News from the Company

Charitable Trust Recital

One hundred members and friends of the Company packed St Mary-le-Bow Church on 2nd June 2009 for the second recital held in aid of the Charitable Trust.

Our three stars, Anna Le Hair, David Bellinger and of course Liveryman Michael Gifkins, entertained the audience royally.

Michael and Anna included performances of Beethoven’s Für Elise, Handel’s “Harmonious Blacksmith”, Debussy’s Prelude – La Cathédrale Engloutie and Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu in C# minor in their piano offerings.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Wife on the run

The BUPA 10km Run took place on the second Bank Holiday Monday in May – 12,500 participants, including me, with Gordon Ramsay holding the starting flag! Luckily the weather was not as hot as it had been over the previous two days.

We started off in blocks, according to our predicted running time. I was in the second to last batch of runners.

Monday, June 1, 2009

HMS Mersey

The Master and his wife attended a very convivial evening on board HMS Mersey on Thursday 7 May 2009 as guests of the present Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Al Wilson, and his wife, Lucy. Also present were the three preceding Commanding Officers of the ship, as well as Jennie Reeve, the Lady Sponsor, and her husband, Rear Admiral Jonothon Reeve. The Lady Sponsor is the one who launched the vessel with the proverbial bottle of bubbly and has an enduring interest in her thereafter.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Historic Dockyard Visit

The Master and 40 members and family visited the Historic Dockyard at Chatham on 19 April 2009. This is a unique award-winning maritime heritage attraction which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Charitable Trust News

Having recently taken over as Chairman of the Company’s Charitable Trust, I can now fully appreciate the hard work over the years put in by our Master, when he was Chairman. I thought it would be helpful to give some insight into the work that the Trust does.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Admissions

Mr Tony Ensom and Dr Mark Hoyle will be joining the Court as Assistants in April.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The Master

I am writing this message on the weekend after the Annual Livery Banquet at Mansion House – and what a splendid, friendly evening it turned out to be.

Friday, March 27, 2009

The World's Original Marmalade Festival

Members of the Company may have been surprised to see a familiar face in the Times on Saturday 14th March 2009. Our very own Company Chaplain, the Reverend George R Bush, has been filling his time between his Company duties at St Mary le Bow by judging “The World’s Original Marmalade Festival”. Here he is pictured with his fellow judges (photograph courtesy of The World’s Original Marmalade Festival website, www.marmaladefestival.com) and with a jar of the fine produce in question (from the Times’ article).

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Banquet

The splendid surroundings of the Egyptian Hall at the Mansion House in London were once again the venue for the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators’ Banquet.

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Visit to Wood Street Police Station

‘I am visiting a police station this evening’, I said to a friend. ‘Surrendering to bail, are we?’ came the response. ‘No’, I said, ‘just looking round’. ‘Well’, my friend continued, ‘You could stay at home and watch some paint dry’.

Sunday, March 15, 2009