36. Michaelmas Court Lunch, 27 September 2023

 

A day for celebration!

We held our Michaelmas Court meeting in the historic setting of Cutlers’ Hall.  After receiving an update on membership and reviewing our financial planning to 2025/6, most of the Court meeting was taken up by a discussion on recruitment and growth.  Many ideas and suggestions were shared, with Court members taking responsibility for developing them further.  An open discussion is planned for November to take the proposals further.  Members of the Company are invited to participate.

We started our celebrations with the Installation of the Walbrook Warden Tom Flood.  It was great to welcome Tom to the team as he had been unable to make the Installation Court in July.

I then had the pleasure of admitting new Court Assistants: Brett Bader, Nigel Mattravers, Yusaf Samiullah and Richard Waller.

I was pleased to admit Justin Harper as a Liveryman of the Company and Matthew Clack and Jessica Fox as Freemen of the Company.  Matthew’s professional background has been varied, including stints working for organisations as diverse the Met Office College, BT and Vodafone, but the majority of his career has been spent working in organizational learning and development, and was the account manager for NI Water and Thames Water.  Jessica is a Senior Water Quality Process Scientist for Southern Water.  She is responsible for the scientific management of drinking water treatment for North Kent.   Jessica holds a BSc in Marine Biology with Oceanography and an MSc in Physical Oceanography from Bangor University.

It was a great pleasure to welcome Sarah Mukherjee MBE as our guest and speaker after the lunch.  I have known Sarah for many years and she is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.  Sarah is passionate about achieving a sustainable environment and shared with us her thoughts on strengthening the environment profession.  Specifically she stressed the importance of reaching out to the wider public and communities on environmental issues and shared her concerns about the current state of the environment and regulation.

Conversations continued at Cutlers’ Hall and then elsewhere as we enjoyed the fellowship of Company members and guests.

Michaelmas Court Lunch

Master’s Response

Wardens, Visiting Master, Members of the Company, Guests:

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 views on the future of the environment profession at this, our Michaelmas Court Lunch.  Sarah Mukherjee, thank you.

When I stood before you at the Installation Court Lunch I felt like the new boy, clean shirt and gown.  Now after two months and the sheep drive there is a different atmosphere.  Sniff, I hope it is sheep!

Has anyone had to explain the curly blond hairs on their clothes?

I have now met many masters and learnt about their companies and professions.  A common accomplishment by masters is the ability to send glasses of wine flying, soaking your papers, watching as the words before you merge into a uniform grey.  Then having to remember/improvise.  Motto for Masters, be prepared for anything. 

After the challenge of asking everyone to change the way payment is made for membership, I am pleased to report that our numbers are growing.  I am grateful to Our Honorary Treasurer Ken Marsh, Past Master Peter Hall and our clerk Christine Duthie for their diligence, tracking down all our members and getting our records straight.  Christine was very pleased when she successfully tracked down a member after no contact for 3 years, and he wanted to pay for his membership!

I encourage everyone to ask friends and colleagues who are committed to water and the environment, to consider joining us.    We now have a group focused on growth; please speak to a warden if you would like to join it.

Earlier today at the meeting of the Court Tom Flood was installed as the Walbrook Warden.

We also admitted four new Court Assistants: Brett Bader, Nigel Mattravers, Yusaf Samiullah, and Richard Waller.

We admitted Justin Harper as Liveryman of the Company

We admitted Matthew Clack and Jess Fox as Freemen of the Company.

A warm welcome to you all.  Could you please all stand to be recognised and welcomed.

Nulla vita sine aqua. (Without water there is no life). Our motto.

Being positive, with water there can be life, and life is about learning, growing and fun.  I have been reflecting on this with our activities over the summer, watching the Swan Upping, visiting HMS Scott, cruising on the Thames, the return of Shackleton’s crow’s nest and chasing sheep over Southwark Bridge.  Counting those sheep was guaranteed to keep us all awake.

While on the Thames recently I was reminded of the debt we owe to the river, maintaining a long tradition of trade and transport on the water.  Our strong and swift team won both the Port of London Challenge and the Great River Race – a fantastic experience.  I was the passenger and chief bailer in the company cutter, Water Forget me not. Not forgetting, we accompanied the Royal shallop Jubilant, transporting a Strontium atomic clock from the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington to the Royal Greenwich Observatory.

