Welcome
... to the latest edition of the Company Newsletter. There's plenty in here covering the period from the turn of the year to very recently. We have a report from the Members’ Reception in March, the Quaich Lunch 2025 held in January, and the second wine course tasting event. Also further musings from Master Andy Miles, and an update about the new Company Livery Committee. As usual, we end with “and finally” about how time has flown for your editor. Not quite “News In Brief”!
But first and, perhaps most importantly, we have a significant group of impressive new Members to welcome....
New Admissions
There was a significant Admission eremony before the Charities Supper in January. Seven (count 'em) new Members were admitted and these are shown in the gallery below - in alphabetical order. In addition, we welcomed back to the two re-joiners and one Freeman was clothed with the Livery. These are shown in the left-hand column.
Congratulation to each and every one of them.
There was another Admission Ceremony on 12th March, before the Members' Reception, where new joiner, Steve Suckling (pictured above), was admitted and two Freemen were clothed with the Livery. The first of these was Julie Linsdell, who must have set a record for the speed with which she transitioned from new Freeman to Liveryman - about seven weeks. “I get stuff done” said Julie (well almost).
The second new Liveryman was Matt Lacey who, in doing so, created a small piece of history for himself and the Company. Matt and his dad, Liveryman Drew Lacey, become the first ever father and son liverymen in our Company. Congratulations to each and every one of them too.
Master's Musings
Company Related Work
It has been a busy few months with both Company-related work and my duties as Master. Let me summarise it for you.
Events and Goals
We've been busy with events and pushing forward my aims for the year. One of the highlights has been our greater involvement in the City of London and with the Corporation. We formed a team for the Pancake Race, and also also entering the WC of Coopers’ Barrel Rolling Race in June 2025! I'm excited about forming a team for the Lord Mayor's 5-a-side Football Tournament in June/July 2025. We'll need a Team Manager, Carrier of the Magic Sponge, and Slicer of Oranges. Who's in?
Charities Supper
You might have read about this in the last Get to Know Philanthropy Newsletter, but it's worth repeating. I was very pleased and proud to admit 7 new members to the Company, including 2 returning Members and a new Liveryman. Starting a major Company event with an Admission Ceremony is always fantastic. A big thank you to Malcolm Green for making it happen! The event itself was a great success, and I had the honour of presenting Dr. Bob Harris with his Outstanding Service Medal.
Day at City Harvest
A small team spent a day working either in the warehouse or out on the road in a van, seeing the impact of our work in the community. (Again, see Second Warden Collette Stone’s report in the last Get to Know Philanthropy Newsletter). We also raised £250 in donations. Well done and thank you to all who took part.
Pancake Race
On Tuesday, 4th March, along with Kanan Barot, John Cowdell, and our super sub Hugh Tinsley (who made it to London on short notice due to a medical appointment for one of our original members), we had a beautiful day with perfect racing conditions. This was especially welcome after last year's race was called off due to rain.
Master's Work
I'm keen to be a 'Master with Purpose,' so I've asked for briefings for each event to ensure we achieve something beneficial for the Company.
Here are some highlights:
- 14th January: Plaisterers’ Hall for the Livery Masters’ and Clerks’ Banquet. We had 68 Masters in a very busy hall.
- 15th January: An interesting dinner with many of our FSG colleagues at the Chartered Accountants. We had some fascinating discussions around the FSG work currently being undertaken. (See PM Steve Cant’s article below).
- 22nd January: A dinner with the WC of Educators, discussing their plans for future education and the City.
- 27th January: City St Georges University Graduation. The Lord Mayor was installed as Rector of the University, and it was a great opportunity to meet many involved in the university's work. (See photo).
- Two dinners at the Mansion House with both The City of London Solicitors Company and the WC of International Bankers. Also, lunch with the Judges at the Old Bailey. One of five guests including Sherriff David Chalk.
- 12th March: Easter Court, marking the halfway point of my year! And the New Member’s Reception – see full report below.
