WCoFF Bulletin No 4
Worshipful Company of Firefighters – COVID-19 (Coronavirus)
Dear Members and Friends
At the start of the fourth Bulletin we are now 11 weeks into what is still a restricted position for many, and the most important item remains the health and welfare of all of you, your family, and friends.
Led by Peter Cowland, our Honorary Almoner, with the support of the ESCB members, 204 of the 207 Members (over 98%) have been contacted to enquire as to the health and well-being of themselves and their families. The three members who we have not yet been able to reach have not updated their contact details or are residing elsewhere. However, Peter and the team are firmly on the case and the Almoner is confident we shall have reached everybody soon, one way or another.
As the “lock-Down” guidance changes (I have not used the words “relaxed”!!) we must remain vigilant, alert, disciplined in taking the hygiene precautions suggested and avoid unnecessary contact which has cost the lives of over 40,000 people in the UK and continues to infect over 1,000 people every day. The ESCB members continue to be thankful, as I am sure all of you are, that none of the Membership have so far succumbed to this dreadful disease or have experienced the most severe symptoms where long-term recovery is required with the unknown of how effective that will ever be.
The Honorary Almoner reports that few members or their immediate family are experiencing difficulties or distress and Peter is monitoring and dealing with their circumstances on a regular basis. The ESCB have concluded that having had two rounds of contact, should you require any assistance, or if your circumstances change, we would like you to contact Peter as early as possible so we can support you. This will allow Peter and the team to concentrate on those not as fortunate as ourselves. Just as a reminder, the contact details for Peter Cowland are pcowland@hotmail.comor Tel: 01727 865106. If it is a matter you would prefer to speak to somebody about confidentially, not directly related to the Company’s business, you can contact our Honorary Chaplin, Reverend George Bush, on 07796 846891 or georgerbush@stmarylebow.org.uk
This Bulletin contains more information than normal, so each item has been numbered for ease of reading.
1. Common Hall for 2020: You may recall in the last bulletin that the ESCB had cancelled Common Hall for the 3rd July 2020 and that the Master and Wardens would remain in their positions until Common Hall on 2nd July 2021. Election of Court Assistants, Constable and Sentinels are approved and their declarations including new members will take place at Court or some other formal occasion in the future.
To complete the Common Hall process The Clerk, Steven Tamcken, has asked the Master, Chairs of the Finance Committee and Charitable Trust to submit annual on-line reports to him by 17th June 2020 and these will accompany that of The Clerk which will be circulated to all Members during the week commencing 22nd June 2020. If Members have questions these must be sent to The Clerk who will arrange for a response and this will be circulated to the Membership on 29th June 2020.
Due to the “Lock-Down” measures it has not been possible for Magee Gammon the Auditors to complete the normal audit for the Company 2018-19 Accounts, since a visit to the Office at Wax Chandlers’ Hall is required. Therefore, on this occasion the final accounts for 2018-19 have been submitted to the Auditors for scrutiny and they will be published as unqualified accounts. Once the Audit process has been fully completed Members will receive notification of completion and those requiring an electronic copy of the report will receive this upon request.
2. Finance Manager/Assistant Clerk and Charitable Trust Honorary Treasurer: Changes have taken place since the publication of the last Bulletin. Geoff Fall has formally taken over as the Assistant Clerk from Stephen Sanders. With immediate effect please do not use the asstclerkfin@wcoff.org email address. All Finance and Assistant Clerk matters should be referred to Geoff on fmac@wcoff.org or Tel: 01243 869676
Mob: 07989 913802. Geoff has agreed with Ian Parlane that he will take over and be responsible for the current year budget matters with effect from the quarter period commencing 1st March 2020, so all matters regarding the current year’s budget after the 29th February 2020 should also be referred to Geoff for action. Geoff and Ian are currently working through a number of handover items which require clarification and reconciliation before Ian retires formally on 3rd July 2020.
Stephen Sanders is the new Honorary Treasurer of the Charitable Trust For all financial matters associated with the Trust please contact Stephen on wcffct20@outlook.com or 01438 821927 Mob: 07950 215994.
3. Company Financial Position:
1. During this unprecedented period, the maintenance of a sound and sustainable financial position is imperative to the future of the Company. I am pleased to report to the Membership that the Finance Manager/Assistant Clerk (FMAC) at last Wednesday’s ESCB was able to report that the Company has a balance in round figures of £75,000, of which £49,000 is retained in the current account and £25,000 in the deposit account. Once the handover of the financial matters is complete the Finance Manager proposes to move money from the current account to the deposit account. Whilst there is little growth in the deposit account from interest, every little helps.
The ESCB reiterate that the continuance of quarterage and other payments during this period is vital for the Company to meet its commitments in the future maintaining a sound position. As an example, we are aware that some of the Livery Companies who own their Halls are having to seek significantly increased donation payments from their Membership due to the loss of income, to meet their overheads. We are therefore in a much better position but mindful of the potential increases in the future. I am sure that the Membership support the ESCB strategy and we thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Company.
