Master's Page

Dear Liverymen
It's genuinely an honour and a privilege to have been elected as Master of The Worshipful Livery Company of Wales for 2024-2025.

My heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended and supported the Installation Banquet and hope you all had an enjoyable evening. I was overwhelmed by the support I received from my friends, contacts and colleagues representing my portfolio and London Liveries. Many letters of thanks, and how much they enjoyed the evening, are still coming in.

Since my instalment as Master, I have represented the Company at the Lord Mayor of the City of London’s private Lunch with the Masters of 2024-25 at the Accountants’ Hall. I also attended the Universities of Wales Air Squadron’s 57th Annual Dinner at the Cardiff and County Club and presented the UWAS Livery Award. On Wednesday, eighteen Liveryman were invited by PM and Liveryman Pewterer Dr. Kathy Seddon and attended the Pewterers 550th Banquet at the Mansion House. On Thursday Court Assistants Kim Insley and Stephen Richards of the London Committee organised a superb tour of Parliament followed by Afternoon Tea with the Baroness Findlay of Llandaff who was our 2013/14 Outstanding Achievement Winner. All these events were very well attended and added to raising the Company’s profile.

As my theme for my term of office is "Legal" and “Raising Awareness" of our Company, you will be hearing more from me in the year ahead about all the important things our wonderful modern livery company does and how we celebrate our successes along the way.

I hope to achieve my aim of “Raising Awareness” and the profile of our Company through collaborations - “Stronger Together” which will also link in with the Lord Mayor of the City of London Michael Mainelli’s theme “Connect to Prosper".

My Legal theme will start with my Master’s Lecture given by HHJ Nicholas Cooke KC on the fascinating legal topic Does the Criminal Justice System Need a Thorough Check Up? Which is being held on Monday 20th May at the Parkgate Hotel – a Calling Notice has just been issued for this event.

I hope to see many of you at this Lecture and use this opportunity to ask questions of HHJ Nicholas Cooke during his Q&A session or just come and listen to what he has to say and hear the views of others and experience the first collaboration of my year. This Lecture will be hosted by the Cardiff Business Club and sponsored by Knight Frank. I will also be introducing for the first time a Legal Award through collaborations with law firms and legal departments in educational institutions and also explore social mobility and pro bono initiatives with them. This would demonstrate the breadth of the spectrum of the support offered by the Company through it Awards Programme.

Apart from raising awareness to get more traction, I also hope this would increase the membership of our Company. This is our Company and in order for us to continue to grow, we all need to play our part!

I am proposing five new members to kick start the recruitment campaign. As I have always said, if each member introduces and sponsors just one new member, we will double our membership immediately. This is a quick win and it will be a collegial effort towards the short, mid and long term strategy of our Company, so please Play Your Part introduce a new member - it is as simple as that !

I am also delighted to say that I was interviewed by Wales Media, and it was published on Saturday 20 April on Wales Online and in the Western Mail on Monday 22 April and in other local publications. This is a fantastic start to my theme of raising awareness of the Company and it has had very positive feedback so far and hope the coverage has the desired impact!

I have planned my Master’s Calendar with the demographics of our membership in mind and hopefully I can count on all of you to support the events. I have tried to retain the Welsh theme and also made it not so South East centric! My Calendar is posted on the website and for ease of reference the link to it is provided below.

Master's Calendar 2024-2025

The website is the main channel of communication both internally and externally so please use it as your first point of reference for all matters relating to our Company and stay connected and updated. The Assistant Clerk will provide details on how to gain access to the Members Area if you are unsure.

I am looking forward to working with our excellent Officers and hardworking Servicing Committees. I am confident we can all work inclusively for the benefit of the Company which is of paramount importance.

Many thanks in advance for your support – for we are Stronger Together!