The Thomas Lyte team including Founder and Chief Executive, Kevin Baker, joined over 100 guests from across the Royal Warrant Holders Association (RWHA) at The Queen’s Chapel for the RWHA Charity Annual Summer Reception.
A great friend of our company, The Reverend Canon Paul Wright LVO, Sub Dean to His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, opened the event that included musical performances from The London Mozart Players Quartet, and Louis Carpenter, the Royal Organ Scholar that is jointly sponsored by the RWHA Charity Fund and Thomas Lyte.
The Scholarship enables the boys to land coveted opportunities playing the organ at great Oxbridge colleges or cathedrals. Sam Jones, the 2019 scholar, went on to play the organ at Clare College, Cambridge and John Xang, went on to St. John’s, Cambridge and plays the organ at Liverpool Cathedral.
‘Our support for Louis, and other Organ Scholars before him, is based on our deep admiration for this unique music institution, The Chapel Royal, and a love of the exquisite music that has been written and performed there over the centuries,’ says Kevin Baker, Founder and CEO of Thomas Lyte. ‘I believe the need for an organist was prescribed as an essential part of the choir as early as the 1300’s so we’re delighted to help ensure this tradition endures. Besides, I love the notion of one craft supporting another. The Thomas Lyte Foundation was established in 2008 to support progression in youth through experiencing creativity and craft, so having learnt about the organ scholarship from Canon Paul Wright at the Chapel Royal, it was a natural step for us to support the scholarship programme.’
Image Above (from left to right): Thomas Lyte’s Founder and Chief Executive, Kevin Baker / Director of Music at HM Chapel Royal – St. James’s Palace, Martyn Noble / Royal Organ Scholar, Louis Carpenter.
The performances were followed by drinks and canapés in the beautiful gardens of Marlborough House, kindly sponsored by Camel Valley, Fortnum & Mason and Jones Hire. A prize draw, with fantastic items donated by Warrant holders, helped the event to raise in excess of £7,500 for the Charity Fund.
The Royal Warrant Holders Association represents individuals and companies that hold Royal Warrants of Appointment. Formed in 1840, the association’s main objective is to ensure the continued existence of the Royal Warrant as a treasured and respected institution. The association enables social and commercial integration of its members.
The RWHA Charity Fund established in 1897, supports the charitable activities of Royal Warrant holders by providing grants to local charities and causes. Together Thomas Lyte and the RWHA champion the shared values of ethical craftsmanship and our commitment to a sustainable future.
In addition to supporting the organ scholarship program, Thomas Lyte has proudly contributed to the RWHA Charity Fund on several occasions. In 2021, they were honored to be commissioned to create the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Processional Cross. This beautifully crafted piece, a gift from Royal Warrant holders, was presented to the late Queen by a delegation including Thomas Lyte’s CEO, Kevin Baker, in May 2022. Funded by over 700 member companies, the cross not only showcases Thomas Lyte’s exceptional craftsmanship but also helped raise nearly a quarter of a million pounds for local charities across the UK during the Platinum Jubilee year and beyond. Leaving legacy that will hopefully last for centuries.
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Note from the editor: Many thanks to the Royal Warrant Holders Association for the use of their images in this article, and of course to the organisers and performers for a wonderful event.
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