71. 21st September 2020

On awakening, the thoughts crowded in on me – today was the day of the Installation Court, and my handing over the baton of Mastership to Rob Casey!

An early morning of reflection - on the memorable City events that Judy and I attended during the eight months of my “year“ before lockdown; on the hugely enjoyable Company events that I and my Master’s Committee organised and undertook during those same eight months; and on the opportunities that sadly did not come to pass due to the pandemic.  I also reflected on the manner in which the Company has risen to the challenge of these greatly changed circumstances through greater contact with its members by way of a Monthly Update, through events such as our Spring Water Photography Competition, and through the ongoing series of monthly webinars.

My term didn’t go according to plan – for obvious reasons; but there have been so many positives during the past fourteen months.

Having presided over a final Court Meeting as Master, it was time for the Installation Ceremony of the Company’s 32^nd Master, and so I bring down the curtain on this my Master’s Blog, by wishing our new Master, Rob Casey, every success and good fortune throughout his Mastership.

70. 9th September 2020

This evening, I chaired the fourth in the Company’s ongoing series of monthly webinars.

Steve Kaye, the CEO of UK Water Industry Research, presented a fascinating webinar entitled “Innovation in the New World“. Those participating in the webinar were privileged to hear a most interesting presentation on how the UK water industry is coming together to foster greater collaboration into key research issues , such as the “ Twelve Big Questions “ that have been developed by UKWIR , and how an innovation strategy is being developed to meet the challenges and opportunities of the UK water sector .

This was the last webinar to be chaired by me during my term as Master. I am pleased to say that the series has really taken root and I am looking forward to participating in those being planned for the autumn, the next one being on the 7^th October!

69. 5th August 2020

This evening, I chaired The Water Conservators’ 3^rd Monthly Webinar in our ongoing series.

Entitled “Victorian London’s Health Crisis – The Cholera Epidemics and Their Resolution“, we were treated to a fascinating presentation by Master Elect Rob Casey of the various cholera epidemics in London in the nineteenth century, and how eventually they were controlled by the various initiatives undertaken by Edwin Chadwick, Dr John Snow and Bazalgette, to name but three of the enlightened individuals of the Victorian era who rose to the challenge.

Rob Casey illustrated his presentation with some wonderful slides, including a number of amusing contemporary cartoons.

The talk was followed by a wide ranging and lively Q and A session from the 81 participants in the Webinar.

68. 28th July 2020

Early this evening , I was invited to attend the Lord Mayor’s “ Address to the Judiciary “, which took place virtually at Mansion House. This was the substitute event for the Lord Mayor’s Annual Dinner to Her Majesty’s Judges, which was, understandably, unable to take place this year .

A very interesting address was delivered by the Lord Mayor, with replies from The Rt Hon the Lord Burnett of Maldon, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, and by The Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

One of the points of note that came out of the event is that an 18 Court state of the art facility is to be developed just off Fleet Street over the next few years .

67. 22nd July 2020

This evening Judy and I attended “ virtually “ of course the Annual Banquet of the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants at the Mansion House as guests of the Chartered Accountants! It was a splendid affair, with many of those attending wearing white tie or evening dress.

The evening started at 6.45 and concluded with a Stirrup Cup in breakout rooms to which were pre- allocated at around 8.15pm.

Whilst the meal itself was of course virtual, we enjoyed some excellent and entertaining speeches including that delivered by the Lord Mayor as Principal Guest, and the response by Hilary Lindsay, Master of the Chartered Accountants.

A most enjoyable evening.

66. 8th July 2020

Tonight saw the Water Conservators host their second monthly webinar in the ongoing series.

Dr Ben Ward , Drinking Water Asset Manager  at South West Water delivered a highly interesting presentation on “ Dipping into the Internet of Things – South West Water’s no regret approach into the IoT World “. His presentation was most enthusiastically received and greatly appreciated by an audience drawn from the members of the Water Conservators Company, other Livery Companies, and the water industry . 

The 30 minute presentation was followed by a lively and focussed Question and Answer session which flew by.

All too soon it was time to bring the hour long webinar to a close.

