The Goldsmiths’ Company Impact Report 2023/24
The Goldsmiths’ Company received its first royal charter in 1327. Nearly 700 years later, the organisation still does what it was set up to do: supporting our craft and trade, assaying and hallmarking precious metals, training apprentices and craftspeople, and transforming the life chances of the most vulnerable through philanthropic giving.
Think about it. There are few organisations that have such a long, unbroken history. Even fewer are still doing the same things – in the same place and in more or less the same way – as they were in the 14th century. We are, in many ways, sui generis – one of a kind.
As a company with deep roots in the past, we do meaningful work in the contemporary world. This is as rare as it is remarkable. Recognising this, it is essential that, in honouring our past, we retain our relevance amidst the complex challenges of today. We do this through our roles as a cultural institution, as a champion for our trade, as a philanthropic body and as a membership organisation.
The creative industries are a national success story, a sector that, in the last decade, has grown more than twice as fast as the economy as a whole. Yet our trade’s contribution to this has often been overlooked. That is beginning to change. As a cultural institution, the Company has a key role in raising the profile of our industry, as well as bringing it to the attention of wider audiences through collections, commissions, events and exhibitions.
Investment in the next generation of craftspeople is vital if the uk is to retain a leading position in jewellery and silversmithing. As a champion of our craft and trade, each year the Company and our Charity put more than £2m into training, apprenticeships, and enabling people to launch, grow and sustain viable careers and businesses. Last year, through the Goldsmiths’ Centre, we supported 128 resident craftspeople and members, empowered 118 start-ups, trained 218 people, and enabled 210 young people from underrepresented communities to enter creative careers.
Beyond this, through our philanthropy, we support a range of inspiring charities, from groundbreaking initiatives in the criminal-justice system empowering people to rebuild their lives, to imaginative interventions in early years and with primary schools to develop essential skills of numeracy, literacy and oracy. Last year, thanks to our grants, our charity partners directly supported more than 126,000 individuals, trained 4,744 facilitators and indirectly reached a further 58,000 people. We are tremendously proud of this impact.
This work matters and it is powered by our people. As a membership organisation, the Company is rich in social connections. Goldsmiths’ is a community, bringing people together in fellowship to make the world a better place. Since joining in January, I have been deeply inspired by the enthusiasm of our members and the expertise of my colleagues. My thanks to the Court of Assistants for welcoming me and especially to Prime Warden, Richard Reid, and past Prime Warden, Charles Mackworth-Young, for their support.
There are exciting times ahead. The year 2027 is a key moment in the Goldsmiths’ Company’s history – one not only of celebration but also of renewed commitment to our mission. It is a moment of renaissance, creating a foundation for the future. As we come to mark 700 years, we build on the legacy of our forebears. Expressing gratitude for the past and generosity towards the future, it is a time to ask ourselves: How might we, too, be good ancestors to the generations who come after us?