Patrons Update – August 2022
The GCCT is in the process of appointing 10 Founding Patrons to the 1637 Club. To date, we have 7 Patrons that have committed themselves to a 5-year Patronage.
The GCCT charity was founded in 2007 and has to date supported 22 apprentices in the art of gunmaking which translates into an investment of nearly £500,000.
To date, we have relied on donations and fundraising events that have enabled us to sponsor up to 5 apprentices in any one year. There is now sufficient demand to allow us to aspire to greater numbers of bursary recipients, and the GCCT is looking to increase the number of bursaries number to 10 apprentices per year.
To achieve this goal, we are creating a Patrons Club, the ‘1637 Club’ which will have an exclusive and limited number of members of no more than 10 and will not be limited to those who live in the UK. There are global selected people who have invested heavily over the years in fine English guns and gunmaking, and for them, this is a unique opportunity to support the craft which they love and to get closer to the Gunmakers Company and its work.
These initial Patrons are to be called Founder Patrons and are viewed by the panel to be influential people in the gun making world. The team Patron selection team is made up of James Horne GCCT Chairman and ex Purdey Chairman, Daryl Greatrex ex MD of Holland & Holland, Marc Newton MD of Rigby and Richard Hefford-Hobbs Chairman of Gallyon Gun & Rifle makers.
As mentioned above, the club is called the 1637 Club, which recognises and pays homage to the founding of the Worshipful Company of Gunmakers, London.
The 1637 Club will provide some unique opportunities as part of their unique patronage. This includes a special visit and lunch in the London Proof House with a ceremonial key that recognises membership, select invitations to Gunmakers Livery dinners as a privileged guest and other special features to acknowledge the special support of craftsmanship in the art of gunmaking.
The criteria of patronage and membership of this unique club is the commitment to pay £5,000 per year for a minimum period of 5 years to the GCCT.
