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First Warden to Acompany the Master on this years Livery Hall Walk - 18th September The First Warden and I have agreed to participate in this year’s Livery Hall Walk on 18th September – a full day spent visiting all 40 Halls wearing our robes, badges and chain of office. I am advised that it is no mean feat and many fall by the wayside so I’d like to ask you to sponsor us, in aid of our Charitable Fund, on the basis of either so much per Hall visited or possibly a wager that either or both of us complete the Walk. Please complete the form and send it to the Clerk. Ballet at the Royal Opera House followed by back-stage tour and party with some of the dancers and management. We have also been invited to repeat the very successful evenings at the Royal Opera House when we have the chance to watch Ballet from the best seats, make a privileged back-stage tour and party with some of the dancers and management afterwards. Before confirming this event, I thought it would make sense to check on the level of interest for either of two dates: the 9th or 20th of February. Further information is available from the Clerk so please take a moment right now to let him know whether this appeals and, if so, which date. Annual Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance on 25th September and the Members’ Reception that follows. The Annual Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance on 25th September and the Members’ Reception that follows will be preceded by the Election Court when we shall vote on the selection of the new Members of the Court of Assistants and, of course, the next Master and Wardens. As we are also expecting to Admit several new Freemen and Clothe at least one new Liveryman that day, it promises to be an exceptional opportunity on numerous fronts. Trains Experience Day on 10th September The Trains Experience Day on 10th September is a unique opportunity to enjoy the Severn Valley Railway from the comfort of a Private Director’s Saloon and for some of us to experience driving a classic steam locomotive. There are still several places left so click here to BOOK NOW! Assistant Gareth Rees and Liveryman Patrick Chapman represented the Company at the 2008 Charity Awards Dinner in Battersea Park Events Arena on Thursday 19th June. This prestigious gathering, attracting nearly 1000 guests, mostly from charities keen to win their version of the Oscars, showcased some of the most inspiring work done by charities of all sizes over the past year.  Celebrating the Children and Youth Award are (left to right) Gareth Rees, Nickie Brander, Campaigns' Organiser, Penny Dobson, Director (both of ERIC) and actress and presenter Josie D'Arby The Arts Evening - Armourers’ Hall, Thursday, 19th June 2008 Master Says, "The Arts Evening was one of the most spectacular and memorable events" he can recall. The Arts Evening was one of the most spectacular and memorable events I recall at a Livery Hall. We enjoyed dinner and some excellent Australian wines in the candlelit Armourers’ Hall and were royally entertained first by a lively group of lady singers known as “Women of Note” and then a pair of exceptional Opera stars, and their accomplished piano accompanist, who traced the history of English song from Purcell to recent times. Know The City - Notes, Anecdotes and a Short Stroll -Thursday, 10th July at 6.30pm - Guildhall. A real “Tour de Force” by Murray Craig - thank you Murray! The City Evening was a real “Tour de Force” by Murray Craig whom many will know from his role as Clerk to the Chamberlain’s Court and your Freedom of the City ceremony. We met in the Guildhall for an introductory talk and were then taken on a short walk around the area when Murray pointed out some of the “signs” of the City’s heritage which most of us walk by regularly without noticing or understanding their significance. A group of us also attended Common Hall to participate in the election of the Sheriffs for the coming year. A wonderful experience and I very much enjoyed being part of the procession of Masters – even if I was right at the front due to our lowly position in the Order of Precedence! Letters Patent granting our Royal Charter presented by The Earl of Wessex - Vintners' Hall, 7th May 2008. The unveiling of the framed Letters Patent followed a well-attended reception and lunch at Vintners’ Hall on 7th May. I believe everyone who came will agree that it was a truly memorable occasion and one that lived up to all our expectations. The Earl of Wessex took the opportunity to speak to the vast majority of those Members and Guests present during the reception and later made a short speech in which he reminded us of the responsibilities which go with a Royal Charter as well as the public recognition of our growing maturity as a Livery Company. Several Masters and Clerks of other Companies attended and we were also able to welcome Mr Alderman and Sheriff Ian Luder. I was particularly pleased that 12 of our Past Masters were present to witness the results of their efforts over the past 15 years.
