Happy Easter! We felt that this week was a good time to write to the Livery Companies of the City of London and to wish you, the Chartered Secretaries & Administrators a happy and peaceful season.

Happy and peaceful are not words that sit very easily with us at the moment in the uncertain world that we now inhabit but we know that time will move on and as HM The Queen so movingly said “we will meet again”. Easter remains for us a season of joy and, although the Cathedral is closed for public worship, services are being said daily by the ministers in their houses and your Company is remembered in our prayers.

It was sad that the United Guilds Service was unable to take place this year – is this the first year that it has been cancelled, I wonder? We will need the energy, the strength and the confidence that is on display in that service even more as we move head in the coming months. I know that this great event was first started by Sir Winston Churchill in the dark days of the Second World War and it seems to me that we, like him, should not be prepared to admit defeat. The United Guilds Service will happen again and we will make it even more splendid next time.

As a ‘beacon of hope’ St Paul’s is making sure that we provide as much support as we can.  The Music Department has established a wonderful ‘Choir of The Nation’ – with people joining in hymn singing around the country and our next event like this will be on St George’s Day. Our Schools and Family Learning Department have devised a digital story telling support system and our Adult Learning Department is ensuring that we can all gain digital access to our recorded talks and lectures.

We are also planning for the future and are in conversation regarding an online virtual Memorial Book for the Nation and – on that longed for day when we are out of lockdown – a set of special services in the Cathedral to help people come to terms with their experiences and losses.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank the Chartered Secretaries & Administrators for the support that they show to charities and worthy causes. Sometimes the Livery are rather modest at blowing their own trumpets about just how much support they provide but we want you to know that we realise what you do, appreciate it and are grateful.

There is a special link between the Liveries and St Paul’s Cathedral – we are your Cathedral. We want you to know that we are very much still here and praying for you all.

With every good wish

Andrew Carwood
Director of Music