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28th January 2021

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Mark Wilkinson awarded OBE

English furniture designer Mark Wilkinson has been honoured with an OBE for Services to the Furniture Industry and to Charity, in the 2010 New Year's Honours listings published on 31st December. The investiture of Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, is the culmination of a year of honours for the design maestro.

In April 2009 he was invested with the Fellowship of the City & Guilds Institute, at a ceremony in London, for the support he has given over the years to skills training, education and qualification in, both furniture-making and design creativity. In July 2009 he was awarded the medal of the Order of the League of Mercy for his support of the specialist teaching charity Dyslexia Action - a cause dear to his heart as he is dyslexic himself. The Medal was presented at the Mansion House in the presence of the Lord Mayor of the City of London. In September he was presented with the Founding Fellowship of the Society of British Interior Design, by the Society's chairman Vanessa Brady and the Queen's Consul Laurence Bristow-Smith at the Fiera Milano in Milan.

During the Spring Mark will be invited to attend an Investiture to receive his award from the Queen or another senior member of the Royal Family.

Recognised by many as the era's leading designer of fine British furniture Mark is the founding designer of two of the country's best known kitchen design, manufacture and supply businesses, Mark Wilkinson Furniture and Smallbone of Devizes.

His furniture too is award winning, every range carrying the Guild Mark of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers, while the company that bears his name was awarded the highly prestigious Employer of the Year Award for the work it has been doing over the past 10 years in providing Apprenticeships for young furniture makers. The apprenticeship scheme saw Mark working with the local Wiltshire College to adapt an existing course to suite the specific needs of cabinet making.

T: 01380 850004
F: 01380 850184
W: www.mwf.com

8th January 2010