Other Past Masters will attest to the power of networking at such events. (Ed: Absolutely true). So far this year I've been able to make some connections for The Sea Cadets (some assistance with a unit in Essex), make some connections with the City of London Corporation that will assist them with training needs and started some work with the Information Technologist's Master, Gary Moore, on helping them with their own Court Assistants' development programme.
Members' Reception
“This is cosy” said Court Assistant and Chair of our Membership Committee (“big”) Malcolm Green as he addressed 50 or so Members and guests at the Members Reception on 12th March, held at the historic Temple Bar.
Before excellent drinks and canapés the assembled crowd were treated to a short history lesson about Temple Bar – a new venue for us - which was both educational and highly entertaining. Our thanks go to Grant Smith of Temple Bar for his excellent talk, well delivered despite a failing voice. Thanks too, to our Clerk Julie and husband Mark Fox and Assistant Clerk Walter Gill for arranging the event and excellent catering.
As our host for the evening Malcolm invited three new Freemen and one returning Member to speak briefly about their experiences and in particular their reasons for joining the Company. Many thanks go to Hannah Shaw, Julie Linsdell, Mark Doughty and returning Andy Wilkins, for their personal contributions to the evening.
In closing the proceedings Master Andy Miles unveiled our latest piece of Company Treasure. Here he is holding it - a plaque given to the Company by our long-term partners the Sea Cadets at Feltham. (Ed: more on that in the next GTKPhilanthropy Newsletter).
All in all, it was an interesting, engaging evening, and it was a pleasure to meet many of the 15 guests that were present with an interest in joining our Company. We hope to see many of them again soon and that they will complete their journeys to becoming Freemen of our great Company.
Quaich Lunch 2025
Ed: For the benefits of newer Members: The “Quaich Lunch” is not a formal Company event. It is private annual event that was initiated by Liveryman Gordon Stoker many years ago and has been organised in recent years by PM Alan Broomhead, who he has provided this short report on this year's lunch:
“In a break with tradition, the lunch was not held at Ironmongers’ Hall but instead in in the Medal Room at the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), in the City. This was to give greater flexibility, allow after lunch speeches and offer better value for money.
 About 40 Members gathered for a new year celebration and a good time was had by all. The Guest of Honour was Liveryman, and recent Sheriff, Andrew Marsden, (on the left) who delivered a fine and entertaining after lunch speech”.
WCoMC Wine Course - 2nd Tasting Event
Court Assistant Cosette Reczek reports: “Wednesday 8th January saw the second successful tasting event linked to the WCoMC Wine Course. The Wine Course was created at the request of Master Andy Miles to increase the fellowship opportunities for Members. It is run by the Wine Committee and includes an on-line course led by Jancis Robinson and in-person tastings. Some 50 Members and guests got together at the Worshipful Company of Carmens' Hall (see photo below) and tasted 4 pairs of 8 wines to explore the impact of style and terroir on wine -- for example, comparing how two well-known Beaujolais wines both made from the Gamay grape could be both similar and different expressions of the style. After the tasting, the Wine Committee shared two stunning selections from the Company cellar, both star wines from the Margaret River area procured during the Wine Club's trip to the region.
 Those in attendance found the event well balanced, enjoying both learning more about wine and the opportunity for fellowship in equal measure. Members and guests expressed appreciation for how much they enjoyed reconnecting early in 2025. The WCoMC Wine Course continues with limited availability of our discounted Jancis Robinson wine course licences - register here. And be on the lookout for the Wine Committee’s Tasting the Company Cellar event registration - please hold the date for 7th May. See you there!”
