“Bright Lights, Open Minds, Robust Community”
Remarks to: Worshipful Company of Bakers Livery Lunch,
Wednesday, 1 September 2021, Bakers’ Hall, London, by Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli.
Master, Alderman, Brother Sheriff, Warden, Ladies & Gentlemen,
Well, we are back at a physical event at last and no longer have to utter those immortal words ‘you are on mute’! As someone suggested to me last week at the Central Criminal Court, it feels a bit like ‘being let out of prison’.
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Remarks to: National Liberal Club – Livery Dinner, Monday, 24 May 2021, London by Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael
Chairman, Fellow Aldermen, Fellow Liverymen, Ladies & Gentlemen.
The Real Time Club, a group of computer geeks I once had the privilege of chairing, has met at the NLC regularly since 1967. I may have spoken at this venue many times, but I have never had the honour of addressing NLC members.
Alderman Tim McNally asked me to speak on the future of industry in the City of London, so I am doubly pleased to begin by addressing livery members of the Club who start with a solid grounding of the City.
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What a week! The Lord Mayor and the Civic Team had the privilege of continuing to ‘open’ the City. During the week of 12 April we participated in a significant number of events showing that shops were open. During this week of 17 May we participated in a significant number of events showing that hospitality locations and clinics were open. Just on Monday we ‘opened’ a hormonal replacement therapy clinic, an especially ‘green’ dental practice at the edge of recycling everything possible, Tower Bridge’s visitor centre, the Barbican, two pubs, a drinking club, and a hotel reception overlooking the Tower for the Central London Alliance.
Of all these, perhaps the most telegenic was Shepherd Neame brewery bringing up a dray and horses to go from Mansion House to one of my favourite pubs, a haunt for 40 years, and one of the oldest pubs in the City (1610, present premises 1666). The Lord Mayor and our host, Chief Executive of Shepherd Neame, Jonathan Neame, led the dray through the City streets, ‘guarded’ by two panting Sheriffs straggling behind, for there was no room at the ‘inn’.
And here you can see the amazing things that emerge from behind horses’ backsides from time to time…
Remarks to: Institute Of Directors City Branch Chinese New Year of the Ox celebration on Tuesday, 16 February 2021:
新年快乐, 今天晚上我很高兴见到大家。Xīnnián kuàilè, jīntiān wǎnshàng wǒ
hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào dàjiā.
As previously reported, it is truly an honour, the first time since 1228, to be Sheriffs again for another year. Common Hall was held today to (re)elect the Lord Mayor. Unlike the normal 90 minutes or so of ceremony, speeches, and election, this one began at 11:45 and had about 80 physically-distanced livery company Masters, Officers, and Aldermen in the cavernous Guildhall. It took just under 15 minutes.
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Sponsored by the Financial Services
Livery Companies (FSG) and administered by the Worshipful Company of Educators
The Sheriffs’ Challenge is an inspiring initiative begun by our predecessors, a transformational experience for Year 12 students from 12 London schools to compete on delivering presentations with the final at the Old Bailey in Court Number One. Aldermen Peter Estlin and William Russell started this in their shrieval year of 2016/2017. Brother Sheriff Chris Hayward and I set a two-part question and judged the fourth, Sheriff’s Challenge 2020.
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Remarks to:
Livery Education Conference – Preparing Young People For The Future
Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli MStJ FCCA FCSI(Hon) FBCS, Tuesday, 3 March 2020, Merchant Taylors’ Hall, London
“The Frontiers Of Education – Some Musings”
Masters, Wardens, Headteachers, ladies and gentlemen:
I have been asked to talk about education of the future, so I’ll start from the past. Exodus 2:22, King James’s Version, says: “And she bare him [Moses] a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, ‘I have been a stranger in a strange land’.”
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Remarks to:
Worshipful Company Of Wax Chandlers
Alderman & Sheriff Professor Michael Mainelli FCCA FCSI(Hon) FBCS, Wednesday, 8 January 2020, Wax Chandlers’ Hall
“Bees Repaired”
Master, Wardens, Liverymen, Fellow Guests:
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At the insightful suggestion of Mark Lucraft, Brother Sheriff Chris Hayward CC and I began selling signed copies of Thomas Grant’s “Court Number One” (2019) at the list price of £25 with the proceeds (45%) going to support witnesses and the Sheriffs’ & Recorder’s Fund. Somewhat to our surprise, they seem to go down very well with guests to the Central Criminal Courts.
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Chris Hayward and I headed out for our first day of duty as Sheriffs. On a drizzly Sunday we attended two events. The first is the now traditional Sheep Drive & Wool Fair. This event is kindly hosted by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, with much other livery support, and this year the organisation was led by a great friend of ours, Judith Pleasance CC. The event itself was inaugurated by the World Traders (have to get that inter-livery rivalry in).
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