The Cutlers - Freemen and Friends

The Master\\\\'s Diary, retrospective

News from the Master Cutler

Times Past - Week Forty-one, week beginning 18 July

The Master's official engagements began this afternoon with a meeting with Sharon Squires of Sheffield First Partnership at the Cutlers' Hall. This was followed by another meeting, this time with Sylvia Yates and Martin Havenhand of Sheffield City Region, also at the Hall.

On Tuesday, both the Master and Mistress were guests at the University of Sheffield Summer Degree Congregation and Luncheon. This was followed by a meeting with Carmel Stewart the Company's press officer to discuss the publicity surrounding the Forfeit Feast and a meeting at The Source at Meadowhall with the CEOs of the four City Councils in South Yorkshire.

Two days of Board meetings around the country meant a break in the Master's official duties until early Friday morning when he attended and spoke at a 7am 'Workwise' breakfast meeting at the Hall. In the evening, both the Master and Mistress attended TheUniversity of Sheffield Graduation Dinner at Firth Court.

On Saturday, the Master, Mistress and son Oliver all gave their active support to those employees of Scott Wilson taking part in the Three Peaks' event in aid of the Master Cutler's Challenge. They climbed Whernside Peak themselves, unaided - this is the highest of the three Peaks at 728 metres and takes in a route of some ten miles.

On Sunday the Master and Mistress rested!

Times Past - Week Forty-one, week beginning 11 July

The Master began what was to be a very busy day with a lunchtime meeting at the Town Hall to discuss the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership with John Mothersole, the CEO of Sheffield City Council. That was followed by the third Company meeting of the year, a Forfeit Feast seating discussion and 'The Other Schindlers' book launch, which all took place at the Cutlers' Hall.  The Master then made the short journey to the Octagon Centre for his old school Birkdale's prize givingcelebration.

On Wednesday both the Master and Mistress were guests at the Rapolac Project Final Dinner at the Hall, chaired by Past Master Christopher Jewitt and his wife Penny.

The Master's formal engagements on Thursday began in Doncaster with a visit to Armthorpe School to see the children who took part in the Doncaster Schools' 'Technology Challenge' an event supported by the Master's old company, BRIDON. In the early evening the Master attended dinner with a group of Sheffield business people known as the 'Lyons Den'. This was followed by the Master Cutler's Challenge, Square 5 Summer Party at the Crystal Bar in Sheffield, where the guests all wore blue and drank a blue beer, brewed in honour of the occasion.The Master drew the raffle and thanked Square 5 for organising this fund-raiser for the Challenge and Bluebell Wood.

On Friday the Master called into Virgin Media in Heeley to support a group of bankers from HSBC Northern region who were attempting a four-hour Spinning Bikes session to raise more than £10,000 for the Challenge. He was joined by Johnny Nelson, the Sheffield-based former world boxing champion. Together they did a joint Star website interview. In the evening the Master and Mistress attended the Sheffield ME Group and Archer Project Concert at Sheffield Cathedral.

On Saturday morning the Master was at EEF HQ in Thorner, Leeds for a meeting of the Pan-Yorkshire business group.