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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

The Haberdashers' Foundation is thrilled to announ

The Haberdashers' Foundation is thrilled to announce a major milestone this March, as it now raises an impressive £100,000 each year, thanks entirely to the generous regular donations from our members.

Unbeknownst to him, Rhys Major, set up his regular gift just days after he joined the Company. His contribution helped us reach that significant milestone.

The tradition of giving runs deeply through the Company, with members donating their time, skills and money to support the Company deliver on its purpose of 'empowering young people to achieve their potential through our schools and by supporting their communities.'

Serendipitously, Rhys was at school at Haberdashers' Monmouth, and in 2017 he received a small grant from the Company as a contribution to the costs of a Legal Practice Course. His report from that experience includes the line ‘I look forward also to supporting and involving myself in as many ways as possible with the Haberdashers’ Company and contributing in any way with the work of the Company, as it is the least I can do to repay such generosity’. We're delighted that he has kindly followed through on that ambition.

Read more: https://haberdashers.co.uk/blog/jackpot-meaningful-milestones/

We all know we need to get round to writing our wi

We all know we need to get round to writing our will. But life is busy and it slips down our to-do list. So, we’ve come up with a novel way to help you give that won’t cost you anything today. It should also help you deal with something that you’ve probably been meaning to tackle…

That why we've partnered with expert online will writers, Octopus Legacy, to offer our members the chance to write their will free of cost this #freewillmonth

Habs has articulated its purpose with clarity: to empower young people from every background to fulfil their potential through our schools and by supporting their communities.

This builds on 700 years of history, standing on the shoulders of visionary Haberdashers. Yet we are not here merely to preserve their legacy—we are actively shaping the world of tomorrow.

Today’s world presents unprecedented challenges for young people preparing for their futures. Economic uncertainty, technological disruption, and social inequality mean the gap between aspiration and opportunity continues to widen.

Leaving a gift in your will to the Haberdashers' Foundation means leaving a legacy for generations to come.

https://ow.ly/gcaM50Yq5Y0

Empowering young people from every background to fulfil their potential

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