Photography: Robin Prime
We are delighted to announce that Kemi Ajose, a Co We are delighted to announce that Kemi Ajose, a Cockpit charity partner scholar of the Company, has been selected as one of the Lady Mayor’s Apprentices, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the textiles and fashion sector.

We are absolutely thrilled for Kemi whose appointment follows a competitive nomination process and reflects both her individual achievement and her growing reputation as an emerging maker.

Kemi has also been active in supporting our Habs students during Haberdashers' Advantage Character programme days at the Hall - sharing her knowledge and inspiring the next generation of artists. A great example of our charity partners and schools working together to create more resilience and creative communities.

@morenikeji_textiles 
@kemi_19xx
@cityoflondoncorp 

https://ow.ly/H3iE50YzGVy

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