The Company feels as if it is working hard again, on line and in person, though any predictions as to the precise mix over the next few months would be courageous. It was good to see so many at the AGM, and there is a report below. We had an excellent speaker to leaven the necessary formalities.
“Zero carbon for Gloucestershire?”, an event at 6.00pm on Tuesday the 7th of December, was always going to be a zoom based discussion and forum. The Business Group has organised the event for the Company as a follow on from COP 26, and promises to be both interesting and useful; ‘see you there’. And there are some further dates for the diary at the end of this newsletter.
Something which will certainly outlast this pandemic, and probably the next two or three, is the HCG’s Oak Tree planting scheme to mark HRH The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The scheme now has 124 subscribing county parishes - a number that is putting pressure on the tree suppliers! Our thanks to Sir Henry Elwes and his team at Colesbourne for all their hard work, and to Deborah Hutton whose donation in memory of Gabriel is supporting the initiative. The trees are due to be planted over the winter and no doubt pictorial evidence will be forthcoming.
As every organisation knows, an accessible website is now a crucial part of its persona. The HCG has a new one in the wings, ready to be populated and launched. A component of success is always continuing oversight, crucially keeping the site up to date. The Company would be very pleased, no thrilled, to hear from any member who feels able to help with this, or indeed can recommend someone, a friend or family member, who could do likewise. Please get in touch with myself or the Clerk if you think you could help. Many thanks.
I have to report that Colin Dennis and Helen Lovatt are standing down from Court. Putting it bluntly like that doesn’t encapsulate the debt we owe them, as past Wardens both, for all their contributions to the Honourable Company. Court won’t be as well advised but I know they will still be contributing to the Company. Very many thanks to them both.
And finally, heartfelt best wishes for Christmas and for 2022. I look forward to seeing everyone again in the spring, give or take the odd new variants. Let’s hope we don’t exhaust the whole Greek alphabet before this is over!
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HCG AGM, November 2021
The AGM was held in November at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester in what seems increasingly likely to have been a window of non-virtual opportunity. Some 60 plus of us managed the formalities in short order (the Warden’s report can be accessed here) before we heard a very good account of the work of the NHS in the county from Deborah Lee, Chief Executive of the NHS Foundation Hospitals Trust. Covid dominated, as it was bound to be, we were left with the perception of a ‘war’ well fought in Gloucestershire but with a sense of current challenges and more to come over the next few months (the slide presentation is available here). The subsequent supper was a very welcome chance to chat to those we had left un-chatted over too many months.
Mark Hurrell interviews the new Chair of the Business group Michael Jones
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New Members
Court has approved membership of three new members since the last newsletter. A very warm welcome to all three; their experience and expertise will be of great value to the Company.
Adrian Grazebrook
Adrian Grazebrook is a retired solicitor based near Cirencester. He served in the Territorial Army for 25 years, retiring as a Lt Col in 1987. He has been involved in racing both as an owner and on the organisational side with the British Horseracing Board and as a Steward. He also has a keen interest in arts and heritage having been Treasurer of the Arts Society Gloucestershire.
Steve Morton
Steve Morton joins the company after a career in marketing and communications,
chiefly within the computer industry and most recently in the non-profit/charitable sector. Steve has lived in Gloucestershire for 20 years and has extensive knowledge of the charitable sector in the county; he is the current Secretary of the Gloucestershire Arthritis Trust.
Steve Wood
Steve is a retired actuary with over 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry in both the UK and overseas, principally in the health and life insurance sector. Based in Southam, Cheltenham, Steve has wide experience as a trustee of various charities, and was until recently Chair of the Holst Birthplace Trust.
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Arts & Heritage visit to the Holst Museum
Over twenty five of us were transported through time and found ourselves in the home of Gustav Holst, one of Cheltenham's most famous sons. We heard the story of the occupants of 4 Pittville Terrace (now Clarence Rd) from when the house was built -1840- to more recent times when art college students lounged around ! The highlight was seeing the piano that Holst used to compose The Planets on and the warm welcome from the museum’s staff. Thanks to Laura and Emily. for more details click Holstmuseum.org.uk
Supper was taken at The New Club….which was very convivial and most enjoyable . The next planned outing is to The Jenner Museum on May 17th. Details will follow.
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Trust Awards The following awards were given at the Trust meeting in October 1st Tewkesbury Boys Brigade for staff minibus training Cotswold Friends tackling loneliness and isolation of older people Read with Me at Robinswood Primary Academy in Matson Red Horse Foundation providing equine therapy for people with a wide range of mental health challenges
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Members' Calendar 2021/22
Tuesday December 7th at 6.00pm on Zoom
'Zero Carbon for Gloucestershire'
(details sent by email previously)
May 17th Visit to the Jenner Museum Berkeley
Installation Dinner -19th May 2022
Blackfriars, Gloucester GL1 2HN.
June 8th (tbc) visit to Westonbirt School Gardens
July 28th visit to Badminton House and Gardens
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and finally
A previous winner of a GPFA sports award (2018) made her Welsh Debut.
Emily Drysdale, will be making her debut for the Wales Senior hockey squad in the World Cup qualifiers this weekend in Italy. You can see the announcement & detail here
