A rewarding evening at The Automotive Dinner

As The Master pointed out in her speech, this was the first Automotive Dinner for three years. Normally a popular stalwart of our calendar, the Automotive Dinner in 2020 was unceremoniously cancelled by the pandemic’s first lockdown, but now we are gradually seeing a return to business as usual. We held this dinner in a larger hall and while not full, it was clear that Liverymen are becoming more confident about travelling into London.

Our Principal Guest, Linda Jackson, Brand CEO of Peugeot, flew in from Paris to be with us. She told us how she made her way into the motor industry; the passion that she has for the motor car and the industry that develops and produces them; and the emotional investment that we all have in our own motor cars. That is not to mention the huge challenges that the motor industry faces now. Her insights were received with huge interest by the assembled company and discussion carried on over the Stirrup Cup which was very busy.

One of the highlights of the evening was to honour five talented young students with bursaries to support them in their studies. These bursaries were our own Motor Centenary Award to three students to further their careers in automotive design. We also made the Sir William Lyons Automotive Design Award to two students. The awards were presented by the Master and Linda Jackson. Later, I witnessed Assistant Giles Taylor, Chairman of the Automotive Awards Committee, and former Coachmaker award winner himself, with a spellbound audience of these young people, presumably coaching and mentoring them. Or was he just arranging which London hotspot they could all go onto? I know which scenario I favour as one of the students had told me earlier that Giles Taylor is famous!

The Master has laid on a fascinating and popular programme of events this year. The Morgan Cars visit that took place a couple of weeks ago, sold out in 46 minutes. We are going to HMS President on 25th April. It has sold out but do let the Clerk know if you are interested as places do become available from time to time. We have the Banquet in the Guildhall on 8th June and our Summer Reception on HQS Wellington on 14th July. I look forward to catching up with you all at these events.