Coachlines - June 2023

28.06.23 The Clerk

Clerk’s Notes – June 2023

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I shall not be shy: the Coachmakers’ Banquet 2023 was a resounding success.

More details are in the separate report featured in this edition but for those who want to see the photographic evidence of a splendid evening’s entertainment now follow this link: https://philmccarthyphotography.smugmug.com/Company-of-Coachmakers-Guildhall-Banquet-June-2023/

Future Coachmaker events

As we enter the final laps of this Livery Year (did you see what I did there?) there is still an opportunity to join your fellow Coachmakers in fellowship and fun:

Summer Court Dinner – 13th July 2023

Join the Master and Wardens at the Summer Court Reception and Dinner in the delightful Saddlers’ Hall. It will be a celebration of summer with summer music in the courtyard followed by dinner and a little more seasonal music inside. To book your places follow this link .

Looking ahead to the Election Court and Installation Dinner – 1st September 2023

Put a marker in your diary for the Coachmakers’ Election Court and Installation Dinner which will again be held in both Tallow Chandlers’ Hall and St James, Garlickhythe on Friday 1st September 2023. The book will open at the beginning of July; keep an eye on your inbox.

Aerospace Industry Dinner – 16th November 2023

This will be the first major event of the next Livery Year after the Election Court and will be held at Vintners’ Hall. The book will open at the end of September.

City events

City Beerfest – 6th July 2023

My good friend the Clerk to the Brewers’ Company has passed information about the forthcoming BeerFest in the Guildhall Yard between 12.30pm and 9.00pm on Thursday 6th July. Visit the City Beerfest website https://www.citybeerfest.org/ to find out more, see what beers will be on offer and to book your tickets in advance (at a discounted price). More details here.

The Distillers’ Tasting of the World Drinks Awards – 26th July 2023

My good friend the Clerk to the Distillers’ Company has informed me that the Master and Wardens of the Distillers’ Company would like to invite you to their annual Spirits Tasting event. The World Drinks Awards has teamed up with the Worshipful Company of Distillers to present more than 200 country and world winners from their 2023 awards tasting. Returning to the Vintners’ Hall on Wednesday 26th July 2023, this is the only event in the world where such a range of spirits will be brought together to taste under one roof. The cost per person is £45 and full details are available here.

Old Bailey Black-Tie Boxing Dinner – 14 September 2023

The Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund, based at the Old Bailey, is pleased to announce a ‘first of a kind’ event.  A black tie Dinner and Boxing evening at the Old Bailey has been arranged for Thursday 14 September at 6:15pm.

This event is named the ’Sheriff’s Last Stand’ for good reason, Sheriff Alastair King (Honorary Court Assstant of the Coachmakers’ Company) will be boxing in a special white collar bout, and hoping to be ‘King of the Ring’. The splendid and unique marble halls of the Central Criminal Court will be on offer for this very special dinner and entertaining sport.

Bookings can be made through this link:

https://wcmpc.wufoo.com/forms/sheriffs-last-stand-boxing-dinner/

Calling all knitters! Knitting squares to support City Giving Day

Slightly off the wall, but City Giving Day is The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s annual celebration of philanthropy and giving which provides organisations with an opportunity to reflect on all they do to support their local communities and charity partners. This year’s event is taking place on Tuesday 26th September and The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters’ ‘Knit for Community’ campaign is aiming to encourage individuals to knit squares in The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s pillar colours – yellow, green, blue and red – in the run-up to City Giving Day to be knitted together and distributed to deserving causes around the City.

Past Master Framework Knitter Sheila Turner is placing an order for red, yellow, green and blue wool to ensure the correct colours are used, and she would love some help in knitting eight-inch squares, which she will then arrange to be sewn up into lap blankets. If you wish to help the Framework Knitters to support City Giving Day and if you are willing to knit some squares, please email Sheila directly on sheila_turner1@sky.com

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST)

The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST) awards scholarship and apprenticeship funding of up to £18,000 to talented and aspiring craftspeople working in a broad range of skills, from farriery and jewellery design, to silver-smithing, dry stone walling, glassblowing cheese maturing, sculpture and more. The next application round is open 10th July – 14th August 2023 and QEST is looking for more talented applicants – would you know anyone who might qualify for this support?

QEST celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020 and since 1990 has awarded £5.5million to 800 individuals working in more than 130 different crafts. QEST defines craft broadly and welcomes applications from all areas including rural skills, contemporary craft, conservation, luthiery (guitar making) and much more. A directory of all its alumni can be seen on the website, along with more details on how to apply – www.qest.org.uk.

In addition to scholarship and apprenticeship funding, it is launching Emerging Maker Grants this summer. This new funding opportunity supports talented early-career craftspeople in their development. Makers with four years or less of professional practice, who have a strong connection to materials, technical skills and processes, can apply for up to £10,000.

The funding specifically supports training and education to enable makers to enhance their craft skills and advance their careers. The training can take many forms, from traditional college courses to vocational one-on-one training with a master craftsperson, or a bespoke programme of short courses.

QEST will be running three ‘how to’ sessions via Zoom to introduce interested makers to the different funding available, tips and advice for filling in applications and the opportunity for Q&A:

How to apply for a scholarship
Wednesday 12th July, 1-2pm
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUkduihrD4pGtY0nnivFlBiCbubIWMI1tn6

How to apply for an apprenticeship
Tuesday 18th July, 1-2pm
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYocu-sqDIvE9IgSeetEJcjCCSVmMScZCQX

How to apply for an Emerging Makers Grant
Thursday 20th July, 1-2pm
Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZctdOmgpjIjH9Uz7pfguzvwLf9PTuBI5guS

For more details on the funding opportunities available see: www.qest.org.uk/apply

Shiny stuff

The Goldsmiths’ Fair will take place from 26th September 23 to 8th October 2023. For more detail follow this link https://mailchi.mp/goldsmithsfair.co.uk/nl-23-06?e=3df2ae1f9b

And finally

In the previous edition of Coachlines the Assistant Clerk made a light hearted reference to her late Grandmother and explained that she does not share the second sight that Grandma Shimmings was said to possess.

Notwithstanding, during his excellent Banquet speech at the Guildhall on 6th June, the Master explained that the Assistant Clerk’s ability to decipher the various Banquet bookings as they came in would have placed her amongst the most accomplished WRNS working to decipher the coded messages received at Bletchley Park during WWII.

Some had fiendishly complex seating requests, some came with obscure dietary requirements and some with incomplete guest details. Some of them arrived on paper, some of them by phone and some of them were even submitted via the Coachmakers’ online booking system.

However, on the night, no-one complained that they had not been granted their various requests but the time and effort that was required to manage the bookings for the Banquet this year was simply astonishing.

So Clerk, what’s your point?

In just over a year from now, a new Clerk will be in post, and shortly thereafter a new Assistant Clerk will be appointed.

So, joking aside, may I ask you to start helping the next Clerk and Assistant Clerk now by getting used to, and using, the online booking system for all the Coachmaker events that you attend.

Please list all your guests’ details, any dietary requirements and clearly state if you have any seating preference; and if you use a PA or EA to manage your bookings, please explain to them exactly what you want and how it should be done.

Your support will be most gratefully received.