Worshipful Company of Distillers launches scholarship programme

The Worshipful Company of Distillers is launching a programme of scholarships and bursaries which will support more than 100 students over the next three years.

The Livery will be tripling financial support for key qualifications with its UK education partners and will be placing greater focus on helping students from less advantaged and more diverse backgrounds. 

Jonathan Driver, Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers, said: "During these unprecedented times, we are very pleased to be able to make a difference to young people to help them attain future employment opportunities. We will also be capitalising on the rich source of skills and knowledge that resides in the membership of the Livery company, by offering a powerful new mentoring programme with added networking benefits."

As part of the new programme, the Livery will fund:

• 25 Distillers' awards of bursaries and scholarships for students to take Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualifications at levels one to three
• Two full bursaries per year at the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD) for the General Certificate in Distilling, plus two further three-year full bursaries per year and an annual scholarship for the IBD's Diploma in Distilling
• Continued delivery of the MSc course scholarship at the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD) at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh

Past Master at the Worshipful Company of Distillers, Richard Watling, who leads the programme, added: "These new initiatves will provide real impetus for training in distilled spirits in the UK and we are thrilled to be able to support talented young people using all our considerable resources."

2 February 2021 - Bethany Whymark