Livery talking points

This article covers talking points that might help when you talk about the Livery.

We have all been asked questions by non-members about our own Livery Company or other Livery Companies. Those questions often demonstrate that many people outside the Livery do not know or understand us and may wonder why Livery Companies are still relevant today. Limited public understanding of the Livery is an issue that members themselves have highlighted. In research conducted with Livery members in 2018, 98 percent of respondents said non-members have little or no knowledge of the Livery Companies. The talking points below are designed for members when in conversation with non-members. They help members to describe who we are, what we do, and why it matters. The talking points naturally focus on the many commonalities across Companies, acknowledging that while we’re all different and unique, we’re also united by a shared desire to help others.

The talking points are deliberately not designed to be a story or a set script that everyone should learn by rote. They do not cover everything that every Livery Company does, and some aspects may not be completely relevant to every Company. But they will provide a helpful and thought-provoking starting point for holding a conversation about your own Livery Company and the wider group of Companies. And they will give you useful things to say about the attributes of Livery Companies, along with examples that bring those attributes to life.

The talking points are in three parts:
• Opening statement. A short, simple description of who we are, what we do, and why it matters.
• Attributes. There are seven attributes covering important aspects of who we are, and what we do. Each attribute is supported by a few points that describe that attribute in a bit more detail.
• Examples & evidence. To bring the attributes to life and provide supporting evidence, it is important to provide tangible examples of these attributes in practice. One or two Livery-wide examples are included in the table below and several Coachmakers specific examples. Individual Liverymen should feel free to provide their own examples.

Finally, please note that members are advised to refer any potential communications issues (including requests for information from journalists) to the Clerk at clerk@coachmakers.co.uk or on 07505 089841.

Talking points

Opening Statement

Livery Companies exist to help people fulfil their potential. That was true hundreds of years ago, when the first Livery Companies supported people working in specific trades. It’s true today through the personal and professional development that Livery Companies help provide to hundreds of thousands of people in the UK. And we want to be here for as long as people need that support. Each Livery Company is unique, but philanthropic endeavour has always been, and will always be, at the heart of what we do.