News | City & Guilds Foundation

Skills on the doorstep: Local Community Skills Fund backs 25 organisations across all four UK nations

22 Sep 2026 | Funding, Local Community Skills Fund, News, News & events

The City & Guilds Foundation has awarded almost £190,000 to 25 community organisations through the second round of its Local Community Skills Fund, supporting people across the UK to develop skills and take steps towards employment. The second funding round ran from 30 March to 24 April 2026, with grants awarded to organisations delivering practical, community-based skills programmes. The fund’s typical grant range is between £6,000-£10,000 per organisation. The 25 successful organisations...

£75,000 awarded to Youth Employment UK to help young people see the way into work and build Skills for the Future

11 Sep 2026 | Funding, News, News & events

he City & Guilds Foundation has awarded £75,000 to Youth Employment UK to launch Skills for the Future, a new strategic partnership designed to help young people better understand the opportunities, skills and routes into growing sectors of the economy. The funding will support the pilot development of three digital sector pathway experiences, giving young people accessible and practical guidance as they navigate the transition from education into employment. The new resources will bring...

Foundation Newsletter: August 2026

17 Aug 2026 | News, News & events, Newsletter

This month’s newsletter is a little different. With summer in full swing, we’re taking the opportunity to celebrate one of the highlights of our year: our annual 2026 Princess Royal Training Awards recipient announcement! Today, we’re delighted to announce 56 exceptional organisations recognised in this year’s Awards, celebrating training programmes that are making a real difference to people, organisations and communities. From small employers investing in their teams to large...

Meet the 2026 Princess Royal Training Award recipients: from stained glass restorers to prison mentors

14 Aug 2026 | Awards, Awards alumni, News, News & events, Our networks, Princess Royal Training Awards

Every year are genuinely moved by what we read in the Princess Royal Training Award applications. This year was no exception. Today, we're delighted to share that 56 training programmes have been recognised in the 2026 Princess Royal Training Awards, chosen from 132 applications submitted from right across the UK, Ireland and, for the first time, beyond. Now in its eleventh year, the Awards celebrate organisations that go above and beyond for their people's learning and development, and shine...

Foundation Newsletter: July 2026

21 Jul 2026 | News, News & events, Newsletter

Welcome to the July edition of the Foundation newsletter. As I prepare to step down as Interim CEO at the end of this month, it feels like an appropriate moment to reflect on what has been a hugely important period for the City & Guilds Foundation. In January I announced that I had three clear priorities during this Interim period. The first was to recruit a permanent Chief Executive and Chair to lead the Foundation into its next chapter. I am delighted that both of those appointments have...

Maintaining a robust process: A new generation of Ambassadors strengthening the Princess Royal Training Awards

14 Jul 2026 | Awards alumni, Charity partners, Fellowship Network, Foundation Collective, News, Princess Royal Training Awards

This year the Princess Royal Training Awards celebrated their eleventh year, and the programme continued to go from strength to strength, with 132 applications received from organisations committed to delivering exceptional learning and development. Delivered by the City & Guilds Foundation, the Awards remain a unique, evidence-based programme that recognises and celebrates the strategic impact of learning, development and training within organisations. Applicants must demonstrate...

Foundation Newsletter: June 2026

22 Jun 2026 | News, News & events, Newsletter

Welcome to the June edition of our Foundation newsletter. At the Foundation, we believe skills can transform lives, but we also recognise that many talented people face barriers that prevent them from reaching their full potential. By supporting organisations that provide practical pathways into learning and work, we are helping individuals contribute their skills and experience while supporting employers to access valuable talent and address workforce shortages. This commitment to opportunity...

The return on belonging: Investing in refugee talent and skills, unlocking potential

22 Jun 2026 | Charity partners, Funding, News, News & events, Our networks, Refugee support, Social Impact

Last week Refugee Week shone a light on the experiences, contributions and resilience of people seeking sanctuary in the UK. As we reflect on last week, it feels like an appropriate time to look back on the City & Guilds Foundation’s long-standing commitment to supporting refugees and asylum seekers into skills, employment and training and the impact our funding has had through our charity partners. Over the five years to 2025, the Foundation invested over £316,000 through its Displaced...

£130,000 boost to help refugees build skills and rebuild careers

18 Jun 2026 | Awareness Raising, Campaigning, Charity partners, Funding, News, News & events, Our networks, Refugee support

As Refugee Week shines a spotlight on the contributions, resilience and potential of people seeking sanctuary, the City & Guilds Foundation has announced funding for two new initiatives designed to help refugees and people from migrant backgrounds build skills, confidence and sustainable futures in the UK. A combined investment of £130,000 will support projects delivered by award-winning education charity Tutors United and refugee employment charity Breaking Barriers, helping individuals...

Princess Royal Training Award-Winning Impact: How P Flannery’s Skills Bootcamps are tackling the construction skills gap and building an inclusive skills pipeline

11 Jun 2026 | Awards alumni, News, Princess Royal Training Awards

When P Flannery Plant Hire received a Princess Royal Training Award in 2025, it recognised a bold, employer-led approach to tackling one of the construction industry’s most persistent challenges: a critical shortage of skilled plant operators. Through the development of its Skills Bootcamps, the business has created a reliable pipeline of talent for its own workforce and has also opened up employment opportunities for individuals facing significant barriers to work. Addressing a critical...