To mark the 60th anniversary of the Furniture Makers as the 83rd livery company of the City of London, the young talent shaping the industry going forward, were celebrated. The 60 for 60 awards recognised 60 exceptional young people in the UK furniture and furnishing industry who exhibit dedication to their careers and show promise as future leaders. 32 year old, Charles Dedman of Petersfield, was one of those honoured.
January 2024 will mark the eight-year anniversary of Dedman joining Gaze Burvill as a design assistant. Now as Head of design, he oversees design projects with top garden designers, national parks, events and charity organisations, working closely with teams across the company, from marketing & sales to purchasing, production, craftspeople and logistics. Among these was the successful design and launch of the Amity Seat, which was awarded a Design Guild Mark in May 2023. He has also won a Design Guild Mark for his Turner Carver.
“Since the start of my career in furniture design, I have appreciated and benefited from the fantastic work done by the Furniture Makers’ Company. So to be included in their 60 for 60 as one to watch is a huge honour. Congratulations to the company for 60 years of success and the other recipients”, said Dedman.
Amanda Waring, Master of The Furniture Makers’ Company, said: “Congratulations to Charles, he stood out from the hundreds of entries we received from across the industry, ranging from wood working to carpet and textile design. As we celebrate 60 years since we were awarded livery status, it’s fantastic to see such bright young people emerging, showing not only the vibrancy and diversity of British talent, but also that the industry continues to offer exciting and rewarding career opportunities. We congratulate every one of our 60 outstanding winners and look forward to sharing our members’ mentoring skills and providing networking opportunities as they continue to develop their professional careers.”