Company Livery Committee
PM Denise Fellows reports: "Hopefully, everyone is familiar with the work of our major committees: Education, Events, Membership and ProBono. With the exception of the Wine Committee, we don’t often publish the work of ‘other committees’ as specified in The Rules, but Court from time-to-time establishes such other Committees as it sees fit and may also specify and amend their terms of reference and membership. Those other committees used to include:
- The Ceremonial Committee: which advised on matters of procedure and protocol within the Company, and within the Civic City, and
- The Nominations Committee: which supported the Company’s leadership, development and progression, including the provision of advice and guidance to prospective candidates for Company office
There was a large overlap of the Membership of these two committees and at Christmas Court it was agreed that the committees should be merged to form the Company Livery Committee.
The aim of the Company Livery Committee (CLC) is to maintain and improve the status and longevity of the Management Consultants as a Livery Company in the past, present and future: ensuring that people, processes and artefacts are in place enabling us to grow as a vibrant modern Livery Company.
The Membership currently comprises: PM Denise Fellows Easteal (Chair), PM Edward Sankey, PM John Pulford, PM David Johnson, PM Steve Cant, FoL Calvert Markham, IPM Kanan Barot, Master Andy Miles, First Warden Malcolm McCaig and Clerk Julie Fox. We are short of an Archivist - more of that at another time. The members of the newly formed committee are now actively engaged in achieving its aims.
For example, the CLC commissioned some additional content on our Company website. You will now find a new page about the very few Members who have received our “Outstanding Service Medal”. (Ed: That's my cue to remind you about Bob Harris as reported in the most recent issue of the Get to know Philanthropy newsletter.) Also, another new page about all our Honorary Members. There’s a lot of detail included in this one – special thanks to all those who helped with information to pull this new page together".
City Impact - Financial Services Group
PM Steve Cant reports as our FSG representative: A year ago, I reported that consideration was being given to the future role of The Financial Services Group. During the year this idea developed and culminated in a “Strategic Awayday” held on 18th October 2024. I had volunteered to plan and facilitate this workshop. I can report, in all modesty, that it went well – although it did need some “cat herding” skills.
Following the Awayday I produced some outputs and then worked with FSG Chair Mark Spofforth and others through several iterations to identify 5 discreet “Task Forces”. (Think “work streams”…) as follows:
1 – “Governance”
2 – “City Expertise”
3 – “Collaboration and Cooperation”
4 - “Peerless Networking”
5 - “Communication”
Mark asked me to lead one of the Task Forces: “Peerless Networking”. I then created a template for the Five Task Forces to populate: A mechanism by which we could articulate some sort of future vision and how to get there. That went down well too! (Ed: When I explained this to Cathy Cant, she obeserved, rather dryly, that what was "bread and butter" for Management Consultants might seem sparkingly new and original to other Worshipful Companies!)
I’m currently working on integrating the Five Task Forces’ work into a rounded statement about of the future of the FSG that can be presented to an FSG Masters’ evening/supper scheduled for April 2025. I will not be able to attend that meeting, but our Master, Andy, will be there. Looking ahead, I can imagine greater involvement and more investment of time by more people than our current sole FSG representative. The FSG future will likely involve carrying on doing what the FSG has done in the past but doing everything better. More details next time after the Masters’ briefing.”
Future Events
Keep an eye on our rolling calendar of events, here: In particular,
29 April - Shoptalk: Perspectives on Leadership
This is the first in a new series of events where Members share their consulting insights and experiences in an informal environment.
7 May - Tasting the Company Cellar
A wonderful fellowship opportunity to get together and sample some lovely and interesting wines from the Company Cellar .
And finally .... Time Flies for your Editor
I received a name check recently in the journal of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport. Apparently, I have been a member there for 50 years which is a truly shocking statistic. The Institute then reinforced the point by sending me a certifcate AND A BADGE to prove it! I thought readers might enjoy this picture of your editor from way back then. In 1975 I was working as guard on the Central Line, part of my Graduate Training scheme with London Transport and it's still one of the best jobs I ever had!
Thanks for reading this far, to all those who provided stories and Mark Fox for the most of the photos, especially of the Admissions Ceremonies. And a special mention for Julie Lindsell for having three pictures included here... another record!
Steve Cant
Editor
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