On the 24 April 2026, at a small reception ahead of the annual St George’s Dinner, this year held at Vintners’ Hall, the Bowyers’ Company were pleased to become signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant.
The Livery Companies are among the City’s oldest institutions. What unites all 114 Companies, alongside the City of London, heritage crafts, trade and tradition, is a continuing commitment to public good — to adapting with society, while holding fast to values of service, responsibility, and philanthropy
A particularly important aspect of Livery ethos has long been the link with the Armed Forces which the Company saw demonstrated at its Armed Forces Covenant signing event at Vintners’ Hall. 95 of the 114 Livery Companies — including, now, the Bowyers’ Company — have signed the Armed Forces Covenant. This reflects a shared understanding amongst the Livery: that service, discipline, and duty to others deserve recognition and sustained support.
For the Bowyers’ Company and the Bowyers’ Charitable Trust, this commitment is practical and personal. The Trust supports a range of Armed Forces and Veterans’ initiatives — from the Mercian Regiment Benevolent Trust and the Royal British Legion, to the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch, through which, this year, the Trust is a Lifework’s Veteran sponsor. The Trust also supports three affiliated Cadet units.
The Master Bowyer, Sir David Wootton, was pleased to welcome guests to the ceremony from the Company’s Armed Forces community and all of its Armed Forces and Cadet affiliations. Guests included representatives from the Company’s Military affiliations, the Mercian Regiment and HMS Achilles, as well as affiliate Cadet units, TS St Vincent Brentwood Sea Cadets, 32 Detachment Army Cadets and Air 338 Air Cadets. Members of the Bowyers’ Company Armed Forces community including Service personnel, Reservists, Veterans and Forces families were also in attendance as guests at the event. Also in attendance were the Bowyers’ Military Affiliation leads, many of whom give significant amounts of their own time to develop and deepen the affiliation relationship with the Bowyers’ Company and its Charitable Trust.
The Bowyers’ Company Upper Warden, Maj Gen Dr Andrew Sharpe CBE welcomed those assembled and introduced the Ministry of Defence (MOD) signatory Lt Gen Sir Ian Cave KCB who spoke alongside the Master Bowyer before signing the covenant. A special occasion for the Bowyers’ Company cementing in writing its steadfast and enduring support to the Armed Forces Community.
The guests then joined the annual St George’s Dinner, celebrating the work of the Bowyers’ Charitable Trust, enjoying the hospitality of Vintners’ Hall. The dinner, this year, continued on the theme of the Armed Forces, the Uniformed Cadets and the City of London.
The Bowyers’ Company were grateful for the support of the Reserve Forces and Cadet’s Association Greater London, throughout the process of signing the Covenant and in facilitating the evening. The Master Bowyer and Officers are also most grateful to the MOD Covenant Signatory, Lt Gen Sir Ian Cave KCB, and all the representatives of the Company’s military affiliations (and its own Armed Forces community) who were able to take time out of their very busy diaries to support the evening and celebrate this special occasion.
