MASTER’S REPORT
27 SEPTEMBER 2011

Overview

I am very grateful to the Court for electing me to be Master of this Worshipful Company for this year.  I am determined to do all I can to ensure that we are well regarded by the Mayoralty, the City and amongst the other Livery Companies. At the same time I will continue to build on all the initiatives started by previous Masters.

Objectives

 As I outlined at the Installation lunch the key areas, which I want to start working on are all inter-related to a feeling that I have been detecting across the Company that after ten years of near hyper activity and success “what are we going to do next”?  In order, I would like to make a start on the following:

• Creating a five year plan which the Court can work to and develop with future Masters. This plan will not inhibit a future Master from having his own initiatives but will act as a stainless steel thread which will ensure a constant direction.
• Creating a succession plan to give more notice to future Masters and Wardens.
• Working to build the pool of potential Liverymen from whom the Court can be elected. The key is our need to encourage Freemen to become Liverymen and to join Committees.
• To create a new members briefing evening.
• To build stronger links with the Senior Management of the larger companies in our Profession to encourage them to allow the right people to join the Company and also for them to use the Company for networking and entertaining.
• To commence a small wine cellar to improve our drinking at events without increasing the cost of events.

Progress to date:

The Succession Plan:  A group consisting of Past Masters Purnell, Neville and Imbert assisted by Court Assistant Roy Penrose with myself as an ex officio have met twice since June and made good progress towards understanding the actions which need to be taken now. Past Master Purnell will report at The Court Meeting.

Liverymen: As part of the succession plan we have identified those Liverymen who are serving on Committees, who, if they took the Livery, would be eligible to seek election to the Court. I have written to all five encouraging them to take Livery at Common Hall.

Five Year Plan: I have drafted some thoughts which I propose to present to the Master’s Advisory Group to seek their reaction and then after suitable amendments I propose to present it to the Court either before Common Hall or at the February meeting.

Activities since Installation

I have listed below all the events I have been to and also those which I refused. In addition I am very grateful to the Wardens and the Chairman of the Trustees, who have attended events which I have not been able to attend and where we felt the Company required to be represented, these are also included.

I would also like to thank Tricia our Clerk for her excellent support to me as Master and for her tireless work on behalf of the Company.

Charity events

 I would like to draw the Court’s attention to two particular events:

• Steward Steve Emmins represented the Company at the Lord Mayors “Dip” in Hampstead pools where he raised a sizeable amount of money for the Lord Mayors Charity by swimming the full distance some forty lengths, I believe.
• The Senior Warden Gerald Moor and our Clerk joined 21 other Livery Companies dressed in robes and jewels and then visited all 40 Livery halls in the City raising over £2,000 for the Company’s Charity Fund. As part of the walk they also visited the Mansion House where the Master Environmental Cleaner (sponsors of the walk) handed a cheque to the Lord Mayor for his fund.

Mayor Elect and Honorary Freeman David Wootton

The Company is one of David’s supporters and we have held numerous meetings with his team to prepare for next year. David will be a superb Lord Mayor, I believe, and he is very proud of his links with this Company and has offered to work with us on any suitable initiative we may have during his year. In particular we are trying to ink in the date for the Honorary Liverymen’s lunch so that he can be with us, when we will present him with a key.

Sheriffs’ Award

I am grateful to the Immediate Past Master, Don Randall, for hosting us at The Bank of England for the two sifts which has allowed us to identify the winners of the awards. This would not have been possible without the hard work of Trevor Vaughan who beat the bushes in all corners of the land to find suitable candidates and get citations written.

The Honours Board to be erected at The Old Bailey has been agreed and is currently being made.

Shrieval Chains

I have received letters of thanks for the Company’s gift towards the chains for the two incoming Sheriffs; Alderman Alan Yarrow and Wendy Mead CC. Wendy attended the final sift for the Sheriffs award as mentioned above.

D N V Churton

Master

 Events attended 

Events Declined