Ground Breaking Announcement Made at Charities Supper of £2m Award to The Center for Charity Effectiveness - 17th January 2008. We had a wonderful Charities Supper last Thursday evening – exceptional speakers, excellent food and exciting buzz – and I was truly delighted to be able to announce some great news that I would now like to share with all our Members. Everyone should be aware of our very close association with the Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness which we co-founded some four years ago and now typically refer to as our equivalent of a Livery School. Last week we were formally advised that the application to the Big Lottery Fund to enable the Centre to set up an online learning resource, for charity workers and volunteers to use to improve their own and their charity’s performance, has been successful. Our Centre has won an award amounting to £2 million over the next 3 years. Quite an achievement in the face of tough odds – only 15 projects were successful out of 139 applications for grants to support the charity sector – and a major opportunity to make a difference to the whole Voluntary and Community Sector. Patrick McHugh, Chairman of the City Centre for Charity Effectiveness Trust said, “For reasons of culture and lack of money the VCS has skills and knowledge shortages. This exciting project will help the VCS to become more effective and to deliver better services”. “We are delighted to have been awarded this ground breaking opportunity even though it will be a real challenge involving as it does new technology, new knowledge and new pedagogy” said Professor Ian Bruce, Director of the Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness. I am sure you will join me in congratulating all those involved but especially Freeman Bernie Eccles who put in very substantial pro bono effort to project manage the bid and our Trustees of the City Centre for Charity Effectiveness Trust, particularly Past Master McHugh, who worked hard with Ian Bruce and his colleagues at Cass Business School to position the bid so successfully in strategic terms. The Trust is in fact the body that has won the BLF grant. This is because we were advised that Universities don't win grants from BLF and because of the unusual position that the Trust enjoys as a Charity and Limited Company. The Trust will in effect be the Project Manager for the Project. It will place contracts with the Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness (in effect with Cass Business School), to engage various contractors such as Text Matters who will construct the e-learning site and to monitor the individuals who will deliver the project such as the CEO to be employed by Cass Business School. The Trust will have two contractors of its own: an accountant and a project manager whose roles will be to monitor and project manage the relationships and to report to the BLF, receiving the grant monies and dispersing them to those undertaking the work. This win comes hot on the heels of another major success for the Centre. Professor Jenny Harrow, the Centre’s Director of Research, successfully led their bid to the Economic and Social Research Council to establish a new Research Centre on Giving and Philanthropy. This too was won against fierce competition because these ESRC Centres are very prestigious. When you combine these successes with the growing success of the Centre’s part-time Masters programmes, led by Professor Paul Palmer, and the consultancy, mentoring and short course activities led by Liveryman Denise Fellows, it is clear that the Centre is more than living up to expectations. Our investment, in terms of both time and money, is generating a fabulous return of which we can all be proud. However, there’s a risk to this kind of success. Both the BLF grant and the ESRC award are project specific and can only fulfill their potential if there is adequate core funding to enable the Centre to sustain itself. We have a responsibility to our “Livery School” to help ensure the future and that means we must continue to do all that we can to help with continued donations of both time and money. The job is far from done! It’s with that thought in mind that I’d like to end this letter with a plea for your committed support of the various fund-raising opportunities in our calendar. Please put the dates in your diary but also respond to the requests for help that you will receive in the coming weeks. The first such request was to help build our database of contacts among the medium-sized and large firms – if you haven’t yet responded, now is the time to do so. Thank you. With
kind regards, The Installation Dinner - 18th October 2007 Held in the splendor of Vintner Hall. The Vintners’ Company, with its first Charter in 1364, is ranked eleventh of the Great Twelve Livery Companies. its origins are steeped in the history of the City of London and the import, regulation and sale of wine. The Company continues to maintain strong links with the UK Wine Trade where Vintners' Hall is known as the Trade's spiritual home (no pun intended!).
The decisions of the Election Court 2007
First Warden William Barnard was duly elected as Master and will be installed as such at The Installation Dinner on Thursday, 18th October 2007. Until then he will be known as The Master Elect. Second Warden Ian Daniell was duly appointed as First Warden and will be known as The First Warden Elect until installed. Third Warden Bob Garratt was duly appointed as Second Warden and will be known as The Second Warden Elect until installed. Fourth Warden Vicky Pryce was duly elected as Third Warden and will be known as The Third Warden Elect until installed. Assistant Geoff Llewellyn was elected as Fourth Warden and will be known as The Fourth Warden Elect until installed. The Master, Hugh Morris, was duly appointed as The Immediate Past Master and will take up this post at The Installation Dinner on Thursday, 18th October 2007. Until then he will be known as The Master. Past Master Mike Jeans tendered his resignation from the Court on completion of his five year tenure as a Past Master. Assistant Satjit Singh was re-elected to the Court for a further term. The following
were elected to the Court as Assistants: Assistant Paul Northcott tendered his resignation as Chairman of the Membership Committee. The Court appointed Assistant Satjit Singh to succeed him. The Company were joined by the Sea Cadets at The Lord Major's Show.This year, like last year, Sea Cadets from numerous London Units were joined on their float by members of The Worshipful Company of Management Consultants, one of the City's newest livery companies, which generously sponsored this year's float as part of its ongoing support for Sea Cadets in the London Area. A band comprising Cadets from Southern Area also came together especially for the Show.
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