4. On-Line Company Articles:
i. Salamander: The editorial team are currently in the process of compiling the next edition of Salamander which will issued on or around 4th July 2020. Watch out for this on-line publication which will have more information and interesting articles.
ii. Grant of Arms and the Massey Shaw Fireboat: For those who would like to learn a little more about the history of our Company the David Holt, our Honorary Archivist, has posted an article on the front page of our website. Richard Goddard, Past Master Watermen and Lightermen, a distinguished author on heraldry, has written a short illustrated history on our Armorial Bearings and the Grant of Arms to the Firefighters. The article is based on documents preserved by Past Master Jeremy Beech. There is also a link to our Company Flickr page, which contains a high-resolution copy of our Grant of Arms, the document which currently hangs in the Court Room at the Wax Chandlers’ Hall. Thank you to both for this interesting insight.
In addition, at the time of the 80th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation, members might like to look at a recent article on the Massey Shaw fire boat and the part it played in Operation Dynamo. The article can be accessed at: https://beyondtheflamesandmore.home.blog/2020/05/28/the-london-fire-float-at-dunkirk/.
iii. Great Fire of London Quiz: The entries for the quiz circulated by The Clerk on 9th May 2020 and created by Liveryman Dave Rogers are now closed. The Clerk is evaluating the results from the submissions and these will be validated at the next ESCB and then drawn by the Master with an on-line announcement in the Bulletin No 5
5. Company Members Involved in COVID-19 Support Activities: Following a message sent by The Clerk a response has been sent by Liveryman Alistair Milner who has taken a leading coordinating role with his wife in his local area community in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. They are leading on supporting vulnerable people in terms of ensuring their health and well-being is being catered for through examples like shopping, deliver of medicines, meals etc as well as providing free professional advice to business in the West Midlands Region on Fire and Safety matters. If any of the Membership are taking on similar tasks associated with COVID-19 support activities please contact the Clerk with details as the Livery Movement are keeping a record and responding to update requests. We have also received accounts describing the contributions made by many of our Fire and Rescue Service Members, which will form a special section of our July issue of Salamander.
6. Charitable Trust: It is likely that the same arrangement for the presentation of accounts for 2018-19 as described for the Company Accounts as detailed in item 1 above will also apply to complete the Common Hall process 2020. Stephen Sanders, Honorary Treasurer has applied to the Charities Commission to extend the deadline period for lodging accounts after which the old Charity will be formally closed.
At the on-line Board of Trustees Meeting on 28th April 2020, a grant was approved of £2,000 to the Cavell Nursing Trust which supports Nurses through all sorts of difficulties and hardship. The Trustees were unanimous in this award, made at an unprecedented time, in which there are numerous examples of this profession facing complexities and difficulties by the day. The Trustees felt that it was a very worthy cause that both the Trustees and the Company would wish to support and be associated with. We have received a warm thank you letter from the Cavell Nursing Trust for our assistance.
A Grant of £3,000 was also awarded to Downs Syndrome Extra (DES-21) to provide Education and on-going learning in Fire, General Safety, Citizenship Course in preparation for adolescent challenges moving towards adulthood, for young people with learning and physical disabilities. This award to a small charity ensures that it will be matched by Essex Fire and Rescue Service, which will assist in the delivery. The grant is “ring-fenced” so that a guarantee exists that the course can run when the COVID-19 Pandemic ceases. Ron Murray has been appointed as the “Trustee Ambassador” for this award.
Finally, Members may recall it was necessary for everyone to renew their Charitable giving arrangements, which had not been reviewed for some 15 years, following the introduction of the Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) status which took effect on 1st October 2019. It has always been a Company tradition that Members would contribute to the work of the Charitable Trust. A Charitable Giving Pack was sent to all Members in early March explaining the process, with a new mandate form for a far more flexible giving arrangement and a “Freepost” return envelope. It is disappointing and with regret that I have to inform the Membership that from 200 plus Members we have received only a little over 50 returns. Can I appeal to those who have not yet returned their giving commitment but intend to do so to please action this item urgently. If you cannot locate your pack please contact Stephen Sanders on wcffct20@outlook.com or 01438 821927 Mob: 07950 215994 who will be more than happy to arrange for you to have a replacement item.
The previous arrangement for Direct Debit or Tele Debit in which an annual donation towards the work of the old Charitable Trust was taken in July each year has been cancelled for some months, meaning that the current reduced level of income for the Charitable Trust will mean that the level of activity and Grant Awards will be drastically reduced in the future, unless considerably more pledges are received. Your assistance in this important matter would be gratefully appreciated in allowing an important long-standing and respected activity of the Company to continue. Thank you in anticipation.
In the next Bulletin the ESCB will update Members on the significant progress on upgrading the Company Information Technology system through the leadership and knowledge of Colin Simpson. We will outline the effect this has had in the ability of the Company to continue working and communicating during this difficult time and its benefits for the future, along with a review on such items as the Financial Regulations.
In the meantime, as always, to you, your family and friends stay safe and keep well.
Graham Maltby
Chair of the Emergency Strategic Coordination Board
And Upper Warden