It has taken a while for us all to fully appreciate our blue and green natural spaces.  Water and the environment are common issues in discussions between Livery companies.  I have been very encouraged at events in the City of London where civic and business leaders have spoken out on the need to address environmental issues including climate change, and have described the action they are taking.  Not short term green washing but long term investment.  The water sector is committed to research, innovation and investment but it requires an environment of clarity and consistency.

The uncertainty and public perception and profile of the water sector are not helping the recruitment of professionals.  It is essential that the industry is able to attract high calibre staff if it is going to make the changes necessary.  This is an issue which our Water Conservation Trust recognises and is trying to address by its programme of support for university postgraduate students.

Some events can be quite noisy. Recently, I thought I met the Master taxi driver.  I observed that I was surprised that they were a modern livery company, younger than us, as hackney carriage drivers had been around since the 1600s.  He wisely agreed and observed that sometimes people confuse taxi driver for tax adviser.

Later I met the real Master taxi driver otherwise known as the Master Hackney Carriage driver. They are a modern livery company number 104.  He almost failed the test on his knowledge of London roads when the examiner said he could not turn right at a particular junction in Kensington.  He knew he had done it, so they went to look.  The examiner was right, but the Master pointed out he had been driving a fire engine at the time.

(Did you know until recently London Taxis used to have to carry a bale of hay and accommodate a gentleman wearing a top hat.  Amazing what you learn at Livery meetings.)

Our Company, as a group of professional experts, is actively engaging on consultations particularly on water related issues.  Thank you to everyone who contributes.  We have our programme of webinars on fascinating and technical subjects and the next one is on the 18 October on Sustainable Resource Management.

As the Livery Company on water and the environment we are leading on the debate on the future of water.  I am looking forward to our next City Water Debate with prominent speakers, at the Bakers’ Hall on 22 November - financing the required investment in the water sector.  Someone has to pay.

A core part of the Livery tradition is charitable giving.  I was very pleased that we were able to give £600 collected after our Installation Court Lunch to City Harvest, the Livery Food Initiative delivering food to the hungry of East London.  Today the collection is for Treloar School and College, a non-maintained residential and day special school and college for disabled children and young people aged from 2 to 25.  Please give generously.

The Water Conservation Trust work closely with schools, universities and other organisations on environmental activities, which young people could not otherwise do.  I invite you to appreciate our countryside on a sponsored 3-4 mile walk round the Walthamstow Wetlands on Sunday 1 October.  Non walking sponsors welcome.  Thanks to Thames Water for co-sponsoring some of the walkers.

Enjoying each others’ company is also part of the Livery tradition.  The Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries has invited us to visit their ancient Hall on Tuesday 17 October and we will adjourn to Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.  Join us.

The Master of the Weavers’ Company told me that a while ago they had a business dinner at the Savoy and the Lord Mayor’s office pointed out that as a City Livery Company they are required to conduct their business within the City of London.  The Company clerk tactfully pointed out that as the Weavers Company received their Royal Charter in 1155 they have 200 years precedence over the Lord Mayor, who’s title wasn’t awarded until 1354.

Particularly for our associates, in addition to webinars we have a tour of the Mansion House on 1 November. Any spaces left will be available for the rest of the Company.

And advance notice for our annual banquet in the superb historical surroundings of the Armourers’ Hall.  Past Lord Mayor of London and Master Wax Chandler Dame Fiona Woolf will be promoting a diverse and sustainable environment.  A great strap line.  We will also be entertained by the harmonious voices of the international award winning Strictly a Cappella. Put 8 November in your diary now.

Finally, don’t forget the Lord Mayor’s Show on 11 November when we will have our own float with the magic tap.  Thank you team and sponsors.  Come and enjoy the day as a walker or a spectator.  It will not rain but we are providing rain protection just in case.

We have a great number of things going on – don’t miss out.

Please look on our website to find more details.  Please look at my blog to see what else has been going on.  It is part of my evidence to explain why I am away from home so often. Within the next month or so we should be moving to a new website so watch out for the changes.

It is exciting and great fun being part of the family of London Livery Companies.  We share a rich heritage, establishing standards, supporting our professions as well addressing current and future issues.  I am reminded of Christopher Wren’s epitaph tribute in St Paul’s Cathedral Si monumentum requiris circumspice.  If you seek his memorial look about you.  As Liverymen let us make sure we are remembered for the diverse and sustainable environment we have achieved.  The Bakers’ Company had a monument erected to their achievements.

I would now like to declare the winners of the Company 100 draw.  Thank you to everyone who bought tickets.  I encourage you all to buy tickets next time.

I call upon Court Assistant Guy Titman to join me and I will thank now in case I do not win.