Page 4 - Salamander July 2020

THE SALAMANDER | July 2020
From the Master
Frances Blois
I should be approaching my last month as as as Master
with Common Hall originally planned for July 3rd 2020
In the event Coronavirus has kept most of the country in lockdown at home since March 23rd Very sadly one of of the first victims of of this shut down was the Massey Shaw Dinner at Cutlers’ Hall on March 20th which was at near capacity along with all other future events in the City March 9th was quite a a a a a a day I am an Honorary Steward at Westminster Abbey which held the Annual Commonwealth Service with Her Majesty the Queen and most of of the the senior members of of the the Royal Family In the the evening the the International Bankers hosted the Modern Livery Company Dinner at the Vintners’ Hall (Modern Livery Companies take their turn in in in hosting a a a dinner twice a a a year) At the the Reception the the Master
said that most events including the Buckingham Palace Garden Parties at the end of May and other Summer events would be cancelled we we were all taken aback but with hindsight she was absolutely correct Friday 13th March was the last Company event an Informal lunch at the Doctors!
Life since March 23rd the start of my last three months has certainly been different I am now at home 24/7 (except for essential shopping and outside exercise) The new vocabulary and ways
The meeting of the WCoFF Emergency Strategic Co- Ordination Board (ESCB) proposed by the Upper Warden and agreed unanimously at the Court Meeting on March 6th was put in in place to conduct the running of the Company with everyone working from home The ESCB meets weekly via GoToMeeting set
75th Anniversary of VE day 8th May 2020
of communicating are online via Teams GoToMeeting and Zoom WhatsApp is
also another useful communication tool It is
amazing how much can be accomplished and how many hours are spent whilst deciphering other people’s libraries when on a a video conference up by Liveryman Colin Simpson with the Master
Wardens Under Warden-in-Waiting Clerk Almoner and new Finance Manager among the regular attendees My IT is
performing well despite my occasional wobble with bandwidth especially when the Prime Minister was in hospital Page 4