OCTOBER 2004

To view the master's year to date by each month, click on the links below.

The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers
Magical Taxi Tour to Disneyland, Paris - Friday 1st October 2004.

Mr Richard Felix - Master of Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators enjoys breakfast.
The Lord Mayors party is at the rear.

The IPM, Una Riley, told me that this was to be a most memorable and emotional occasion in the Masters year. She was right.

   
pictured left: Clerk to the Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers - Mrs Mary Whitworth
pictured right and below: Breakfast at Cabot Hall

The day started very early, at 7.00am to be exact. We assembled at Canary Wharf, 1 Canada Square and met up in Cabot Hall to have breakfast with the children and their helpers. The hall was buzzing with excitement, the tables decorated with balloons and the many characters from Disney cartoons.

  
pictured left: Tony Walsh of 'Ground Force' talks to the Master.
pictured right: The Lord Mayor - Alderman Robert Finch
and the Master Hackney Carriage Drivers - John Rennie, prepare to cut the tape.

The Lord Mayor, the Right Honourable Alderman Robert Finch together with the Lady Mayoress and the Sheriffs and their Ladies joined in the fun. Masters from other Livery Companies were also present, each Company, including ours, sponsoring a black cab. The Lord Mayor made a jolly speech as did the spokesman on behalf of the major sponsors for this event. Speeches over, the children then collected their lunch boxes and headed for their cabs.

  
pictured left: Ready for the off!
pictured right: Happy little girl!

Outside, it was heaving, well over 100 black cabs had lined up to take their little charges to the Magic Kingdom. The Pipe Band played continually, photographers dashed about photographing the children with the Lord Mayor and numerous celebrities. The City of London Police controlled the traffic in an exemplary fashion. The Lord Mayor, the cut the ribbon and so the cavalcade slowly departed, to a cacophony of klaxon, musical and other noisy car horns, the cabbies, full of the joys, each cab decorated and festooned with the logo of the sponsors on show.

  
pictured left: There goes our taxi!
pictured right: The Lord Mayor and party waves them away.

Our cab was a maroon one and I eventually found it at the rear of the line.

The Company of Security Professionals Annual Dinner - Wednesday 6th October 2004.

Plaisterers Hall.In the magnificent setting of Plaisterers Hall, newly refurbished, the Company of Security Professionals sat down to dine, this the first time as a Company, “without Livery”, having advanced from a Guild on the 6th January this year.

pictured left to right: Lord Peter Imbert, Master - Michael Welply, Lady Imbert,
Mrs Sue Welply and Trevor Grey - Senior Warden.

320 Freemen, Members and their guests attended. Well done the Company of Security Professionals for your loyal support to this, our flagship event. I would like to express my thanks to the Master, Plaisterers Company, for kindly allowing us to use his Hall for our Dinner.

Why is it our flagship event? Because it is the one real occasion that we can show our selves off to the City of London, its Worshipful Companies and to the Court of Aldermen that we are a mature and worthy body to become a Livery; ever mindful of the history and dignity of the City and Corporation of London. We too are a dignified body, fulfilling the ethos of the livery system of fellowship, charity and education and ever watchful of the etiquette of the Livery.

pictured left to right: Deput - Phillip Willoughby, Mrs Sue Willoughby, Alderman David Brewer,
Mrs Tessa Brewer, Mt Dermot Grace, Mr Peter Derrick - Chamberlain of London, Mrs Peter Derrick,
Mr Trevor Gray - Senior Warden, Master - Mr Michael Welply, Mrs Sue Welply, AVM David Hawkins-Leth, Mrs Didi Hawkins-Leth, Maj Gen Peter Besgrove, Mrs Julie Hart, Commissioner Dr James Hart, Mrs Margaret Purnell, Mr John Purnell - Middle Warden.

Our guests included, Alderman and Mrs David Brewer, Mr Deputy and Mrs Phillip Willoughby, Dr James Hart, Commissioner of the City of London Police and Mrs Hart. Together with the Masters and Clerks of the following Worshipful Companies, Saddlers, Apothecaries, Distillers, Watermen and Lightermen, Water Conservators, and Hackney Carriage Drivers. We welcomed to our table the representatives of our Armed Services Affiliation, the RAF Regiment; Air Vice-Marshal and Mrs David Hawkins-Leth; Commandant General Air Commodore and Mrs Steven Anderton, Group Captain and Mrs Steven Abbott, Squadron Leader and Mrs Rooney, Squadron Leader and Mrs Armstrong and Warrant Officer and Mrs Kidd.

pictured left to right: Treasurer - Henry McKay, The Master - Michael welply,
Mrs Welply and Trevor Gray - the Senior Warden

From The Treloar Trust, we welcomed Major General and Mrs Peter Besgrove, and our Guest of Honour, The Chamberlain of London, Mr Peter and Mrs Derrick. But the warmest welcome was reserved for our Honorary Freeman Lord and Lady Imbert It was a real pleasure to welcome them both to our dinner where our members and their guests made a great fuss of them, and rightly so.
The magnificent setting of Plaisterers Hall was enhanced by the display of the Queen’s Colour for the RAF Regiment. It was positioned in the Minstrels Gallery. Music for dinner was provided by the saxophone quartet of the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.