I look forward to chairing the August webinar on the 5^th August at 5.30pm which will feature Master Elect Rob Casey speaking on “ Victorian London’s Health Crisis - The Cholera Epidemics and Their Resolution .” 

webinar details

65. 22nd June 2020

It was a pleasure to join a virtual meeting this afternoon with The Lord Mayor for an interesting and wide ranging discussion around various matters of current relevance to the Livery movement.  A number of Masters and Clerks, including myself and our Learned Clerk, participated in what was a most useful hour long meeting.

64. 1st June 2020

A new month and new activities!

Last night the Company Photographic Competition “ Spring Water “ that I launched a few weeks ago closed , and I am informed by the Chair of the Judging Panel that a healthy number of photographs have been entered, which is very good news!

I am informed that the overall quality of the photographs submitted is high – which is excellent, and we await the results of the Panel’s deliberations. The winning photos from all three age categories of entrants will be published in the forthcoming Summer Edition of The Conservator.

No sooner had this Competition closed than it was the occasion of the publicity launch of our inaugural Webinar –“ The Covid Complex- Water Wastewater and the Pandemic “. This will take place at 5.30 pm in Wednesday the 10^th June. The speaker is Court Assistant David Lloyd Owen , a world renowned financial analyst in the water sector . A copy of the flyer is displayed along with this blog, and you, Dear Reader, are warmly invited to join this Webinar on the 10^th June. More Webinars will follow over the coming months. Stay well and safe!

Webinar details

63. ARE YOU OK?

I hope you and your families have continued to stay well during the Covid-19 Pandemic, which thankfully now appears to be waning.

Together with my Master's Committee, I have tried to ensure that we have maintained contact with our most vulnerable Members at this difficult time. If you are aware of any Members who we have missed, please let me know and I will ensure that we speak with them. Thank you.

I very much hope that we will all be able to meet up later in the year. Stay safe.

62. 13th April 2020

As with all households this Easter , it has been a unique and very different Easter Festival. 

Something that we enjoy doing most Easters is egg painting , and here you can see the results of my efforts this year . I wonder whether other Livery Companies have similar painted eggs to celebrate Easter?

61. Easter

As we approach Easter in unique circumstances, Judy and I wanted to take the opportunity to wish you and your families a peaceful and safe time. For many of us this will be particularly strange as we are unable to share Easter celebrations with family and friends, but as the Queen told us over the weekend “we will meet again”.  We look forward to that.

60. 29th March 2020 MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER

Dear Colleague,

We are living through unique and challenging times. It is clearly disappointing that our Company and the wider Livery movement have had to cancel so many events in our calendar extending well into the summer, but the health of our Members and guests has been, and continues to be, our first priority.

Livery Companies have a long and distinguished history - the Woolmen for example, can trace their roots back to the year 1180. Whilst the Water Conservators have a shorter history, our relevance to key environmental issues facing the world is paramount. These issues are not going away in the current crisis and when we return to some sort of normality, our work in providing environmental leadership will continue unabated.

In the meantime, Judy and I wish you and your families continuing good health and I look forward to us all meeting up later in the year.

Keep washing those hands and stay safe.

With best wishes

Mark

59. 16th March 2020

COVID 19

Many of you will have observed from our website that during the current COVID 19 crisis, several of our forthcoming events have either been postponed or cancelled. Whilst this is very disappointing, the health and well-being of our Members and their guests is our first priority. 

I very much hope that we will be able to reinstate much of our programme of events in the coming weeks and months, but in the meantime we will endeavour to keep you all updated via our website.

In the meantime, stay safe and keep washing those hands!

58. 9th March 2020

To Vintners’ Hall this evening for the Modern Livery Companies Dinner, kindly organised and hosted by the International Bankers. Vintners offered a warm welcome from the chill, blustery rain (yet again!) outside. It was good to see so many of the Modern Companies‘ Masters there, and we all enjoyed an excellent evening, albeit with less handshaking than has been customary up to now!

57. 5th March 2020

This evening I had the pleasure of re-visiting Painters’ Hall – the first time that I had been back there for a Dinner since our own Banquet in November 2019. So there were plenty of memories as I took my seat in the Dining Hall as a Guest of the Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers at their Spring Court Dinner.

