Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber at Hampton Court Palace Thursday 15 August

Continuing my theme of Great Brands make Britain Great a visit to one of our leading brands that dates from the 16th Century seemed an obvious choice. Thanks to Event Manager, Freeman Gill Whitelegg, who lives at nearby Twickenham, a special visit to Hampton Court Palace was arranged. We were greeted on arrival by Amanda Cole, Head of Marketing, who outlined the plan for the day.
Thomas Wolsey, King Henry V111's Lord Chancellor, built a magnificent Palace for himself with private chambers for his own use and a host of bedrooms and other spectacular rooms for Henry. After time to wander through the Palace and the spectacular gardens we enjoyed an excellent lunch in the Tiltyard Cafe.  In the afternoon we were exposed to a life of outrageous extravagance, through the good offices of Jo Neill, Interpretation Manager. The theme on this occasion was to learn about the Secrets of the Royal Bedchamber, an excellent exhibition to unlock the world of the bedroom (and closet!) with magnificently restored baroque beds on display. The picture below shows a magnificent monarch's bed with a canopy that literally hung from the stunningly painted ceiling. These bedrooms were home to King Henry VIII and subsequent Kings and Queens whose 'levees'  - preparing to receive important visitors in your bedroom - exposed the salacious gossip, secrets, intrigue and plotting of those times. The Palace has certainly been home to some of our racier English monarchs! With costumed State Apartment Warders we were taken back in time, sharing the delicious scandals of the Court as we made our way through the baroque parts of the Palace. The beautiful Royal Chapel felt like the only place where serenity and orderliness was evident - no doubt Henry VIII spent some time there seeking forgiveness for his sins! I highly recommend a visit and the exhibition remains open until September.

Luncheon to the Lord Mayor at Mansion House Thursday 25 July

At a Ceremonial Court, held at Mansion House prior to the luncheon, I was delighted to install as our Learned Clerk, John Hammond, and to confirm the Wardens for 2013, Senior Warden Michael Harrison, Middle Warden Andrew Marsden and Junior Warden David Pearson. Installed as Court Assistants were Philip Andrew, John Freeman and Jane Wharam.  I admitted and welcomed four new Liverymen: Justine Dignam, Mikki Hall and Martin Riley. It was also a great pleasure to admit as Freemen: Dr Paul Baines, Nicola Brooks, Ian Helps, Kate Holden, Richard Mayer, Alan Osborne, Rhian Pamphilon, Chris Skinner and Mark Westaby. I was also delighted to present, with the Chair of the Marketors' Trust, John Hooper CBE, the Company's Westminster Business School Award to Siros Ghaffari MSc.  All were congratulated by those present. As guests started to arrive, it was so good that St Dunstan's Combined Cadet Force had, despite the school holidays having commenced, formed a carpet guard to greet our some 250 guests. For the past six consecutive years the Company has enjoyed an evening banquet to the Lord Mayor, so this year was a bit of a change.  A luncheon is slightly different in character, as witnessed by the proliferation of hats and summer dresses that flowed into the Mansion House to be received by the Master, Wardens and the Rt Hon Lord Mayor, Alderman Roger Gifford. After a champagne reception the guests were called by the Beadle to take their places in the Egyptian Hall. Master and Wardens, the Lord Mayor, Sheriff Nigel Pullman and official guests Master Chartered Surveyor and Master Firefighter processed to their seats accompanied by organist Glen Dempsey (Music Scholar to the Chapel Royal Windsor) and Trumpeter John Hoare. The luncheon was excellent and the Hall was alive with animated conversation. While the toast to the Royal Family included the new young Prince, born that week, speeches were kept to a minimum.  As Master I spoke of the role of Marketing and the Outreach and other activities of our members.  The Lord Mayor spoke of the need for marketing the City of London better around the world and here in the UK, a role each Lord Mayor undertakes through his year of office with the several international visits he had already made. I was presented by the Lord Mayor with a copy of the book co authored by his very talented wife Clare Gifford on the Harold Samuel Collection of paintings that reside at the Mansion House. These pictures represent one of the finest group of Old Master paintings assembled in Britain over the past one hundred years.  All in all a thoroughly fascinating luncheon and a very successful event for which we thank the Lord Mayor, also presenting him with two substantial cheques for his Lord Mayor's Appeal and the Mansion House Scholarship Fund.  Many thanks are due to the Clerk (his first event) and Assistant Clerk for the splendid and flawless organisation of the luncheon.

The Worshipful Company of Distillers Wednesday 24th July

Off to visit the delightful Apothecaries Hall where the Company held its Spring Dinner on 30 April.  It was the evening before our Mansion House luncheon to the Lord Mayor and there was much to finalise. However, it was also a blistering hot day and the Clerk and I felt we could do with some light refreshment!  We walked into the Courtyard of the Hall and were greeted by the Distillers Clerk, Edward Macey-Dare, who speedily arranged for us a very welcome Gin and Tonic. This event was the Distillers' Company's (No 69) annual Spirits Tasting event with 200 of the finest spirits in the world to taste, some of which retail for several thousands of pounds.   The IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition) is the oldest London wine and spirit competition and is held in the highest regard by the world's spirit companies.  The UK plays a major role in this and London is the management centre not only of the largest international spirits company, but also of many of the famous brands owned by overseas companies.  The Distillers is ideally placed to play an active role in its traditional trade. The evening could be as serious or as social as one chose, with the offer made to me to 'nose' in a proper stillman's manner, which rather suited me and preferable to actually tasting! The Master and the Company members were delightful to meet and, as one would imagine, the hall was packed with eager tasters.  I did decide to cut the evening quite short, despite being encouraged to sign up to a Master Class on Scotch Whisky and Japanese Whisky with Brandy and Cognac thrown in!

