24. Water Conservators Banquet 10/11/22 at Cutlers’ Hall.

On 10 November members and guests were treated to a splendid splendid Banquet at Cutlers Hall. Strikes and threats of strikes were not sufficient to deter us from a wonderful event!

We were really privileged to have John Gummer/Baron Deben as our guest speaker (and to have Lady Deben assist our Clerk with the table layout!). It was very special to me personally since John spoke at our Banquet in 2007 when I was previously Master. John was and remains ‘the Environment Secretary against whom all others are judged’ and of course is now chair of the UK’s Independent Committee on Climate Change. He made a truly inspiring speech encouraging us on our path of ‘convening civilised intelligent debate on water and environmental matters.’ Everyone, both company members and guests, was talking about the speech afterwards (and continue to do so now). It really gave the Company our marching orders on our current public policy work and is a wonderful introduction to our flagship City Water Debate on 21/3/23.

We were delighted to welcome and congratulate bargemaster Johnny Dwan and the crew of our cutter, the Water Forget Me Not, yet again winners of their class (women and mixed)  in both the Admiral of the Port and the Port of London Challenges. They do our Company great honour. (See previous blogs).

Other guests included Tony Halmos from our partner University, Oxford; sadly Judith Petts VC of Plymouth, another of our academic partners, was unable to fight her way through the strike but we welcomed her ‘in absentia’ as it were.

We were privileged also to welcome the Masters of the Plumbers, Engineers and Gardeners, along with their respective consorts, and the Master Musician, all old friends of our Company with whom we share mutual hospitality.

As a nice memorial of our Master’s weekend, the gift to ladies was a special fragrant craft soap locally produced in Somerset.

At the beginning of the year I prayed for great awakening in our Company. It is happening!




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