A virtual welcome to our new members

We were thrilled to admit eight new freemen and a corporate freeman at a special virtual admission ceremony earlier this month.

New freemen are usually welcomed into the Company during a formal ceremony at Furniture Makers’ Hall, during which the new members make a declaration to uphold the values of the organisation.

However, with COVID-19 still making it unsafe for people to gather, the ceremony was held online on Thursday 3 December.

The freemen that were admitted were:

• Areeb Ali, construction designer, NEJ Stevenson
• Indira Esser-Dunbar, designer maker & apprenticeship coordinator, Sebastian Cox
• Murray Hudson, managing director, Gratnells 
• Juan Junca, director, Studio Manolo 
• Tabetha van der Lande, apprentice, Sebastian Cox     
• Christian Watson, designer Maker, Christian Watson
• Martin West, key accounts manager, Balta Floorcovering UK
• Andrew Woodbridge, owner, Resolution Consultants 

During the ceremony, we also welcomed Brook & Wilde as a corporate supporter.

By signing up a corporate supporter, companies can get involved in the furnishing sector to directly participate in the industry’s only charitable organisation.

Each corporate supporter has the opportunity to nominate one corporate freeman. We are delighted to welcome Andrew Tyler, co-founder and director, as Brook & Wilde’s corporate freeman.

All of the new freemen and corporate freeman will be invited to a ceremony at Furniture Makers’ Hall in 2021 when coronavirus restrictions are no longer in place.

David Woodward, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: ” I was delighted and privileged to admit our eight new freemen and our new corporate supporter into the Company in our second virtual admission ceremony. I was particularly pleased that four or them are young freemen. They come from a diverse range of sectors of the industry, including flooring, manufacturing, designer making, an apprentice and more. I’m very much looking forward to meeting them all at Common Hall when we will hold a live re-admission ceremony.”