The Chamberlain of London - Mr Peter Derrick replies on behalf of the guests

These events just don’t happen. A huge amount of work is undertaken behind the scenes. The bulk of this falls to the Clerk, John Maddock, to whom I owe a great deal of gratitude. The Beadle, Peter Mc Nulty went about his duties in a dignified and proper manner and kept the Master well prompted. These events of ours are successful due to the strong support from our members and also from our sponsors. This year, as in the past, Norbain SD provided the sponsorship for the dinner. I am deeply grateful to Dermot Grace, the Managing Director of Norbain, for this generosity. He told me afterwards the he and his guests had had a wonderful evening, and that he would like to support next years event, if that was OK?

It certainly is Dermot.

It was a wonderful evening that passed all too quickly for many of us.

Reception and private view of the Annual Exhibition of Fine Art at Painters Hall
12th October 2004.

  
pictured left: The Master with the Master, Painters-Stainers - Mr B P Botting.
pictured right: A watercolour by Dennis Pannett of a Hawker Hurricane over
a Scottish beach. (purchased by the Master)

The Master and Wardens pf the Worshipful Company of Painters - Stainers invited the Clerk and I to their annual reception and private view of fine art at Painters Hall, a little gem which is tucked away in Little Trinity Lane, EC4.

  
pictured left: A general view of the exhibition.
pictured right: Some of the paintings and sculptures on display.


pictured: Two clerks, without their Masters!

There were over 300 paintings on display together with an eclectic display of sculpture. The paintings, especially the water colours, were vibrant. I was pleased to see that much of the art work on display was what I would call traditional; there were no unmade beds, or ashtrays full of fagends, you can enjoy that at Tate Modern!

Masters Visit to Treloar’s - Thursday 14th October

The Senior Warden and I paid a visit to the Treloar Trust on Thursday 14th October. Treloar School is located at Upper Froyle, with the Treloar College at Alton. We assembled in the entrance lobby of the School where we were introduced to our hosts for the day. There were about 20 visitors to the School that day and Trevor Gray and I were escorted by the Chief Executive, John Sweeting.

pictured: The Master with the Chief Executive, Treloar's - Mr John Sweeting CBE.

The visit started with a briefing on the work of the School and College. It should be realised that Treloar’s is an educational and care establishment for children who suffer from very severe disabilities. What is so remarkable is the manner in which this establishment is able to develop in each of their charges the skills and confidence that allow them to live fulfilling and satisfying lives. The 320 students are supported by a staff of over 700. Over 80% of the students use wheelchairs or other ambulant aids. They excel in both academic and sporting arenas. The recent Ofstead report on the school and college was rated as excellent. Moreover, some of the children competed at the Paralympics in Athens and achieved gold and sliver medals. What impressed us the most was the evident happiness and “can do” approach to what might appear to be the most intractable problems; none more so in the area of technology. The use of technology, coupled with some original thinking by the staff, to develop solutions to intractable problems was truly impressive.

  
pictured above and below: The Midi bus rear view, rear ramp close up and general view.

We were shown the new Midi bus that allows wheel chair users to motor/push aboard up a low ramp and thus on their docking stations. It also allows the children to look out of the windows and enjoy the view! The current fleet of available vehicles to convey wheelchair users, that uses a hoist to gain access in to the vehicle, have floors that do not allow the children to look out of the windows, they are seated above the window level.

pictured: The Main entrance, Treloar College.

The Chief Executive told us about the new buildings that are being built and that there is a need for CCTV systems to be built in to these building, for health and safety reasons as well as security. He indicated that he would welcome professional advice and support in this area.

Treloar’s is the Masters Charity for the year. I would be forever grateful any contribution that those who read this can make to assist the School and College, either with professional advice or hardware support, especially in the area of CCTV. I am trying to collect money to defray the cost of a new Midi bus for the children as well.

If you can, in any way help, please contact me or send your contribution to Henry McKay, our Treasurer.

I want to conclude this report on my visit with a poem written by Chris Blackwell, one of the students:

We mix a little happiness with free
We can bring to the boil
Stir in a big pinch of bravery
With a little pinch of honour
Blend in a jug full of pride
Then leave to simmer
Bake it in an oven so independence can work
Add a teaspoon of joy and sieve in some kindness
Grate a lump of confidence and add a drop of happiness
Serve with individuality

I think that says it all.