Page 7 - October 2022
P. 7
COMPANY NEWS
Outgoing Clerk’s Report
Whilst composing this, I was very aware that this would be the last time that I would be communicating with you as Clerk to your Company.
Do I look to reflect on the last 8 years achievements within the Company? Do I regale you with snippets and stories regarding the 7 Masters that I have worked with? Do I mention things like how the Company were early innovators and embraced things like Inclusivity, diversity, green Initiatives? All this would take far too long!!
Then it came to me - music, and quizzes. Most of you seem to like these, as seen by the participation in the Immediate Past Master’s on- line Music Quizzes. So,...........thesearemyfinalwords using songs, titles, and contained lyrics. Each of you can take from them what you wish or believe that I am trying to say.
I have to start with an obvious one: Frank Sinatra’s My Way – “And now the end is near and so I face the final Curtain etc.”.
and the future – “Man of the World” by Fleetwood Mac, and David Coverdale’s “Soldier of Fortune”.
Looking ahead, to Jane, my long suffering Fiancée - Michael Buble’s “Home”.
Finally to the Company as a whole - “Light up” by Snow Patrol and Meatloaf’s “Bat out of Hell!”
So, to end this musical farewell, I could have obviously used Julie Andrews - “Farewell, so long” etc., but preferred to use Alf Garnett from his album Songs of World War 1 “Goodbyee!”
Finally, and to bring proceedings to a close, “Thank You” for your kind parting gifts, “Stay Safe, Stay Well”, and now I could have used the Two Ronnies’ farewell catch phrase - but as there is only one of me, I will use another of my favourite comedians, Dave Allen – “I thank you for listening and may your God go with you”.
Charitable Trust Report - Report for Common Hall 2022 - abridged
The objects of the charity remain as follows:
The advancement of public education in fire safety matters and in furtherance thereof to award scholarships or
charitable purposed as the Trustees shall decide.
The Trust Board currently give priority too but not necessarily exclusivity to the following five categories:
1. Young People, Leadership, Development and Responsible Citizenship,
2. Education and Research Projects,
3. Fire and Rescue Heritage,
4. National Charities Associated Fire and Rescue and the Fire
Industry, and
5. Lord Mayor’s, Livery Company
and City of London Charities.
Like many small Charities the applications for Grants that meet the Charitable Objectives have significantly reduced since the Coronavirus Pandemic but are expected to return to pre-March 2020 levels during 2022-23 as activities return and Charities seek to maximise their income.
The trustees, acting as “Ambassadors”, support and monitor Grant Awards by the Charitable Trust.
In the year 2022-23 so far grants have been made to:
1. Essex Fire and Rescue Service
– Firebreak Cadet Scheme,
£10,000
2. The new RNLI Tower Lifeboat
Station, £10,000
3. The Essex Downs Syndrome
Group, £3,000
Certificates of Achievement to the three post graduates with an award of £1,000 for further studies were presented to the worthy recipients as part of the 2021-22 programme of Educational Awards at the Massey Shaw Dinner in April 2022, as were Certificates of
To the Master, Wardens, Court of • Assistants and PM’s – “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele and by Pink Floyd - “What Do You Want From
Me?” bursaries or prizes for people
To the Membership of the Company
- “Drive” by The Cars and “Shout”
by Tears for Fears.
To my successor, Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine”, and 2 • poems: “Desiderata” by Leonard Nimoy and “If” by Sir Michael Caine.
involved with or associated with firefighting rescue or fire safety who in the opinion of the Trustees would benefit from the scholarship,
To establish and support a museum and/or to accept gifts or loans of equipment and artefacts, and
Finally, to those who ask about me
• To support such charities and
Follow us on twitter @LondonFire1666
www.flickr.com/photos/wcoff103/
https://www.facebook.com/wcoff1666/