I arrived at Painters’ Hall on a bitterly cold, wet and windy evening – winter seemed to have returned with a vengeance! But my spirits were soon rising as we enjoyed a convivial Reception before dinner. This was followed an excellent menu, wines and two very well composed and amusing speeches from the Guest Speakers for the evening. The company in my immediate vicinity at table was on good form, and it seemed that the evening passed in a trice!

And as an added bonus, when I left Painters’ Hall, the day long rain had actually ceased!

56. 4th March 2020

Today, I had the pleasure of being a Guest of The Master Mariners at their Court Lunch onboard HQS Wellington. With many Masters and Clerks in attendance, it was an excellent opportunity to catch up with some good friends, as well as meeting some new ones.

55. 3rd March 2020

This evening I attended the Chartered Accountants’ Hall for the Chartered Accountants True and Fair Lecture , which this year was given by Paul Johnson , Director of The Institute of Fiscal Studies.

Paul Johnson delivered a most interesting Lecture focusing on five macro trends in the economy. On the subject of Wages , Growth and Productivity, he pointed out that productivity and wages have been flat-lining since 2008.

The second trend was In-Work Poverty. Here Paul Johnson pointed out that in 1997/8, 41% of those working were in In Work Poverty, whereas in 2017/18 the figure was 58%.

On home ownership, homes were owned by 55% of 25 to 34 year olds in 1997. Whereas in 2017, the figures of home ownership for 25 to 34 year olds was 35%.

His fourth point was Lack of Fiscal Headroom . in this connection, he pointed out that Health Pensioner benefits and long term care costs will continue to rise.  Taking a view to 2066/67, other spending by Government will need to decrease from approximately two thirds of total government spending to nearer one third in order to accommodate the increase in long term care costs unless taxation rises.

The fifth point that Paul Johnson made is that the Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Target for 2050 will be enormously challenging.

It was a thought provoking lecture!

54. 28th February 2020

Today Judy and I drove to Treloars College to accompany, along with many other Masters and their Consorts, the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress on their annual visit to Treloars College.

And what a humbling and uplifting day it was.

Humbling because, in truth, it was a reminder to us all of our own good fortune in life ; uplifting because the caring love and professionalism of the 800 staff at Treloars who nurture and develop the 170 severely disabled children who attend the College was inspirational to witness.

We visited a class for Primary age children, and a Residential House for Secondary School age children.  It was very interesting to have an opportunity to talk over lunch to members of the  teaching staff about their work at the College.

This was followed in the afternoon by a performance by some of the children of an abridged version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the theatre. We were hugely impressed by the achievement of the pupils in the production.

I am very pleased that, as Water Conservators, we support such a worthwhile charity

53. 27th February 2020

This evening Judy and I attended the World Traders’ Tacitus Lecture at The Guildhall. This is the Company’s main annual contribution to the subject of education in World Trade.

The Speaker for the 2020 Tacitus Lecture was Mr Kitack Lim, Secretary General of The International Maritime Oragainsation ( IMO ).

The Lecture took place in The Great Hall and was an interesting review of the development of Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet . Two issues raised of particular note were the rapid development of technologies that will allow for autonomous ships, and also the development of technologies that will attenuate the underwater noise of ships’ engines thereby preventing damage to the mammal populations of the oceans through excessive noise.

The Lecture was followed by a well attended Reception.

52. 25th February 2020

Shrove Tuesday greeted us with a biting wind as Judy and I travelled to the Guildhall Courtyard for the annual Inter- Livery Pancake Race.

The Waters Conservators’ team , running under the nom de plume of “ The Water Ones “ comprised Thames Warden Rob Casey, Liveryman Andrew Williams in the Novelty Dress category , Judy in the Master’s Consort category, and myself in the Masters category.

Well – the team did the Company proud ! Andrew Williams achieved a thoroughly deserved third place in the Novelty Dress Competition with his brilliant Wind Turbine Fancy Dress outfit! And I somehow managed to scrape into the Finals of the Masters’ Race.

The team was ably managed by Deputy Master Simon Catford, and was well supported by Wendy Catford, and Mike and Sandra Williamson.

A huge thank you to everyone who so kindly contributed to a thoroughly enjoyable morning either by racing or by supporting the team!