Court Dinner with the Worshipful Company of Insurers Thursday 18 July

I was delighted to be a guest, with the Learned Clerk, at this excellent dinner at  Tallow Chandlers Hall for Masters and Clerks. Guests of the Master, Rick Hudson, also included Masters and Clerks of the Tallow Chandlers, Tax Advisers, Mariners, Tobacco Pipe Maker and Blender, Chartered Secretaries, Wheelwrights, Security Professionals, Broderers, and the Company of Educators. I was pleased to hear that the Company of Educators are progressing, having recently written a letter of support from the Marketors.  Our Past Master, Sir Paul Judge is supporting them to Livery.  The purpose of the evening was purely one of Fellowship and thanks for the company most of us Masters had already shared at Ironbridge in June. I was also delighted to meet the Clerk of the Insurers who I had known from our business careers. Seated between the Junior Warden and a Past Master of the Insurers I reflected on my recent visit to the Worshipful Company of Firefighters where I had first fully understood the traditional links between the two Companies.  The Learned Clerk and I left and, as usual, I was kindly escorted to my bus home. A very good evening.

The Imperial Society of Knights Bachelor: St Paul's Cathedral Thursday 18 July

This Annual Service of Dedication takes place in the delightful Chapel of St Faith in the Cathedral Crypt. While the processional order itself almost fills the Chapel as it comprises the Knights Bachelor themselves, with the Knight President, Principal, Treasurer, Registrar and others.  As I attended last year, I was aware of the symbolic nature of the Spurs (made of oak and brass), the Sword of Chivalry (with a device on the scabbard to ensure that it can be part-drawn) and the swallow-tailed Pennons - all laid on the altar for the service. Knighthood is the oldest non-Royal title of honour : the first knights probably received their accolade in the tenth century. Founded in 1908 the Imperial Society celebrated its Centenary by the dedication of a new Knights' Chapel in St Paul's Cathedral. The chapel was created within a disused space in the Crypt and provides a beautiful place of worship within yards of the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren, Knight Bachelor and architect of the Cathedral.  The Bishop of London gave a superb sermon on the significance of anointing and enlightenment in the context of the Coronation in 1953 of Her Majesty the Queen. The Choir was magnificent, as one would expect, as was the generous hospitality shown afterwards! A very special occasion.

Academy of Marketing Life Achievement Award (Honorary Life Member of the Academy of Marketing) Thursday 11 July

I was invited to attend the 2013 Academy of Marketing Conference that took place in Cardiff this year from 8 - 11 July.  However, with a prior engagement at the General Synod of the Church of England in York I was unable to join the conference until the final day.  I was impressed by the over 400 attendees as well as the breadth and variety of the marketing topics covered and the academic thinking taking place on the present issues in our profession. Next year's conference will take place in Brighton. Several Marketors were present and the Conference Chairman was Freeman John Egan, Professor of Marketing at London South Bank University.

The Conference Dinner took place at Cardiff City Hall and I was delighted to be presented with a superb brass plaque from Dr Caroline Tynan, my tutor on my MBA some twenty years ago, in respect of a Life Achievement Award from the Academy, in recognition of 'extraordinary and distinguished services to Marketing', and to be recognised as an Honorary Fellow of the AM and Life Member of the AM (HLMAM).  I felt very humbled in the company of such luminaries as Professor Malcolm MacDonald and Professor Phil Harris, previous recipients of this Award and fellow Marketors.

VIP Visit to the BBC Wednesday 3 July

Continuing on the Master's theme of Great Brands make Britain Great, the Marketors arrived at New Broadcasting House in Portland Place for the first VIP tour since Her Majesty the Queen officially opened the new building.  We were met by our tour guides, Lorraine Dance and Simon, both brilliant interpretors of the magical world of Radio and TV. We first visited the original Broadcasting House to see the supoerb art deco refurbishment.  The sculptor, Gill, created in 1928 the statues of Prospero and Ariel to sit above the entrance porch. Did you know that Ariel was subject to the first BBC cutback? We returned to New Broadcasting House and overlooked the absolutely enormous Newsroom where Nick Porter, News Duty Operations Manager, gave an explanation of the layout of both the Newsroom and the Weather area. As Murray's match was reaching to five sets the six o'clock news was postponed until the tennis finished over an hour later.  The people in the newsroom were watching and waiting to deliver their 'packages'!  We then visited other areas of the building, including the balcony of the old building, a scene of many activities over the years and still in use.  NBH is the most amazing place one can imagine to work in.  We saw the 'railway carriages' (meeting rooms), creative pods, resource centres, kitchen areas,  as well as meeting rooms named after a wide range of BBC presenters, from Alistair Cooke to Frank Gillard, where we had refreshments and met with Matt Taylor, weather presenter on News at Ten.  Matt, like all his fellow weather presenters, is on secondment to the BBC from the MET office and comes with a huge knowledge and experience in every subject from the Gulf Stream to forecasts for military operations. For his three minute slot he preforms without a script as weather changes are frequent and unpredictable. Matt escaped from us admirers to get back to the studio in time for his next broadcast. I got back home after our visit and just in time to see him on the late news.  The hospitality, food and wine provided were excellent and we returned to reception where there was the opportunity to “have a go” at reading the News and deliver a Weather report!  After several attempts we decided to thank our hosts, Simon and Lorraine, and left after some three hours of sheer fascination, education and entertainment.