The Lord Mayor's Summer Cycle Challenge, June 23rd 2013

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Category: Latest News

The Lord Mayor's Summer Cycle Challenge, June 23rd 2013 London - Oxford

Attached are details of The Lord Mayor's Summer Cycle Challenge for Livery companies - it starts with the Blessing of the Bikes at St Paul's Cathedral and ends with a jazz barbecue in the gardens of Trinity College Oxford. The Lord Mayor will be cycling with 1500 other cyclists along a picturesque 100km route through Windsor and Henley to the Spires of Oxford. Livery Companies are encouraged to form a team and friends and family are welcome to join the party in Oxford at the end.

Click here for more details.

If any member would like to take part or better still organise our team, please let the Clerk know

Swimathon 2013

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Category: Latest News

Swimathon 2013 - 4 March 2013

The 2013 Swimathon posed a more interesting challenge for our swimmers this year.    Unfortunately 2 of our swimmers, Michael Richardson and Richard Simms, had to pull out last week due to catching the flu and hence were not in a fit state to swim.  Heather Bygrave was also unable to swim this year.  So this left David Isherwood and Graeme Gordon to swim the 5km between them which equates to 170 lengths of a 33 metre pool.    We were the only team with only 2 swimmers and in our lane we were swimming against the Actuaries and the Barbers, both of whom had at least 5 swimmers each.  David and Graeme did an absolutely sterling job though and managed to finish before both the Actuaries and the Barbers, which was very impressive.   Heather somehow ended up being the official counter for our lane and so was able to provide David and Graeme with regular updates of their progress.   The Barbers were swimming for the first year and they seemed to really struggle with keeping up with how many lengths were required, when the end point was and what they did at the end.   One of their team was quite confused when near the time deadline for completing (there is a 2 hour limit on reaching the distance) that lots of swimmers were exiting the pool.  He asked why and when Heather explained that was because they had swam their 5km, he still seemed baffled.   In the end Heather had to let them know that their two remaining swimmers could exit the pool as they had completed the required distance.  Our members should be pleased to know that Graeme and David dealt with the maths of the event with a similar amount of ease as they dealt with swimming and understood and abided by the rules at all times.     They are though, keen that more swimmers take part next year!

Spring Dinner - Tuesday 16 April 2013

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Category: Dinner Reports

Spring Dinner - Tuesday 16 April 2013

Spring at last felt as if it had arrived with not only warmer weather, but the occasion of the Company’s Spring Livery Dinner, held at Carpenters’ Hall, London Wall. Some 120 members and guests gathered at the Hall on the evening of Tuesday 16^th April.

 The first Carpenters’ Hall was built in 1429 and survived until a fire occurred in the mid nineteenth century, which resulted in the Hall being rebuilt during the 1870s. The third Hall, which still stands today, was built following an air raid in 1941, which destroyed the second Hall. As with so many Livery Company Halls, it exhibits the skill and craft of the trade of the Company, in this case the work of the carpenter; it is modern and impressive.

There are many things that go towards making a Livery Dinner into a successful one. The choice of menu and the accompanying wine stay in the mind, especially if not of the standard expected. The variety of guests and of course the length and quality of the speeches are crucial and when people don’t look at their watches during the evening, you know that it has all gone according to plan!

We were welcomed by a Guard of Honour of Sea Cadets from the TS Dundas, smartly attired as usual. Our official guests included Masters from the Solicitors, Chartered Surveyors and World Traders Companies and the Master’s guest was The Reverend Dr Lord Griffiths of Burry Port, who in his “day job”, is the Superintendent Minister of Wesley’s Chapel in City Road accompanied by his wife Lady Griffiths. The Master has chosen as his charity for his year in office, the Boys’ Brigade and Lord Griffiths is currently the President of that organisation.

The Junior Warden introduced three new Members who were “clothed” at the Court Meeting preceding the Dinner and the Senior Warden in welcoming Lord Griffiths noted that as a regular contributor to “Thought for the day”, on the radio, he would be an expert in four minute talks! Lord Griffiths in response replied that he was used to “conflict management” and thought that in the circumstances he should obey the Maser’s instructions which allowed him twenty minutes! He commented on Biblical references to “keeping account” and gave a thought provoking and lively speech, which kept to his time allowed!

The food and wine were good, the arrangements went smoothly and the speeches were good; a successful Spring Dinner came to an end on time.

Michael Richardson 

Winter Dinner - 12 February 2013

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Category: Dinner Reports

Winter Dinner - 12 February 2013

Our Winter Dinner was attended by 107 members and guests in the splendid setting of Haberdashers’ Hall, which is only just over 10 years old. This was the occasion when we entertained fellow Chartered Accountants who are Masters of other Livery Companies – we were delighted to be joined by the Masters from the Clothworkers, Cutlers, Bakers, Plaisterers and Tax Advisers, together with their Clerks. The Junior Warden introduced three newly clothed Liverymen – Lee Aston, Stuart Hancock and Nathan Steinberg and the Senior Warden then introduced our visiting Masters and our guest speaker, Professor Sir Kenneth Calman. He is a pre-eminent cancer specialist, who was Chief Medical Officer of both Scotland and England and is Chair of the National Cancer Research Institute; he provided us with an excellent speech full of interesting anecdotes and wit.  

The Processional Party before going in to dinner		The Master and the guest speaker Professor Sir Kenneth Calman

The Queen's Organ recital by Robert Quinney in Mansion House, 10th June 2013

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Category: Other Livery Events

The Queen's Organ recital by Robert Quinney in Mansion House, 10th June 2013

The Lord Mayor's Appeal are pleased to announce the third concert of the Queen's organ series at Mansion House on the 10th June in aid of the Lord Mayor's Appeal 2013. 

The recital, will be performed by organist Robert Quinney, Sub Organist at Westminster Abbey. Robert is a rising star among British organists and in addition to his daily work, he maintains a busy freelance schedule as a soloist and ensemble player. He is a prolific recording artist: his recordings of organ music by J S Bach, Elgar, Dupré, Wagner and Brahms – and several CDs with the Choir of Westminster Abbey and The Sixteen – have been widely acclaimed. 

The concert presents a very unique and wonderful way to go to The Mansion House, have a glass of champagne with the Lord Mayor, and enjoy some fantastic music on a very beautiful and unique chamber organ - specially commissioned by the City Corporation to give to HM The Queen on the anniversary of her coronation. 

Tickets to the event are priced at £60, and all proceeds will be donated to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

For more details please click here to be directed to the website.