Charitable support: from nurturing new talent to legacy giving

The Upholders Charity can trace its origins back to a bequest made by Peter Jackson in 1707.

Its principal purpose is to support education and training in our crafts through bursaries and prizes. It also supports the Civic City by making grants to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and others. Outside the City we support prisoner rehabilitation, military affiliations and sea cadets. This year the Circle of Life embroidery project is its principal focus.

History

Training and care for those from our crafts and their families has been part of the Upholders’ DNA since the Livery’s foundation in the 14^th century. So charitable giving has long been central to the Company and remains a defining element of its modern identity. 

Some records indicate that the company had alms houses on the site of its former hall between 1666 and 1863 but this is far from certain. One of its earliest formal funds dates back to the early 18th century, when Peter Jackson donated £800—equivalent to around £170,000 today—to support upholsterers in need and to provide pensions for 20 members or their widows.

In the 20th century, the Neville Hayman Charity was established to promote trade education through bursaries, prizes and awards.

Today, the Company’s charitable work is delivered through The Upholders Charity, founded in 2019 to bring together all previous charitable trusts, including the Peter Jackson and Neville Hayman funds. Although the Charity operates independently, its objectives remain closely aligned with those of the Company.

Education, bursaries and awards

A key focus of the Charity’s work is nurturing new talent through educational bursaries, supporting students in the upholstery and funeral trades to train and gain qualifications.

Its flagship programme, the Bob Fowlds Memorial Fund, was established following a donation from the family of upholsterer Bob Fowlds. He was the fourth—and final— generation to run Fowlds Upholsterers, a South London firm founded in 1870. The business survived both World Wars and later undertook commissions ranging from the House of Lords to television programmes such as Big Brother and The One Show.

This funds up to ten bursaries awarded to students across the UK enabling those facing financial hardship to train in Upholstery. Covering up to 50% of their course fees.

Complementing this is the Usher Travel Bursary, established in memory of Past Master Ray Usher. This provides annual grants of £1,000 to support travel within the UK or overseas for research related to upholstery or the funeral trade. Recipients have used these awards to explore traditional techniques in Scandinavia, attend tapestry fairs in Naples, and study contemporary museum display practices across the UK.

The Charity also supports awards at the East London Furniture Institute, West Dean College of Arts, Design, Craft & Conservation and the National Upholders Awards. These include the Derek Austin Awards for furniture restoration and Margaret & David Johnson Awards for T levels and 1^st year diploma studies.

Other Support 

Beyond education, the Charity also assists anyone from our crafts, trade pensioners and former practitioners facing hardship.

The Upholders Charity supports individuals and organisations with which it has long-standing relationships. While most of its giving is directed towards established partner organisations, the Charity also supports a wider range of causes, particularly within the City of London.

Each incoming Master selects causes of particular interest to them to support during their year of office. In recent years these have included Fine Cell Work, The Clink and the Bob Fowlds Fund.

The Charity maintains a long-standing relationship with Fine Cell Work, which trains prisoners in high-quality hand embroidery and upholstery. More recently, it has supported Sammy’s Foundation, which provides heritage craft training for young people with neurodivergence. It also contributes to City-wide initiatives, including the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the Magical Taxi Tour—run in association with the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers—which takes children with life-limiting conditions to Disneyland Paris. Support for the Chelmsford Sea Cadets, T.S. Upholder, has included providing a new rescue boat.

 

Fundraising 

The Upholders Charity is funded through dedicated fundraising activities, investment income and donations from Liverymen.

Annual fundraising is led by the Master’s charitable initiatives, Recent efforts include a 140-mile sponsored walk, “In the Footsteps of William Morris”, which raised around £20,OOO. The Master and a group of intrepid Liverymen and raised a further £20,OOO by abseiling 300 feet down the exterior of the Lloyd’s of London building. The Flock & Feather Dinner and Auction, held in February 2026, generated an additional £7,500.

The Emlyn Society

To ensure the long-term sustainability of its work, the Charity encourages members of the Livery to consider leaving a legacy through the Emlyn Society. It was named after John Emlyn, an Upholder who wrote a will in 1474 containing several legacies. The Society recognises those who name the Charity as a beneficiary in their will and aims to build a fund that will support both the trade and the Charity for future generations.

Members of the Emlyn Society are eligible to sponsor a silver goblet, known as the Emlyn Goblet, as a symbol of their commitment. The base of the goblet features a sparver—a representation of the medieval canopy depicted on the Company’s coat of arms—alongside the heraldic ermine. The upper section may be engraved with the sponsor’s name and a personal design.

These goblets also play a social role: sponsors bring them to the Company’s two principal annual dinners, a tradition intended to encourage conversation and promote awareness of the Society among members.