Page 52 - Archived Back Issues

In the name of Charity Ken Barnes, Chair of the Trustees
I am delighted to have this opportunity to up date you with the current activities of our Charitable Trust and hope that the reintroduction of this newsletter will provide a means of regularly communi- cating with our entire membership.
The Worshipful Company of Firefighters is committed to raising funds so that donations can be given to worthy causes and to individuals who are underprivileged or deserving of assistance. Hitherto, the principal charities we have supported have been The Fire Fighters Charity (previously The Fire Ser- vice Benevolent Fund), The Firefighters Memorial Trust, RAFT (Restoration of Function and Appear- ance Trust), the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and the Massey Shaw & Marine Vessels Preservation Society.
We have given generously since the Trust was formed some 20 years ago and in the last 5 years alone £61,222 has been donated to these and other beneficiaries including Trinity Hospice, St. Johns Ambulance (in memory of our much loved founder member and Past Master Bertie Gillings), Friends of Kensal Green Cemetery, the Children’s Holiday
Fund , Children’s Fire and Burns Trust and 3H Handicapped Children.
I think this also illustrates that we have tried to give favourable consideration to requests from worthy causes where a small donation, perhaps of only a few hundred pounds, would be significant to the recipient organisation. In addition, we are in the process of establishing a fund to support apprenticeships, scholarships, bursaries and other educational initiatives relating to fire fighting and fire safety.
Our charity funds are raised mainly by donations which are freely given by liverymen and freemen
each year and by fundraising events, principally the Fire Industry Charity Ball and the Massey
Shaw Dinner. Our charitable endeavours are a vital part of our being and our Livery Company and you, its members, can be justifiably proud of what we have achieved for the benefit of those less fortunate than ourselves. So, thank you for your support and please continue to give generously to The Charitable Trust so that we can in turn continue to give something back to the fire profession and, in particular, those in need.
“Over £61,000 has been donated by our
Worshipful Company to many deserving causes in the last 5 years”
A Voice in the City Steve Neville
I was delighted to be asked to Chair the newly formed PR & Marketing Group especially in this our 21st An-
niversary year.
The work of promoting our Worshipful Company has been previously undertaken by several individuals who have worked tirelessly to produce our newsletters and to raise funds at the many different and exciting events organised on behalf of our Charitable Trust Fund. We acknowledge and thank them for all their efforts for without them, we would not be enjoying the sponsorship and support we receive today.
Livery Companies have been in existence for a thousand years and have evolved for the betterment and advancement of their professions and personal skills. Each new century has brought changes in working practices and only those Liveries who have adapted and risen to those changes have survived with their original principals intact. The fire fighting profession has adapted with new technology, new sciences and new attitudes that influence design and change legislation. We need to ensure that our Livery Company continues to embrace and promote all new worthy changes that ultimately benefit people, property and safety.
I hope that through this newsletters and through forthcoming events, we will continue to promote change and keep you updated of the working of our Court, our committees and the many individuals and charities who ultimately benefit through your gener- osity. We will also strive to attract more innovative and like minded senior people to enjoy a unique City networking experi- ence, whilst upholding the truly great traditions of our heritage.
We don’t have the funds available to us like many of the established City Companies but we are rich with true characters and individuals who will be regularly appearing in these columns.
I hope that you enjoy this newsletter and if you have something you want to publicise please contact me at :
Steve-Neville@ntlworld.com