WOOLMEN ALMS COURT DINNER 12 JANUARY

Coat of arms of the Woolmen.

Alastair Ross and myself were invited to the Woolmen's Alms Court dinner on Wednesday.  It was held at Cutlers' Hall, an attractive building near St Pauls with a wonderful display of memorabilia from the cutlery industry.  Go to www.cutlerslondon.co.uk/ to find out more.

But to return to Drapers and Woolmen.  In traditional trade terms we have a considerable overlap with the Woolmen although the Draper focus was more directed towards the retail part of the industry.  For more information go to http://www.woolmen.com/

Simon Bailey, the current Master, and the rest of the Company made us both welcome.  Usefully we had the opportunity to discuss the Wool Project that was launched Prince of Wales a year ago.  This aims to publicise the excellence of the British wool industry at a time of intense international competition.  For more information go to http://www.britishwool.org.uk/ and look for the clickdown Campaign for Wool to find out what is going on.  Also I cannot resist asking you to look at the Woolipedia site www.woolipedia.com/

We are at present planning a dinner in April to amongst other clothing industry issues to publicise the work of the Wool Project and we look forward to working with members of the Woolmen court and livery who are already playing a part in this.

REV PETER MULLEN 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION CELEBRATION

The Company has been Patrons of St Michael, Cornhill for just over half a millenium.  The present incumbent, since 1998, is Rev Peter Mullen.  For further details see http://www.st-michaels.org.uk/

We recently discovered that his fortieth anniversary of ordination occurred this autumn.  It was decided to celebrate this auspicious event by holding a celebratory church service followed by a reception at Drapers' Hall.  The other livery companies associated with St Michael's, Cornhill - Merchant Taylors, Cutlers, Woolmen, Air Pilots and Navigators, Chartered Secretaries, Fuellers, and Water Conservators - also asked to be involved in, and generously contributed to, the evening's celebrations.

The first part of the evening was a splendid mass, which featured some of Peter's particular Mozartian favourites, beautifully sung.  At the conclusion of the service we then moved to Drapers' Hall.  There was a wide attendance of the livery companies involved and the congregation of St Michael's.

In a short speech during the reception with I took the liberty of  comparing Peter to Blessed John Henry Newman, of whom he is a great admirer.  I know he would be far too modest to want to do this in any way but I felt it was only right to point out that both are men determined faith.  It is also a certainty that determined faith will often result in uncomfortable situations and it is certainly a difficult personal path to follow.  But, and looking round those who had come to the service and the reception, it was clear to be such a protagonist in life’s spiritual struggle wins great admiration, respect and friendship.

An evening that was both spritual and enjoyable and brought the wider City community together.