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The Worshipful Company of |
About us | Aims | Governance | The Clerk
About UsMembership of the CompanyThe Court, the governing body of the Company, controls admission to the Company. Members on admission to the Company must be Associates or Fellows of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. The maximum number of Liverymen permitted is 300. Candidates in excess of that complement can be admitted to the Freedom of the Company and then await a vacancy in the ranks of the Livery. Responsibilities of MembershipThe obligations of those fit and proper persons who are admitted to the Freedom and the Livery of the Company are set out in a formal declaration to the Court at the admission ceremonies. They are what are expected of a good citizen of The City. Apprenticeship SchemeThe Company Apprenticeship Scheme is open to students of ICSA. This provides, in each year, for up to six young persons between the ages of 18 and 29 each to be apprenticed to a Senior Liveryman, known as the Master of the Apprentice. The Apprenticeship spans a minimum of four and a maximum of seven years, during which time the Apprentice is expected to pursue studies that, in association with relevant work experience, can lead to Associate membership of ICSA. Charitable ActivitiesOn the Company's founding, a Charitable Trust was established largely by an appeal to Liverymen who continue to maintain the growth of the Fund both by regular donation and, for some, by the occasional one-off contributions too. It is expected that each Liveryman will contribute regularly, according to his or her individual means. Livery ActivitiesThe Livery holds a limited number of functions in The City each year, ranging from the lounge-suited informality of a luncheon to the formal, white tie or black tie, evening occasions. As well as these, there are various sporting events in which we take part such as charitable sponsored swimming for the City Dip, inter-livery golf matches, clay-shoots and bridge competitions and the Prince Arthur Cup. For the most part, guests are welcome at these functions, although space in some of the Livery Halls is occasionally a limitation. The Livery also holds an annual church service, an annual lecture, and a joint carol service with other Livery companies. There is also a thriving Livery Liaison Group that organises a small number of less formal, and generally less expensive, functions throughout the year. Recent examples have been visits to RAF Odiham, Lords cricket ground, the House of Commons, a tour of Docklands and a viewing of the Olympic site. The City CorporateIn late 2006 eleven Livery Companies, including the Chartered Secretaries and Administrators, formed a Financial Services Group. The Group aims to support the Lord Mayor in his work to promote the City of London’s financial services throughout the world. Court Assistant John Ainsworth, formerly Chief Executive of the ICSA, is the Company’s permanent representative in the Group, and Liveryman Michael Chitty acts as its Secretary. Senior Warden Ian Richardson acts as an adviser to the Group. Links with the Armed ServicesPermanent links have been established with all three of the Armed Services, and the Heads of the Logistics Branch, Royal Navy; the Adjutant General's Corps (Staff and Personnel Support Branch) of the Army; and the Administrative Branch of the Royal Air Force, are ex-officio Honorary Freemen of the Company. |