The Master’s Message
I'm new to this job. Nobody warned me.
“There's an invitation to the Annual Lecture at the Spademongers Company on Friday week. It is at 6.45 – followed by Refreshments. Are you interested?”
On first thoughts, perhaps not.
Also obviously to be avoided, was the Certificate and Prize-giving Ceremony by the City School of Something. Kick-off: 9.45 am – followed by lunch – time unspecified.
One I did fall for was a Meeting at 12 noon at the Chartered Somebody's Hall to be followed by lunch: 1.00 pm.
The meeting, it said, was called by the FCA of the Livery Companies. Ten people eventually arrived. The meeting consisted, I think, of what had been described as a survey and contemporary update of the current progress strategy of the LME's sub-committee on ETQ - or something like that.
The only item I understood was the one marked AOB. This comprised a discussion of whether the next meeting clashed with the AGM of the TLC. The majority view was that it did. Thus the next meeting was t.b.a'd.
I've just received the bill for the lunch: £71.59 (sic).
At the Installation Dinner, three Masters had been invited. It's called ‘returning hospitality'. Two Masters and their Clerks turned up. The third stepped onto a train operated by a company who shall remain nameless: that put paid to his dinner.
The tables were laid for 90. Thirty of those were our members, 60 were guests. This does seem the wrong way round. Why does this event appeal more to others than to ourselves?
When the Company's Court holds a meeting in the Guildhall, the practice is, immediately afterwards, to retire upstairs to one of the Aldermen's hideouts for a Revival Lunch. An invited speaker gives a talk – then some of us go back to work.
At the Court Meeting on 27 th April 2007, Stephen Jakobi has agreed to speak. He was the founder and Director of Fair Trials Abroad, the organisation that works timelessly behind the scenes helping those accused, usually wrongly, and then put on trial. You'll remember the plane spotters' fiasco in Greece – he was there.
His talk is going to be so fascinating that the Court cannot keep it to itself. We're therefore inviting you to come to lunch with us and to the talk.
Donald being installed as Master by immediate Past Master and Senior Warden Michael Stephens
We are expecting so many people that our usual haunts in the Guildhall will be far too small and have all been cancelled. Join us, therefore, if you can (guests welcome): on Friday 27 April at the Innholders' Hall – that's just off Dowgate Street EC4, beside Can on Street Station (usual financial conditions apply).
Some of the older Companies have charitable funds that run to millions. In the 25 years of our existence, members have consistently donated. We now have the annual interest to distribute.
This year to the Lord Mayor's appeal for handicapped children: £1,000.
The organisation called Centre Point works in 14 London Boroughs, among those in the 16 to 25 age group. It tries to get them, despite their broken homes, their non-literacy, their drugs and drink, to want to remain in society and to acquire some ambition in life. Centre Point's mantra to attempt to jolt this age-group into awareness is:
If you continue to do as you did,
You will continue to get what you got.
We gave them £2,000.
Books for the bookless is our pet theme for this year. The CIArb has branches around the world. The poorest are in Africa and Malaysia. Their members, of course, want to take the Institute's professi on al exams, but some branches have no law books – others have a few but they are out of date. I am sure that the resp on se to our appeal to every member to help will go well. Please don't let us down. Their next exam is in April 2007.
I wish you all a happy Christmas and a merry New Year and look forward to meeting you at one or more of our many functions.
Donald Valentine
P.S. The Master's Lecture is on 7th March 2007 when William Wood QC will reveal how to make Mediation work.