Armourers & Brasiers' Gauntlet Trust

The Company has supported many charities since it was founded, but in 1979 a formal grant making Charitable Trust was set up. One third of its grants is given to charities concentrating on homelessness, youth training, community service and Armed Forces charities. Other grants encourage displays of ancient armour and initiatives to promote spiritual renewal. The other two thirds is directed towards education in materials science from primary schools right up to post-doctoral level. The aim is to instil an interest in science education generally whilst encouraging students to specialise in materials science, and then to join British Industry to use their talents.

Medals and awards for top materials science students are made at 19 universities and over 70 awards each year are made to under-graduates to gain industrial experience all over the world. Over 30 conference travel grants
are given annually to postgraduate students. Scholarships and bursaries are given to some 45 students and grants are made for courses to update school physics teachers and to arouse an interest in materials science in chemistry
and other science teachers. Science project and equipment procurement grants are made to schools at all levels to encourage an interest in science.

The Company works closely with the Royal Society, the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining, the Institute of Physics and the Royal Society of Chemistry and has increased the scope of its support of materials science by forming charitable partnerships with Corus and Rolls-Royce.