The Worshipful Company of Turners Charitable Trust
The Turners’ Company Charity is registered at and regulated by the Charity Commission No. 267372.
The objects of the Trust are for general charitable purposes, but its principal aims are to support the craft of turning and to promote charities related to the City and the Company.
Our aims
Turning support is through competitions and exhibition, bursaries and other educational training as well as working with the professional and amateur turning associations within the UK. The Charity (with the Company itself) plays a leading role in the renaissance of the craft through its support for a wide range of educational, training and professional activities, often through the provision of some 20 lathes which the company loans to training establishments, provision of tools and training on a long-term basis. Part of the programme is focused on schools caring for children with special needs.
Danielle Flowers is a bursary award winner and Yeoman of the Company, pictured here with her work.
Darren Appiagyei is a Cockpit Arts award winner and Yeoman of the Company, pictured here with his work, and with the Master Christopher Scott (2024 / 25).
Current support and giving to Charities including outside of the craft of Turning
In 2023, the Company established a new relationship with Blackhorse Workshop in Walthamstow, East London, a social enterprise offering workshop access to all. They inspire new makers and creative businesses to grow with affordable studio space and the support of experts. Blackhorse is now an accredited centre for delivering the Company’s Certificate in Turning and two of the Charity’s lathes have been relocated there.
The Charity has continued its relationship with the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), a charity which invests in scholars providing excellence in British craftsmanship.
The Charity continues its relationship with London based Cockpit Arts, a ‘business incubator’ for craftspeople. It bridges the gap between talent and opportunity by providing affordable studio space and in-house business support to emerging makers.
The Charity has made donations to buy equipment for the new ‘wood hub’ within Cockpit’s major refurbishment, and to fund a ‘wood hub manager’.
The Charity offers significant bursaries to help talented turners develop their skills and to move to a higher level of achievement. Applicants need to present a clear plan of how the award will advance their work and raise the profile of the craft. Bursaries are awarded to fund research, training and business knowledge to help improve turning and how to market the product as well as purchase specialist equipment.
The Charity has developed and launched the Yeoman scheme under which previous winners of Company training awards are invited to become a ‘Yeoman’ in the Company and receive further support and a chance to network. The Charity is very grateful to an anonymous benefactor which has allowed the Charity to provide over £5,000 a year to support the scheme over the next decade or so.
The Charity also supports two Emerging Turners’ Workshops (ETW), organised by the Register of Professional Turners. The first being held at the Max Carey Trust in Portishead, with 18 young professional turners learning new techniques as well as business and networking skills, with the second being run in Mirfield, near Leeds for 17 young turners, almost half of them female, demonstrating the wide appeal of the craft.
The Charity also regularly contributes to the Lord Mayor’s charities, the armed forces and major city charity events such as the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch, and the Red Cross Fair.
Our commitment to supporting a sustainable supply of UK grown wood for our turning communities:
The Charity made a donation to Woodland Heritage Trust, the stated aim of which is to improve the way in which trees are grown, maintained and harvested in the UK.
Events
The Charity also organises two high profile city based events.
Wizardry in Wood is a unique and prestigious Livery event held every four years in the City of London over four days. 2025 marks the 6th Wizardry in Wood. The event plays a major role in promoting the craft – or ‘art and mysterie’ of woodturning by introducing outstanding woodturners and their work to a wider public. It brings together many of the finest specialist woodturners in the country along with the opportunity to view the extraordinary skills and creativity of amateur and professional woodturners. Along with displays and the Master’s competition there are turning demonstrations and informative lectures.
Woodturning Connect, is held every two years and is a special event combining competitions organised by the Company with a themed exhibition of work from many of the UK’s leading exponents of woodturning.
Charity Awards Distribution
