A busy week for the Master – Supporting the Sheriffs’ Sponsored Row and attending the Sheriffs’ in Wonderland Banquet in aid of the Sheriffs’ and Recorder’s Fund

On Tuesday 18th September the Master joined other Masters and various City dignitaries at HMS President to welcome the Sheriffs and their Consorts at the end of their sponsored row in aid of the Sheriffs’ and Recorder’s Fund.

They were accompanied on the water by Example, one of The Royal Navy’s Archer Class warships; HMS President’s Cutter, Arthur Tisdall VC; The Company of Watermen and Lightermens' passenger barge The Lady Mayoress; an RNLI boat; and the Port Health Authority vessel, Londinium III, which acted as a safety boat during the event.

Sadly, the promised raising of Tower Bridge did not take place, the traffic across it was solid the whole time and, no doubt, it was decided not to add to the traffic congestion!

All arrived safely at HMS President to be welcomed by much cheering, banter and raised glasses.

The Sheriffs’ support of this fund, (which was set up over 200 years ago, to provide financial assistance to ex-prisoners on probation - and their families - by offering small and practical grants to help them get their lives back on track) continued on Friday 21st September in The Guildhall where well over 500 guests gathered for the Sheriffs’ Annual Ball.

This started with a Champagne reception in the Crypt, then a three-course dinner with wine in the Great Hall and was followed by dancing and a fundraising auction.

The event was themed “Sheriffs in Wonderland” and the Sheriffs and the Lord Mayor entered into the spirit by dressing up as characters based (fairly loosely it must be said!) on Alice in Wonderland.

The event was voted a huge success by all that attended and who would, quite happily, have continued dancing well into the night if they had not been advised that the staff were about to go home, and that the doors would shortly be locked!

This was the current Sheriffs’ last extravaganza as they will be replaced by two new Sheriffs in a ceremony on Friday 28th September.