Outstanding Service Awards

 
The award was developed to recognise significant and sustained contribution to the Company.  It is not an award that we expect to be given often or regularly. It can only be awarded to Liverymen, who have not served as Master but who, over an extended period, have contributed significantly to the Company and its development. 

The award has only been granted twice and the recipients and their citations shown below:

1) The first Outstanding Service Medal Award was made to John McLean Fox in September 2018.   John was given his award at a Company reception and his citation reads as follows:

"... John’s immensely significant contribution has been to develop a culture of charitable service within our Company.  With quiet leadership during the early days of our Guild, he developed the pro bono consultancy and mentoring services which today underpin our charitable works.  Now over 20 years later our pro bono services are seen as exemplars within the livery movement and have impacted on thousands of charities and individuals not only within the City of London but also throughout the world..."

John also supported our dear departed colleague Professor Allan Williams in his determination to found the Centre for Charity Effectiveness at Cass Business School.  It wasn’t an initiative which had huge popularity at the start either within the Company or the Business School but from his experiences as Chairman of a charity he strongly believed that the sector would benefit from management guidance.  The centre is now the leading non-profit academic centre in the UK and one of the leading centres worldwide.

His legacy within our Company is not only in the services that we deliver but in the way that we are.  His sustained contribution over so many years has gone several furlongs beyond the extra mile.  He is truly deserving of the Outstanding Service Medal Award.

2)  The second Outstanding Service Medal Award was made to  Gordon Stoker, who had recently celebrated his 90th birthday in March 2023.  The Master visited Gordon in hospital to present a certificate in person. His medal followed.  His citation reads:  

“…for long and wide service in developing the Company from its earliest days, notably in leadership of its pro bono mentoring activities and advancing a charitable culture with the Company, establishing the Almoner service, revitalising Honorary Memberships thus bringing distinguished people into the Company, and creating The Quaich Luncheon that has become an institution in the Company...”

Gordon passed away at the end of December 2023 and you can read more about him and his contribution, here.

3)  The third and most recent recipient of the Award is Bob Harris:   

Here's a short summary of his citation: 

Bob has made a long and sustained contribution to the development of the Company in his various roles over more than 30 years.  It is difficult to summarise, but his many achievements include:
•    The trustees research he carried out for the Charity Commission.
•    Being Chair if the events Committee for many years
•    Organising “shop talks”, again for many years
•    Being a Trustee of the Charitable Fund and sorting out Gift Aid.  
•    Developing, leading and publishing and leading several Surveys of Philanthropic Giving by the Livery
•    Post Covid, Bob has been co-opted onto the City Livery Committee and
•    He also set up and leads a thriving Pan Livery Pro Bono Interest Group.
These later achievements have, without doubt, raised the profile and standing of our Company across the wider Livery and Bob himself is held in high esteem by many who know his work in the Livery movement. His passion is, not only to recognise when things could be done better, but to get on and do them.   He doesn’t just moan he rolls up his sleeves and gets things done.  He has been for many years highly impactful. Taken all together, these achievements and attributes make Bob worthy of recognition by the award of the Outstanding Service Award. 

Bob received his outstanding Service Medal from Master Andy Miles, in a short ceremony at the Charities Supper on 28 January 2025.  (Pictures to follow).