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I attended the Marketor’s Annual City Lecture on 21^st November which was held at St Mary-at-Hill which is the church of our chaplain canon Flora Winfield.  The lecture entitled “Loyalty beyond reason” was given by Kevin Roberts who is the Chief executive of Saatchi & Saatchi.  The delivery was brilliantly informative and amusing, we were held very securely in the grasp of Mr Roberts for an hour.  The theme of ‘Loyalty beyond reason’ was that as Marketors one has to win the loyalty of customers or clients by being ambitious, creative and emotional.  As a Water Conservator this message hit home to me in respect of the Company’s relationship with its main client, the membership.  None of what I heard was new but well worth hearing again (and again).  There were a large number of Masters in attendance at what was clearly a very successful event.  It is so valuable to meet Masters of other Companies too, I came away feeling very pleased that I had made the effort to attend.

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I was one of a good number of Water Conservators who attended the memorial service for Nick Reeves in St Pauls on November 19^th.  The chapel was full of many people from all walks of life and the water and environmental worlds.

I was able to present Mrs Reeves with a leather-bound copy of ‘Reflections on water’ as a tribute to Nick and this was well received by all of the family.

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The visit to Sidney Sussex with Gwilym was memorable.  I was a guest at the 1596 Foundation Dinner which also celebrated the completion of the new Chamber Organ which was made by Taylor and Boody, their Opus 66.  The organ is a historic mean-tone organ, which in my simple analysis if comparing it with great organs, would be like comparing a harpsichord with a piano.  I may be doing Taylor and Boody a great disservice but how do you describe something that you have never heard the like of before.  We heard a new work by Eric Whitacre the resident composer and Fantasia by William Byrd  (d.1623)  which was played by the Musician in residence, Stephen Farr  Oh and there was the college choir too who sang ‘If King Manasses’ by Thomas Weekes (d,1623) and ‘Rejoice in the Lord’ by Henry Purcell (d.1695).  The choir was accompanied by organ scholars.  It was all a unique musical treat.

In discussion after supper Gwilym and I moved along our plans for links with Sidney Sussex.

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An FM&GP meeting was held at 154 Buckingham Palace Road on 13th November, thank you ESA, which I was pleased to chair; it turned out to be a lively meeting with lots of discussion about what I mean by ‘Leading and learning from the future’.  Despite me claiming to have explained on number of occasions that futures emerge my Learned Clerk has helped me by suggesting that I extend the objective of my proposal to ‘Leading and learning from the future as it emerges’.  I trust that this longer wording will ease a few furrowed brows.  The concept of the ‘future’ actually emerging in front of you is a vital element and makes conventional planning redundant.  I think that all the members of the committee were pleased that we were airing a difficult concept.  We agreed to take the next steps in the Company becoming better informed about ourselves; a ‘stock-taking’ of skills as it was described by Mark Lane.

It was gratifying to learn from the clerk that nobody had fallen off their perch in the last quarter, or resigned and that the results of recruitment of new members were encouraging.  Our efforts to attract commercial members is on-going too.

In the evening I attended the Actuaries Lecture at Staple Hall which was on the subject of the London Paraplegic Olympics and was delivered by Sir Philip Craven MBE who is an amazing man full of passion and the will to do things whilst wheelchair bound; and obviously a leader who inspires the most amazing efforts and results from countless athletes, not just medal winners.  I was on my feet once again so people are hearing about the Water Conservators.  I made the comment that I had experience of living with a severely disabled family member who was a great success in his career and that whilst many people say the ‘disabled people have something extra’, I disagree with this sentiment, me being me I would wouldn’t I, since I say that the ‘ordinary’ people have lost things like determination and spirit that is still very evident in disabled people in many walks of life’.  All in all it was a most inspiring event attended by about 80 people, many Masters amongst them.

On Wednesday 14^th along with our Clerk I was a guest at the Court Luncheon of the Environmental Cleaners at Armourers Hall.  I have been to 3 or 4 events at Armourers this year all very successful and enjoyable.

Today is a catching-up day.  I am off to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, tomorrow with liveryman Gwilym Roberts to attend their celebration of the founding of the college in 1596.  I believe that Oliver Cromwell’s head is stored there.  We are intent on developing links between Sidney Sussex and the Company.

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Some time ago the Water Conservation Trust was asked for help because the pond at Hillside Primary School in Orpington was to be put out of bounds or filled in because it represented a risk to the pupils. Through Trustee Rob Casey, the Trust recommended and paid for a safety grid, and encouraged the school to extend its science teaching. I have received news that, through its Charities Programme, Thames Water has agreed to fund half the cost of the grid. This is thanks to the great work done by Rob in developing our links with Thames Water. I will say that this is just a simple but significant example of how starting off in Ruislip High School with a pond has led on to greater things. This is an example of where ‘Leading from the future’ can take us and I do hope that the message gets home that ‘Leading from the future’ will happen if we use our heads to identify an opportunity and get involved: that means taking the project to heart, and then taking some immediate action that is using the emotion to develop some momentum.

I know from experience of long ago that this approach works and we have heard about Hugh Myddelton and John Snow. In the same vein, I would like Company members to support the work of the Trustees in the knowledge that with your involvement we can go to places unimaginable at the moment. That this means becoming Globally Useful can be our Future Possibility and not just a pipedream.

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Last week broke into life with the Banquet on 05 November and a Trust meeting on the following day.  Friday saw me back in London with David in readiness for the Lord Mayor’s Show.

I was told by everyone that the banquet in Vintners Hall was most enjoyable, well I enjoyed it and from where I was sitting the whole atmosphere seemed relaxed.  Our principal guests were Alderman and Mrs Andrew Parmley and Andrew provided one of his masterly and witty performances.  I had decided not to match Andrew’s ready wit so my contribution was personal and heartfelt.

I was thrilled and surprised that Mr Beadle introduced the Master in Welsh.

The entertainment was provided by friends from Ruthin, the ap Owen family.  The twin girls Manon and Lleuwen stole everyone’s hearts with their beautiful playing of the harp and then singing to their father’s accompaniment on the piano.  The performance was quite exceptional and especially praised by Andrew.  I was delighted when Hedd their father told me a day or two later that they had had no idea what to expect at a Livery function and were overwhelmed by the friendly and family-like reception.

The Vintners Company looked after us very well indeed.

The Lord Mayor’s Show was marked by a morning of steady and heavy rain from the moment that we set off.  I was delighted that David and I were joined by Thames Warden Roger North who, along with Christine had spent Friday making a new signboard for us; many thanks to you both.  The excitement of the crowds dispelled any discomfort caused by the rain.  I found the last half mile on the return journey tough going.  I ‘completed the course’ and a few minutes later in London Wall I met familiar faces in the form of the Renter Warden of the Glass Sellers and then our Chaplain.  When you take part in the parade you see little of what is going on except at the start in the marshalling area when there is plenty to see and friends from other Companies to talk to.

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I attended the Founder Members’ lunch at Butchers Hall on 16^th October which was a most pleasant affair arranged by Past Master Colin Bland.  It was good to renew acquaintances with people I had not seen for some years, it would not be appropriate to say ‘old faces’ which would easily slip off the tongue.

On 17^th we held a Master’s Committee in Atkins office at Euston, thank you Roger, in the discussions which were ‘wide ranging’ we did make progress with developing Global Usefulness.  David Lloyd Owen joined us and made a welcome contribution to what I hope will be seen as an emerging future for the Company.

In the evening I attended the dinner celebrating the installation of Master Dennis Woods of the Fuellers Company.