We are delighted to have recently awarded Fellowship of the City & Guilds of London Institute to five new Fellows who are making exceptional contributions to industry, education and craft. Becoming a Fellow is a prestigious honour; the highest that can be conferred by the City and Guilds of London Institute.
Founded in 1878 and established as part of the City & Guilds Foundation, the Fellowship is a mark of excellence, celebrating those who have demonstrated remarkable professional and personal achievements, inspiring others in their respective fields and influencing positive change. Fellows come from diverse backgrounds including engineering, construction, education, business, the creative arts, and technology.
Selected by the City & Guilds Council, Fellows are individuals who have not only reached the pinnacle of their careers but have also committed themselves to mentorship, training, and the development of future generations. Their contributions often extend beyond their immediate profession, fostering greater opportunities and inclusivity within their industries. The award serves as both recognition of past achievements and encouragement to continue influencing and shaping their respective fields.
Our new Fellows include:
Nina Bilbey
Nina is a distinguished architectural sculptor renowned for her contributions to architectural heritage. A graduate of Central Saint Martins School of Art, she further honed her skills by obtaining a City & Guilds Advanced Craft Diploma in Stonemasonry from the Building Crafts College in Stratford.
Her work adorns numerous national landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament, the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, Hereford Cathedral, St George’s Chapel in Windsor, and the gargoyles at St Pancras Station. Notably, she designed the royal barge for the 2012 celebrations, and her statues of the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh stand outside Canterbury Cathedral, marking the first representation of them as a couple.
Beyond her artistic achievements, Nina has been a dedicated educator at the Building Crafts College and the City & Guilds of London Art School. In 2017 she was awarded the prestigious Prince Philip Medal.
Kerry Hill
Kerry is an inspiring leader in education, bringing over two decades of experience, particularly in schools situated in areas of deprivation and with high Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Her leadership is characterised by a commitment to mental health and well-being, aiming to cultivate mentally healthy individuals, workforces, and communities.
At Eyres Monsell Primary School in Leicester, her initiatives led to a reduction in staff stress-related sickness from 151 days to zero, and an increase in Key Stage 2 pupil attainment from 14% to 74%. These accomplishments earned the school a Princess Royal Training Award in both 2018 and 2021.
Currently, as the Director of School Improvement with TT Education, Kerry works across schools nationwide and has extended her expertise internationally in Europe and the Middle East since 2023. She has published works on mental health and well-being in education and has been recognised by the Chartered College of Teaching and Nottingham Trent University. In 2022, she joined the City & Guilds Council.
Dr. Mark Richards
Mark is a chemist and physicist who pursued his studies at Manchester University and Imperial College London, where he serves as a Senior Teaching Fellow and Director of Outreach in the Department of Physics. He co-founded Duvas Technologies Ltd, specialising in wireless environmental monitoring networks.
Mark is dedicated to engaging young minds from diverse backgrounds in STEM, promoting social mobility and opportunity. As Director of Outreach, he developed programmes targeting underachieving schools, particularly focusing on BAME communities and underrepresented young women in STEM. His initiatives have been adopted by the Universities of York and Nottingham. An active member of Imperial As One – the University’s Race Equality Advisory Group – he received the Imperial College Rector’s Award for Equality Excellence in 2008 and the President’s Award for Excellence in Culture and Community in 2022.
Annie Warburton
Annie currently holds the position of Chief Executive and Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, becoming the first female Clerk in their 697-year history. Previously, as CEO of Cockpit Studios, she championed inclusivity and diversity within a community of over 160 makers across Holborn and Deptford. She actively promoted craft skills development alongside essential business skills necessary for makers to build successful careers.
Annie authored ‘Our Future in Making’ in 2014 and chaired the expert panel for the Department for Education in developing the new Craft and Design T Level, providing an alternative pathway for aspiring makers. A visiting lecturer at the Royal College of Art, she frequently publishes and broadcasts on art, craft, and design, and is regularly invited to chair selection panels, including the BBC’s Woman’s Hour Craft Prize.
Paul Robertson
Paul has dedicated over 40 years to HR management and professional development. As the first Chief Assessor of the Princess Royal Training Awards, he now oversees their quality assurance. His commitment to transparent and accessible application and assessment methodologies ensures that the process is beneficial and insightful for applicants.
Through his company, MLR, Paul has assisted thousands of HR managers in developing the skills of over half a million individuals and is a major international publisher of skills development materials.
Instrumental in establishing the National Training Awards, he managed their assessment for over two decades and also established the assessment process for the National Apprenticeship Awards. Paul’s unique contribution to identifying, assessing, and celebrating excellence in skills development has made a significant impact over the past 30 years.
Congratulations to all of our recently awarded Fellows. We look forward to working with you all more, and learning from you. You can read more about the Fellowship here.
