Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Gloucestershire College on Monday 6 July 2026 to present the Company’s annual Anne Cadbury Apprentice Award grants, in a joint celebration with Hartpury College and Gloucester Cathedral.
Nineteen apprentices from across the county were recognised for their hard work and commitment as they became the fourth annual cohort to receive grants made possible through the generous support of The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire, a strong champion of apprenticeship training. The awards will enable the apprentices to purchase specialist tools and equipment to further develop their skills in bricklaying, electrical installation, carpentry, engineering, agriculture, and stonemasonry and progress their careers.
As Patron of The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire, Her Royal Highness personally presented the awards in front of family members, employers, and invited guests. She also met former award recipients to hear about the positive impact of these unique grants on their training and career progression.
The event brought together distinguished guests from across the county, including the Deputy - Lieutenant of Gloucestershire Mickey Morrisey; the Mayor of Cheltenham, Martin Horwood; the Warden of The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire Michael Jones; Principal of Gloucestershire College Matthew Burgess; Principal of Hartpury College Claire Whitworth; The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni Dean of Gloucester, and Senior Stonemason at Gloucester Cathedral James Bayliss.
Speeches and presentations throughout the ceremony highlighted the achievements of this year’s apprentices and the importance of investment in skilled training pathways. The occasion also provided an opportunity for recipients to engage with leading figures in Gloucestershire’s education, business, and civic communities.
Claire Whitworth, Principal of Hartpury College said: “We are extremely grateful to The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire and HRH The Princess Royal for their support of our Hartpury College agricultural apprenticeships. Celebrating young talent is vital to building a strong pipeline of skilled professionals who will shape the future of agriculture and the rural sector.”
Michael Jones Warden of the Honourable Company of Gloucestershire said: “I was once an apprentice myself; it gave me an excellent basis on which to build my career and eventually brought me to Gloucestershire, to be responsible for Smiths electronic business. I feel apprenticeships are of high value for young people, to not only provide career-based skills, but also essential life skills. As Warden of the Honourable Company, I have led the creation of this unique award, which provides cash to an apprentice often when funds are tight at the start of their career. This bursary allows them to purchase essential equipment, which will help them complete or expand their aspirations in their chosen career. In the short time since this award started, we have been able to help 65 apprentices, our aspiration is to expand the scheme to cover the whole of Gloucestershire.”
Speaking about the event, Matthew Burgess, Gloucestershire College Principal said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal to our Cheltenham campus for this special celebration. We are immensely grateful to The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire for its continued commitment to supporting apprentices. Gloucestershire has a long-standing reputation for producing exceptional talent across a wide range of industries, and partnerships like this play a vital role in helping the next generation make the best possible start to their careers.”
The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, Dean of Gloucester, said: "At Gloucester Cathedral, we see every day how craftsmanship, dedication and the passing on of skills from one generation to the next help to sustain our shared heritage. Our stonemasonry apprentices are not only learning an exceptional craft but also contributing to the care of a building that has stood at the heart of Gloucestershire for more than 900 years. We are delighted to join with The Honourable Company of Gloucestershire, Gloucester College and Hartpury University and Hartpury College in celebrating this year's Anne Cadbury Apprentice Award recipients. These grants are a meaningful investment in talented young people whose skills will strengthen our county's communities, industries and historic places for many years to come."
The 2026 apprentices from Gloucestershire College are undertaking training in Construction, Trades, and Engineering, while the recipients from Hartpury College are completing agricultural apprenticeship. Gloucester Cathedral’s apprentices are training in stonemasonry.
Hartpury College Agricultural Apprentices
· Finley Anderson (R Beard and Son)
· Aiden Taylor (Barnhouse Farm, Wholly Gelato)
· Bailey Harris (Walton Fields Farming Ltd)
· Reuben Alvis (R P Sainsbury and Sons Ltd)
· Jesse James Hatten (PJR Farms Ltd)
· Amelia Adams (Old Down Estates Country Park)
