I dined last night as a guest of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards, their red and white striped livery ribbons making a delightful, warm splash of colour against their black evening dress. This is completely reflected in the character of the members, who all seem particularly friendly, informal and charming.
Their current Master, Brian Porritt, seems to strike a good balance between tradition and evolution:
Last night they celebrated the career of a Liveryman of 65 years (standing ovation) and installed a lady, who has been the wife and mother of a dynasty of Past Masters, as a Companion of the Company in her own right.
The Master then spoke of the need for the Company to evolve, drawing comparisons with the Fan Makers (who now support industries such as ventilation) and the Horners (who support the plastics industry). For the Makers of Playing Cards, they want to find an appropriate way to engage with the modern online gaming business. Part of their charitable work is to use playing cards to carry messages about the risks of drug and alcohol addiction to young people who are hard to reach through conventional communications media. Imaginative stuff.
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