1. Installation Court and Lunch, 5 July 2023
My grateful thanks go to my predecessor and now Deputy
Master, Colin Drummond, for his leadership and commitment to the Company, and
to his consort, Georgina. They have been
great hosts and set a high bar for Eileen and me to follow.
I was pleased to welcome Stuart Herritty as the new Thames
Warden’s Bailiff and Gemma Harvey as the new Master’s Bailiff.
At the Installation Court Colin Drummond admitted new
freemen to the Company. I was very
pleased to welcome them at the lunch: Adrian Barraclough, Martin Baxter, Graham
Edwards, Christine McHugh, Lisa Navarro and Victoria Sayago.
I then outlined my vision and ambition for the forthcoming
year. We are a Company of action - looking at the big picture - for the future “Promoting
a diverse and sustainable environment”.
We are the leading Livery Company able to respond on many of
the environmental challenges. We owe it
to the future to share our thinking, knowledge and experience.
Within our Company we have tremendous expertise and
experience on environmental issues, not only water but also waste management,
circular economy, land use, as well as law and accounting. We have contributed to debates on plastics,
water fittings and wet wipes. We will
continue to respond to consultations and share our knowledge.
We will continue to broaden our discussions and engagement
on wider sustainable issues including resources, waste and energy.
We have a comprehensive programme for the coming year,
including social activities, debates, webinars.
I want to grow and strengthen the Company and am keen that
we improve our communications. Our Trust is a major asset of the Company, and
independent of it.
My final comment was that this is a great Company supported by super people, and I am honoured to be able to serve you as Master. Eileen and I look forward to working with you and for you over the coming year.
Installation Court Lunch 5 July 2023
Master’s Response
Wardens, Visiting Masters, Liverymen, Ladies and Gentlemen:
On behalf of members of the Company and guests, I must start by expressing our appreciation to our guest speaker today and for sharing your knowledge and experience in these challenging times at this, our Installation Lunch. Dame Glenys, thank you.
I want to acknowledge the many members of the Company and friends who have provided support and encouragement, and mention some individual members who have been particularly helpful.
To my predecessor and now Deputy Master, for his leadership and commitment to the Company. And to his consort, for her support to the Company, organising events, include her specialist subject, mudlarking by the Thames. You have been great hosts and set a high bar for Eileen and me to follow. It has been a pleasure to work with both of you; Colin and Georgina, thank you.
I must make special mention of our Clerk, who works hard in the background, and has sorted out all the Company records and paperwork. She is incredibly organised, planning ahead, making sure I am in the right place at the right time. You have helped steady the ship in stormy waters and steered us all in the right direction. Christine, thank you.
It is an enormous privilege and honour to stand before you as the 35th Master of the Company. Earlier today at a short ceremony my fellow wardens and I were installed. I welcome Dylan Barker as our new Thames Warden and Carolyn Roberts as our new Fleet Warden. We will be installing Tom Flood as our new Walbrook Warden at our September Michaelmas Court.
I welcome Stuart Herritty as the new Thames Warden’s Bailiff and Gemma Harvey as the new Master’s Bailiff.
We are also pleased to admit new Freemen to the Company and I invite them to identify themselves by standing when I name them. A warm welcome to you all.
Adrian Barraclough, Martin Baxter, Graham Edwards, Christine McHugh, Lisa Navarro and Victoria Sayago
We are a Company of action - looking at the big picture - for the future Promoting a diverse and sustainable environment
We are recognised and acknowledged for what we do, including:
· The City water debate
· Our webinars
· Driving the Livery climate action plans
· Winning the Pancake Race!
We are topical. We are current.
When I mention the Water Conservators, the conversation starts with our rivers, the missing River Misbourne, missing from Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire – try saying that quickly! Of the roughly 200 chalk streams globally, 85% (around 161) are in southern and eastern England; however, most of these are in a precarious condition
Then sewage. Storm overflows in England discharged untreated sewage into rivers and the sea over 300,000 times in 2022.
We move on to other serious local, national and international issues:
· In 2020 the UK missed its target to recycle 50% of waste from households. In 2021 it achieved 44.6%.
· In 2021, every London borough was breaching World Health Organisation guidelines on air pollution.
We are already seeing the impacts of climate change:
· Hotter temperatures, more severe storms, warmer rising oceans, loss of species, insufficient food, increased health risks, poverty and displacement.
