The 2025 Benevolent Society Ball

This week Benchpeg attended the Benevolent Society Ball held at the Grand Hotel in Birmingham and represented as a Trustee, the Bishopsland Educational Trust, a grateful recipient of the charity’s good work. We were very honoured to have been placed on Gay Penfold’s table, who as Chair of the charity, as well as being a lovely lady, had done such a marvellous job organising the event and ably assisting the charity auction. We shared our table with Andrew Hinds, Stuart Wibberley, Alewijn Slingerland, Mark and Julie Griffin and Claire Murdoch, Bishopsland’s CEO, also in attendance.

Of course, there were many familiar and friendly faces, the event had been sold out, as well as some industry chums in the mix, which made for a very enjoyable evening, in great company.

Highlights of the evening were the presentation of Alewijn Slingerland’s commissioned silver Water Jug, The National Association of Jewellers’ Chair’s Award, which was presented to Gary Wroe, a presentation to Ruth Falkner of Retail Jeweller in celebration of the publication’s centenary, and a video sent from the Sahara by Judith Lockwood and Naomi Newton-Sherlock during their gruelling trek across North Africa and the hottest dessert in the World.

Judith and Naomi’s charity challenge has raised well over its anticipated target of £10k and (to date) the pair have raised £13,118 for the Benevolent Society. The over-achievers, also finished their challenge a day ahead of schedule.

It is not too late to donate to the Sahara Challenge to support both Judith and Naomi’s efforts, but also the Benevolent Society which in 2025 awarded bursaries to the sector totalling £55,761 to support individuals to gain qualifications or skills to work within the British Allied Trade Federation industries and this as well as a further set of grants totalling £65,510 which go towards essential living costs, assistance for winter utility costs and white goods purchases to those from our sector who are in need of economic assistance.

There are always those less fortunate than ourselves, and more particularly this year more than most. Please do donate something if you can.