Launch of Sherrifs Award

On Tuesday May 4^th we launched the 2010 Sheriffs award at the Old Bailey.

Both Sheriffs were there Alderman David Wootton and Sheriff Peter Cook together with City of London Police Commissioner Mike Bowran and representatives from HMS Severn, The Royal Military Police, The RAF Regiment and the RAF Police.

I reprised the previous winners and asked Sheriff Peter Cook to start the award process for this year!

We escaped to Salcombe for a long weekend on the Friday and recharged batteries walking the Coast path and catching up on some reading.

St Bartholomew's Open Day

On Wednesday May 12^th I caught the train from Nailsea and Backwell to London heading for the St Bartholomew’s Open Day.

I ran into Robin Lambert a doctor from our North Somerset Village catching the same train and heading for the same event. He had played in the 1970 Barts Hospital Cup winning team and was off to celebrate a 40 year reunion with his team!

The reception in the Great Hall was impressive but not as impressive as the tour of the breast Cancer diagnostic and treatment facility and not as impressive as the wonderful nursing staff I met.

Whittington Course

The next day was the Whittington Course.

24 pupils from Bexley Academy came to canary Warf and were given tours of the administration Buildings and Barclays bank.

Richard Kemp was a lively as ever and Nick Wilkins of Barclays organised a great briefing on CV preparation.

Then to the river and we were swept up to the City and met by cabs provided by the Hackney Carriage Drivers to take us to lunch at Guildhall.

After an explanation of the model of the buildings it was more photos and presentations to the pupils by myself and Timothy Garnham the Chair of governors at Bexley academy.

That day they had two Academy Chairs for the price of one as I am chair of Bristol Cathedral Choir School!

Then to Wood Street Police Station and the Academy pupils were treated to a great interactive session with dogs, horses and guns! Commissioner Mike Bowran welcomed them and emphasised how important opportunities to meet young people like this are.

Sadly the dinner with General Sir Mike Jackson had been cancelled because he had to go into hospital.

Ascension Day

The Mistress and I therefore went to the Conquerors Chapel at the Tower to take Holy Communion on Ascension Day.

Our Chaplin the Rev Roger Hall conducted a beautiful service in a chapel originally built by William the first and it seemed to perfectly round off my Masters year.

Roger Hall has been a wonderful Chaplin to the Worshipful Company and I am so grateful to him.

White Tie Dinner Merchants Hall Bristol

The following night it was a White Tie dinner at Merchants Hall Bristol.

The Great Twelve had been invited with other Liveries and I represented the Security Professionals. It was interesting to be at a dinner and then on a boat trip the next morning with the Upper Bailiff of the Weavers, The Master Grocers, the Master Haberdashers. and the Master Drapers amongst others.

Jailed And Bailed!

This was returned to the following week at the Tower when charges were read out in Jailed and Bailed!

The Charge was that Bristol Merchant Venturers regards themselves as being part of the Great thirteen!

This caused great mirth in mansion House and of course it is just not true!

Jailed and bailed was great fun and I managed to raise my bail by E Mail text and phone sat in Brassiere Roux on Pall Mall. But as the Duke of Wellington said it was a close run thing!

And as they say in all the best movies that’s all folks!