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Charles Dedman recognised In furniture industry ’60 for 60′

32 year old Charles Dedman of Petersfield is one of the winners of a prestigious UK-wide competition which celebrates the talents of 60 outstanding young people working in the furniture and furnishing industry.

Launched as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of The Furniture Makers’ Company, the City of London livery company and charity for the furnishing industry, Charles was named in the ‘60 for 60’ campaign which recognises 60 of the most accomplished and promising young people across the UK working in the furniture and furnishing industry. From product designers, cabinetmakers and technical developers to logistics professionals, commercial managers and operations directors, the awards showcase a diverse range of career opportunities within the sector.

January 2024 will mark the eight-year anniversary of Charles joining Gaze Burvill as a design assistant. Now Head of Design, Charles oversees design projects with top Garden Designers, national parks events and charity organisations, working closely with teams from across the company from Sales and Marketing 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 Chair.

Charles said: “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.”

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.”

Launched this summer, the ‘60 for 60’ campaign recognises 60 exceptional people, under 35 years of age working in any role in the furniture and furnishings sector who are exhibiting dedication to their careers and show promise as tomorrow’s leaders. Expert judges from within the industry reviewed the submissions and selected the winners who were announced at a special awards ceremony on 5 December 2023.

To find out more about 60 for 60, go to www.furnituremakers.org.uk/60for60