Our Company ordinances state that our objectives are:
· To promote the development and advancement of the science, art and practice of water and environmental management
· To promote, support and encourage standards of excellence, integrity and honourable practice in conducting the profession of water and environmental management.
So how are we going to grow to achieve these objectives?
More of us, working together.
We are the leading Livery Company able to respond on many of the environmental challenges. We owe it to the future to share our thinking, knowledge and experience.
Within our Company we have tremendous expertise and experience on environmental issues, not only water but also waste management, circular economy, land use, as well as law and accounting. We have contributed to debates on plastics, water fittings and wet wipes. We will continue to respond to consultations and share our knowledge.
We will continue to broaden our discussions and engagement on wider sustainable issues including resources, waste and energy.
We have a comprehensive programme for the coming year, including social activities, debates, webinars.
Next week our Wardens and I will be presenting the Lord Mayor with a jug of Thames water (from the tap!) in recognition that on 14 July 1197, King Richard 1, in order to improve his liquidity, sold the Conservancy of the River Thames to the Corporation of London for the sum of 1500 marks. The first time Thames water was sold!
Join us on our social programme.
· Later in July we will visit historic St Albans and the Cathedral, where St Alban lost his head and a spring sprung up.
· From a boat on the Thames we will observe the traditional Swan-Upping by the Vintners and Dyers Livery companies.
· We have been invited to join the crew of HMS Scott at Plymouth for a short sea voyage.
· In August we will return to the Thames, on a historic ship - all the pleasure of cruising without the crowds.
· Then there’s the chance to exercise your right to drive sheep across the Thames (no need to bring your own, sheep are provided).
· At our Michaelmas Lunch we will welcome Sarah Mukherjee, former BBC journalist and current CEO of IEMA (the largest environmental professional body in the UK).
· At our Election Court Lunch next year we will welcome the Lord Mayor as our guest speaker.
· But before that we will need to prepare for the Lord Mayor’s Show on 11 November when we will have our own float. All hands to the pump!
Our cutter, Water Forget-me-not, wins races! Come and support the cutter in the Port of London Challenge, and in the Watermen’s Company Doggett’s Coronation Pageant.
All details are on our website.
I want to strengthen the Company. The Court has endorsed groups and committees with specific objectives for the year. All help is welcome.
I am keen that we improve our communications. We have a group reviewing our website. Let’s dip our toe into social media to spread our messages. Watch out for more Master’s blogs.
I encourage you to consider how you can contribute by joining the Court. You could then progress to Warden and Master. Onward - anyone for Lord Mayor (a cat is not obligatory)?
We are balancing our budget - but to survive we must grow. Our target is 15% membership growth net every year. We want to welcome more members who share an interest in water and the environment. It is the personal contact that makes a difference.
I have asked the Wardens to lead on our recruitment drive.
At a Company level we are talking to and sharing a vision with companies, consultancies, trade associations and professional bodies. We can offer involvement with our debates, technical and policy discussions, Trust and programme of activities. I am particularly pleased to welcome the CEO of CIWEM Terry Fuller and the Executive Director of IEMA Martin Baxter to our lunch today.
I am even signing up my new grandson, although he doesn’t know it yet. He is an expert on waste water discharges!
Our Trust is a major asset of the Company, and independent of it. We are encouraging hundreds of school children to learn about water and the environment. In the past 16 years we have supported over 180 university students at 24 universities. We give about 15 bursary awards and 15 dissertation prizes to students each year.
But fees are more than £9000 a year and the cost of living is a major challenge.
I encourage everyone to make a monthly contribution to the Trust. Currently more than half of us do.
We support students to become Associates of the Company. The Associates have an additional programme of activities and the Company offers mentoring and other help. You are another part of our future.
To sum up:
· We are promoting a diverse and sustainable environment
· We are growing. As water and environmental issues swell, we too need to grow more and use our skills and experience to adapt and respond.
· We are active. We are punching well above our weight in engagement and influence in the City of London, government and business.
· We are working to the future. Our Trust supports education and young people to tackle water and environment issues.
· We have fun.
This is a great Company supported by super people, and I am honoured to be able to serve you as Master. Eileen and I look forward to working with you and for you over the coming year.
Comments
Post a Comment