58. Plumbers’ Court Luncheon, 26 January

The Plumbers’ Company has a complementary interest in wet events, including its active support to the WET 10 Group of Livery Companies. The Plumbers Company is very active in promoting standards and skills. For long-standing water people the Lunch is a place to meet friends and share concerns. Guest speaker David Harper gave a fascinating account of his work as an engineer in the investigation and control of Legionnaires Disease. Photographed after the event is the perfect partnership – Master Erica and Clerk Paul. My thanks to both.

57. Chartered Accountants host accountants

The Chartered Accountants of England and Wales held a dinner for Masters and Clerks’ connected with accountancy at their Hall (right) on 20 January. A strange thing to want to do but a very successful evening. I suppose as in all walks of life, accountants and financial advisers make a big contribution and certainly so in the organisation of Livery life, as set out by the Master. Alderman and Sheriff Charles Bowman, a chartered accountant, then spoke about the need to rebuild trust in City institutions and the steps being taken to do that. My thanks go to Master Mark Spofford for a thought-provoking evening.

56. The Creeping Paralysis of Drought

In the latest of her series for Gresham College, Professor Carolyn Roberts focused on the ramifications of drought. Pointing out that this is a world-wide phenomenon, and spared neither rich country nor poor. What really mattered was resilience and institutional arrangements if we were to avoid significant damage to the economy or fatalities. Analysis showed that given a like for like drought situation (theoretically), developed countries fared much better. In the UK context of worsening weather events, there remains the issue of sacrifice – restricting domestic, agricultural, business use – and the incentives of the private sector water companies in England and Wales to act fairly.

55. Closing date for the WET City Water Debate!

The Debate – How Will London Manage a Drought takes place on 22 February at the Launderers’/ Glaziers’ Hall. Contributions from Martin Baggs and  Mike Woolgar will make for an interesting event. For details see the link below to our website. Last year I left it too late and it was full, so get on touch soon.

http://www.waterconservators.org/uploaded_files/tinymce/THECITYWATERDEBATEFLYER2016.pdf

54. The City New Year Service

The first formal get-together in the New Year is the invitation to join the Drapers’ Company for the City New Year Service at St Michael’s Cornhill. This attractive church (right, before the service) has been a centre of Christianity for over 1000 years - the Drapers’ Company have been Patrons for 513 years! Rector Stephen Platten welcomed several hundred worshipers; Readings were given by Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, and Dame Fiona Woolf, and the Sermon by Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales. A good way to start the New Year; and thanks go to the Master Draper for his hospitality.

53. New Year’s Honours

The Company and I congratulate Professor Peter Matthews, Chair, Natural Resources Wales, on his appointment as Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: for Services to Environmental Management.  Peter was Master Water Conservator in 2012-13 and has had a long and distinguished career in the water industry. I got to know him well in the 1980s when, working for Anglian Water, he was the industry’s sewage sludge and general waste water expert. Our paths have crossed, on and off, ever since.

Former Lord Mayor, Alan Yarrow, has received a knighthood for services to international business, inclusion and the City of London.  His Mayoral Year, which finished last November, was never dull, and, at times, quite demanding – for example, the two hour Go Kart race in July. His other achievement in which the Livery played a major part was raising funds for his Charity Appeal. He is shown here raising a glass of Thames Water’s best on the anniversary of sale of the conservancy of the River Thames to the Corporation of London.

52. Back in the…

… harness, or do I mean saddle?
A Happy and Prosperous 2016!

Appearing here with Mrs Master in Valletta’s Grand Harbour; we celebrated the New Year without the benefit of snow, frost, rain, etc. It didn’t seem right for New Year’s Eve but it was a nice change.