Over the past eight months I have learned to love the sights of Brunel’s GWR or Gods Wonderful Railway as I travel between Bristol and London!

The splendour of Bath Spa so called because of its therapeutic hot springs and Roman Baths, the Victorian engineering marvel of Box Tunnel, the engine sheds at Swindon and so on.

Thus far this month I have been to a play at Staple Inn Hall Chancery Lane at the invitation of the Worshipful, Company of Actuaries.

The play was a fascinating portrayal of the life of Robert Hooke [1635 to 1703] inventor extraordinaire and curator of the Royal Society. Hooke was a fine artist and an accomplished architect and engineer and he poured out a stream of brilliant ideas making him an often unknown father of modern science. The one act play by Siobhan Nicholas was outstanding and delivered in a true tour de force performance by actor Chris Barnes.

Do see it if you get the chance or get a book to read up on Robert Hooke.

 A couple of days later I had lunch with the Distillers at Vintners Hall by kind invitation of the Middle Warden a former Master Distiller and where the Kummel sorbet was a real stand out!

On Friday 5^th February I drove to RAF Honington in Bury St Edmunds to attend a dinner to mark the 68^th  anniversary  of the formation of Royal Air Force Regiment.

The Regiment is one of our three Military affiliations and I was made to feel most welcome by Air Commodore Steven Abbott CBE and Station Commander Group Captain Nick Bray.

The Regiment has been on active duty in Afghanistan defending Kandahar Airfield.

Particular mention was made during the evening of the WCoSP NCO Leadership Award made to Cpl Wallis Eades at my Installation lunch at Drapers Hall last June.

The RAF Regiment clearly values this award and our Livery links with them. For my part I was made to feel one of them during that marvellous evening which is most gracious of them and a high honour for the Worshipful Company of Security Professionals.

I am most grateful to Past Master Mike Welply and Martin Hooker for all the work they do to make our Livery link with the Regiment so meaningful and vital.

Then last Friday night the Master Farrier Reg Howe kindly entertained the Mistress and myself at a glittering White Tie Court Ladies dinner at the Honourable Artillery Company.

Some of you may remember the Master Farrier who was a guest at our Christmas lunch at Watermens Hall and who spoke so entertainingly about the Company links and the importance of a new Worshipful Company like ours to the livery movement. This year there are at least 3 former Lord Mayors who are current Livery Masters! Alderman Sir John Stuttard the Master Glazier, Sir David Lewis the Master Solicitor and our own Sir David Brewer the Prime Warden of the Blacksmiths Company.

A portrait of king Henry VIII [Royal founder of the HAC] looked down on the dinner and as he was the also the Royal Founder of Bristol Cathedral School where I am Chair of Governors I felt very at home!

I am pleased to say that the new WCoSP Mistresses broach designed by Grant Macdonald has been very well received on the Livery circuit

It is based on the same gold Portcullis design as the Masters Badge but this time with diamonds to catch the light.

I hope you like the new remodelled web site and please let us have your views and thoughts on how it may be further improved!

Stephen Parsons
Master