A letter from the Editor – April 2024

Where do I begin? Looking at the article line-up for this edition of Coachlines, I couldn’t help but feel grateful to have so many dedicated contributors for our newsletter each month. A wise man (or woman for that matter) once said it’s the sense of purpose which brings us together in the first place, and then it’s the sense of belonging that keeps us closer. Was he or she referring to us, the Coachmakers?

I wish to break away from talking about the weather, however, I simply couldn’t! It’s May Day tomorrow, but how come it’s still so chilly? I have just returned from Japan, but sadly I missed the height of the cherry blossom season. While I was there, southern Finland had an unusual late season snowfall. The streets in Helsinki were covered again in white, as if Christmas had returned. When I landed at Heathrow T5, an email from the golf club I belong to in Surrey told me that the course was closed due to heavy rain overnight. How many people out there are still in denial about climate change? What can we do and how can we make a positive impact to this planet we live on and call home?

‘How can we make a positive impact?’ is the question we constantly keep in mind as a Livery company operating in the City of London. I am eager to address the elephant in the room by highlighting the fact that there are people who don’t know us, holding an opinion that Livery companies are just a bunch of elite men and women dressed in their finery and trying to strike smart conversations while wining and dining in exclusive venues.

If there is a way to reach out to these people, I would send them our April edition of Coachlines, so they can see how we are organized as a company to pursue our charitable goals systematically and diligently. In our ‘Meet the Team’ this month, we feature the Fundraising Sub-Committee, led by Senior Warden Steve Fitz-Gerald, and 350+ Committee, led by PM Graham Cole CBE. You will find out about their team’s mission, and how you can contribute as an individual.

As usual, we have some encouraging stories from our award winners, apprentices, and bursary recipients. We also have a report from our under-35 members about their first organised social gathering. It warms my heart to see the young people we support thrive in their studies and in their careers. It delights me even more to see that some of these young people have since found the Coachmakers is a new family they wish to be part of. We are not just investing in these young people’s future; we are also investing in our Livery’s future.

This edition of Coachlines will be the last issue before the Banquet in May. For those who were fortunate enough to experience last year’s event, you must remember how extraordinary the entire evening was. In anticipating another stunning occasion, Liveryman Christopher Tate, one of the key contributors and organizers of last year’s Banquet, will indulge us with a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the event came together. After reading his first draft, I told Christopher that I was giving him permission to brag and tell us how he managed to get all those Le Mans legends to grace us in person at the Guildhall.

Our Renter Warden David Barrett is another legend. Besides being our Renter Warden, David is also a member of the Comms Committee, and has the privilege of accessing many events, so he has been a most reliable source of news items for the Company’s LinkedIn presence and Coachlines. You can find a piece he wrote about a stagecoach he recently spotted in central London in this Coachlines. As a busy and fast-paced person myself, it amazes me to see how efficient David is, definitely living proof of the saying “if one wants to get things done, finds a busy person”. Thank you David for your contributions.

I mentioned earlier about my local golf course closure due to the weather – you cannot imagine how devastated I was. You may be tired of hearing about my passion for golf (perhaps obsession is a better word) but this has paid off, as you will read in Assistant Graeme Hunt’s piece about our first annual livery golf fixture. Just a few days before Scottie Scheffler, the world number one golfer, won his second Masters’ title at Augusta National, your own Editor, with Liveryman Simon Gurney, won this year’s Duchess of Gloucester Cup. Well, the phrase ‘paid off’ is definite an overstatement. The Masters’ winner received $3.6 million this year, while Simon and I shared a prize of four bottles of wine. However, the Duchess of Gloucester Cup is just as impressive as the Masters’ trophy – just look at the photo evidence in Graeme’s article.

Last, but not least, the Institute of the Motor Industry has published an article on its website ‘How the Automated Vehicles Bill will impact automotive skills and regulations’, and IMI CEO and Liveryman Steve Nash has allowed us to post it here. As a Company which embraces all the fine traditions, we obviously want to know what the future holds as well.

With this note, I wish you a very happy May Day tomorrow, and I hope you all enjoy reading this month’s newsletter.

Yours, Editor in Chief Assistant Lyn Litchfield