Worshipful Company of Horners and Wingwalk fundraiser

The Worshipful Company of Horners is both an ancient guild and livery company, and a modern city institution. 

The first historic reference to the Company was recorded in 1284, although the craft of the Horner dates from centuries earlier. The craft of the Horner was essential in medieval communities using the discarded horns of cattle and sheep to produce eating utensils, drinking horns, mugs, buttons, combs, boxes, powder horns and of course, shoe horns.

In 1476, the Bottlemakers, whose trade in leather bottles was being eroded by glass bottles, joined the Horners’ Company. The Company operates under a Charter received from Charles I in 1638 although it is believed that there were earlier charters. As the craft of working with horn declined, in 1943 the Company had the vision to adopt horn’s modern equivalent, plastics, at a time when that industry was in its infancy.

Today, the Worshipful Company of Horners maintains both its ancient links to the City of London and to the Plastics Industry and seeks to support the Horner’s craft. Its Liverymen hail from many backgrounds, including the City, the Plastics Industry and other professions. Its Charities and Awards support activities in education, design, the City and industry, and we are absolutely delighted to announce that Nerve Tumours UK has been chosen as the newly installed Master's Charity for the forthcoming year.

The Worshipful Company traditionally installs their new Master every year on Candlemas Day. In the Christian Church, Candlemas is a Feast Day, which marks the purification of the Virgin Mary, when she presented the infant Jesus in the Temple. After the Installation Court, the Master and Wardens processed to the Church of St James Garlickhythe for the Election Day Service where they were joined by their guests. As is tradition, candles were lit and carried into the church by the Master and his Wardens. 

After the service, all returned to Painters’ Hall for the installation lunch, after which the newly installed Master, Michael O’Brien, introduced us as his chosen charity in his maiden speech. Karen was also invited to talk to the guests in more detail about the charity's work.

Deputy Master Horner’s Fundraising Aerobatic Wing Walk for Master’s Charity: Nerve Tumours UK

On Tuesday, 7 July 2026, Deputy Master, Rebecca Joyce, will be defying gravity in an aerobatic wing walk challenge to raise funds for the Master’s Charity: Nerve Tumours UK via The Horners Charity Fund.

Rebecca will be strapped to the top wing of a classic 1940s Boeing Stearman biplane while the pilot performs high energy, aerobatic manoeuvres including a loop-the-loop climbing to a height of over 2,500 feet. The pilot will dive the aircraft to 150mph, then pitch upwards with a force of around 4G. The aircraft goes vertical, the speed drops off and the world turns upside down. Easing over the top the aircraft dives towards the ground accelerating from 60 to 150mph in seconds.

The adrenaline-filled aerobatic wing walk is being performed to raise funds for the Master’s Charity, Nerve Tumours UK which provides support and information, through its team of Specialist NF (Neurofibromatosis) Nurse/ Advisers across the UK. Nerve Tumours UK campaigns and raises awareness on behalf of over 26,500 people in the UK who have NF, the medical name for a set of genetic conditions that cause tumours to grow on nerve endings. It aims to improve the lives for people with NF by making sure they have access to the help they require.