2019 Installation Dinner at Saddlers' Hall.

Saddlers’ Hall was packed and looking splendid on 10th October for the 2019 Installation Dinner. The perfect venue for our Company to showcase itself to guests, and to hear our new Master, Ted Nicholl, tell us about his focus for the coming season. The room was even more colourful than usual, with the bright scarlet and air force blue uniforms of numerous military guests. Senior officers, medals and braids aplenty, were on hand to support Company prizewinners from our affiliated units. Much applause for dauntingly impressive achievements.

Our Master Ted’s personal commitment to Mulberry Academy, where a WCCSA nominated Governor, was reflected in attendance by four pupils and a teacher from the school. They seemed to have a good time, and to enjoy the opportunity to take part in a prestigious event beyond their usual experience. The school pupils, the prizewinners, and Rory Herbert, our Intern, together lowered the average age in the room by at least 20 years, and helped create a happily diverse atmosphere.

Guest speaker, John Heaton, offered updates on developments in both the national and international Institutes of Governance Professionals. Of immediate interest to WCCSA was the attention that our London-Hong Kong intern exchange is attracting. In wonderfully timely fashion, we learned that day that Rory Herbert’s intern visa has come through. Rory jets to the Hong Kong placement this month. This is a major milestone achievement at the start of Ted’s year – and the outcome of his diligent work over previous months.

Food and drink was delicious, ample and attractively served. We left enriched by good sustenance, good company and good conversations: in other words, the perfect evening we’ve come to expect in our Livery events. Well done everyone involved in the organisation.

Christina Parry
Immediate Past Master

I had the privilege to attend the 2019 Livery Assembly and Installation Dinner. I admit, I was quite nervous, but upon arriving my nerves quickly faded as I was greeted with the usual warmth and welcome I have always received from the Company members.

The event itself left me speechless, steeped in tradition, culture and history, I found myself staring wide-eyed, and trying to take photos of just about everything. It was a fantastic experience and I particularly enjoyed the loving cup – although I didn’t quite manage to taste any of the ‘sack’.

Rory Herbert
WCCSA Apprentice and 2019 London – Hong Kong Intern.

Thanks you so much for inviting us to your installation dinner. It was an absolute privilege to be invited to such an occasion and I was proud to say that you are one of our governors. You and Angela could not have made more effort to make us feel at ease with the other livery members, all of whom were charming. I was especially grateful for your kind words about the Academy. The students had an amazing time and we were all full of exciting moments in our cab on the way home. All the best in your year ahead.

Angela Wallace
Assistant Vice Principal, Mulberry Academy Shoreditch

Other positive feedback from the evening included:

Ted, Thank you very much for the invitation to your inauguration. It was a memorable evening which I really enjoyed. Very best wishes for your year as Master and to Angela too.’‘Master, Congratulations on your installation yesterday. It was a very good evening. I do hope you have a really excellent year, as I am sure you will, and look forward to seeing you soon.

Many congratulations on both the meetings and the dinner last evening. It was up among the best installation events! It was a wonderfully sincere and friendly occasion and I enjoyed it hugely. All best wishes for your year.

I really did enjoy the dinner last night and thank you to Keith and Karen for all the work involved which I know is quite considerable. I thought the food and service were superb and of course Saddler’s Hall is such a lovely magnificent venue.

Ted, Congratulations on a nice evening yesterday and best wishes for an exciting year.

Ted, What a great start to your year as Master! Loved the food and loved the young military getting their awards. Hope you feel excited about the year ahead – take care and enjoy these early days as Master.

My sincere thanks to the Master and all involved, in organising a very enjoyable evening yesterday. It is a privilege to be invited to such special events and I really do appreciate the opportunity that is offered. The company was most entertaining and made for a memorable evening – I should perhaps apologise for my poor show with the ‘Loving Cup’, but then it did provide a few laughs, at my expense!!

Photos courtesy of Professor Mark Fox.
More photographs will appear on the members-only section shortly.

WCCSA

The Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators

2019 Installation Dinner at Saddlers’ Hall.