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THE SALAMANDER | JULY 2017
Our Charity Ball in September and the City
Dinner in November were both well attended,
and both events raised considerable sums of
money for our Charitable Trust. I was delighted
that we were able to support our sister
organisation, the Firefighters’ Memorial Trust,
at a range of events, starting with the Memorial
Service at St Sepulchre-without-Newgate,
then at the prestigious event in November that
saw the Princess Royal officially illuminate the
Firefighters’ Memorial for the first time. I was
also able to represent the Company at two
events at the National Memorial Arboretum in
Staffordshire.
Our float in the Lord Mayor’s Show was one to
remember. We entered a Victorian horse-drawn
manual fire engine (courtesy of Liverymen
Chris and Tony Drewitt) and invited the Bakers’
Company to join us in their trade ‘whites’. We
fielded a complement of insurance brigade and
Victorian firefighters, and, due I suspect to a bit
of arm-twisting with the Pageant Master’s office,
we were very well placed towards the front of
the procession. We also maintained our role as
Bruce Hoad
Master.
Worshipful Company of Firefighters
organisers of the Modern Livery Companies’
entry, and Liveryman Richie Bratton gave a
superb televised interview to the BBC which
went out across the globe.
Celebrations to mark the LFB’s 150th birthday
continued throughout the year, and the
Company and I were present at many of these,
including the magnificent banquet at Mansion
House, where I accompanied our ownAlderman
Tim Hailes, who was, in turn, standing in for the
Lord Mayor.
For our Massey Shaw Banquet we visited
Armoury House, home of the Honourable
Artillery Company, where we were met by a
carpet guard of the Light Cavalry. Our guests
included theMastersof the Bakers’andHackney
Carriage Drivers’ Companies, and our principal
guest was the recently retired Commissioner of
the London Fire Brigade, Ron Dobson. I was
delighted to present the Company’s Annual
Award to Ron in recognition of his outstanding
contribution to the Brigade and to the safety of
the people of London.
Before my year is over I have a few more
commitments to fulfil. As I write this I am also
preparing to attend a Buckingham Palace
Garden Party. The following weekend Janice
and I are off to Ironbridge for the Livery
Weekend. I will then be jailed in the Tower of
London, and through your generosity, hopefully
bailed – or not! A quick Master’s Reception at
the end of June and then it’s Common Hall,
and I hand over to John Mansfield.
In summary, a great year, and I am amazingly
half a stone lighter than at the outset. I wouldn’t
have missed it for the world but I am definitely
looking forward to putting my feet up in July.
LFB Cadets marching in the Lord Mayor’s
Show