We’re excited to share highlights from our festive season campaign, celebrating the incredible work and impact of the City & Guilds Foundation.
Day 1: The People Behind the Foundation
We kicked things off by shining a spotlight on the amazing team that makes everything happen at the City & Guilds Foundation.
👉 Meet the team here: Our Team
Day 2: 10 Years of Inspiring Training Excellence
Next, we celebrated a decade of the Princess Royal Training Awards with a behind-the-scenes film featuring award-winning programmes at Balfour Beatty, Fifty Shades Greener, and Pret A Manger.
Hear from the people who made these programmes a success: Ten Years of the Princess Royal Training Awards
Day 3: Driving Change Together
On day three, we focused on the Neurodiversity Index, launched in 2022 with Do-IT Solutions to promote inclusion for neurodivergent individuals. So far, we’ve achieved:
- 1,000+ organisations engaged
- Thousands of employees surveyed
- Three annual reports shaping policy and practice
Explore insights and past reports here: Neurodiversity Index 2025
Day 4: Wellbeing in Focus
We turned attention to those who care for others, sharing a mental health resource created with Kerry Hill FCGI and PoetsIN. It covers:
- Compassion fatigue and the cost of caring
- Practical stress management tips
- Simple wellbeing habits that make a difference
Read the full article here: Mental Health Matters: Finding Balance in a Busy World
Day 5: 10 Days That Could Change a Young Person’s Future
Our Advocacy Manager, Lauren Roberts, introduced a new model for Work Experience, designed to level the playing field for all young people.
Discover why this approach matters: Modern Work Experience: Creating Fair and Future-Ready Opportunities for Every Young Person
Day 6: Unwrapping Stories with the Foundation & Friends Podcast
Halfway through, we shared our Foundation & Friends Podcast, featuring inspiring voices from education, skills, and social impact.
Start with “Breaking Barriers – Stories from Women in Leadership”: Foundation & Friends Podcast: Breaking Barriers – Stories from Women in Leadership
Day 7: Shining a Light on Displaced Talent
We highlighted the resilience of displaced people and the organisations helping them access skills and employment through our Displaced People Fund.
Explore resources:
- Routes to Employment report: Routes to Employment
- Podcast: Community as a Superpower: Refugee Week takeover with Routes: Community as a superpower by The Experts By Experience Podcast
- 2025 Impact Report: Our Impact
Day 8: 25 Years of Transforming Lives Through Our Bursary Programme
Celebrating 25 years of bursaries that remove barriers to training. In the last five years, we’ve:
- Invested £1.21m in people’s futures
- Supported 433 individuals
- Seen 71% progress into work
- Delivered £5.87m in social value
Read more here: Celebrating 25 years of our bursary programme: Transforming lives, families and communities
Day 9: Celebrating Excellence – The Fellowship Programme
We honoured our City & Guilds Fellows, now over 400 strong, with 50 appointed in the last five years.
- Read about the Fellowships in the City event: Fellowship in the City: inspiration, celebration and connection
- Watch highlights: Fellowship in the City 2025
- Explore the Fellows luncheon: Celebrating Excellence: Fellowship Luncheon at Imperial College London
Day 10: Championing Change in the Criminal Justice System
We shared our work with the ACF Criminal Justice Network and Co-op Foundation, tackling issues like:
- Reducing reoffending
- Sentencing reform
- Women in the justice system
Learn how to get involved: Championing change: our role as co-conveners of the ACF Criminal Justice Network
Day 11: Heritage and Innovation – Supporting Makers
We celebrated progress in the heritage sector, including bursaries for Black and ethnically diverse craft makers, helping talented creators overcome barriers.
Find out more: Heritage Crafts training bursary for Black and ethnically diverse makers now open!
Day 12: A Catalyst for Opportunity – Five Years of Impact
Finally, we thanked our partners and charities for shaping the Impact Report 2025. This year alone, we’ve:
- Delivered £5m in grant funding
- Supported 15,000+ individuals
- Generated £23m in social return on investment
Read the full report: Our Impact