The Irish Guards

Many livery companies have continuing associations with the armed forces, and the Girdlers’ Company is no exception. The Company’s links with P Battery, 254 Regiment Royal Artillery were severed with the unit’s disbandment in 1967 and an association was formed with the Irish Guards in 2004.

The Girdlers' Company supports the Regiment's Benevolent Fund, which assists serving and former Irish Guardsmen and their families with welfare support, as well as direct support to those who have fallen on hard times.

This mutually beneficial association is marked each year by a number of exchanges and events, including a prize-giving at Girdlers’ Hall when the Company presents awards to the individuals selected by the Regiment as outstanding section commander and guardsman of the year. This event normally takes place close to 1st April – the date of the Regiment’s formation in 1900 – but the date is subject to the Regiment's operational requirements and can vary.

The Irish Guards, known affectionately throughout the Army as "The Micks", is a Footguards Infantry Regiment, part of the Household Division which prides itself as the guardian of the Sovereign. Their ethos, taught in training and developed thereafter, demands above all else the pursuit of excellence, on operations, in the provision of Public Duties and State Ceremonial, on training, in barracks and off duty. This excellence is the collective goal, shared by all guardsmen. It aims also to provide challenging and fulfilling careers.