Dear Members,

January – and with it the first month of 2026 – has already passed. As ever, these newsletters are not meant to record every event, otherwise you would have a long and boring list of dinners and receptions. Rather, the newsletter serves to give a personal highlight of key events and themes.

Events in our Hall have been restricted by the toilets refurbishment project. Despite this, the office has remained busy, and the building project is progressing well – it has been fascinating to see what lay behind some of the walls and floors. Despite the restrictions, we welcomed several visitors to the Hall, including Ian Rowe and his team from Bromley Youth Music Trust (BYMT), who will provide music for the Civic Dinner on the 27th February, and the orchestra for the Charity Dinner on the 3rd July (bookings will open soon).

January opened with a lunch for the Masters of the Senior Livery who walked in the Lady Mayor’s Show. Our guest, Alderman Tim Hailes, spoke about the collective voice and influence of the Livery in promoting the City, a theme echoed at the Livery Climate Action Group conference at Merchant Taylors’ Hall, which I was pleased to attend. The Mistress and I also joined the City and Lady Mayor’s New Service at St Michael Cornhill, followed by lunch at Drapers’ Hall, as part of our ongoing aim to increase the Society’s visibility and engagement across the City.

We also marked the appointment of Dame Sarah Mullaly as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. I was pleased to attend the special service at Saint Paul’s Cathedral when she was formally elected and appointed. This event was both a religious service and an ecclesiastical court. This ancient ceremony used to be held at Saint Mary-le-Bow church and was recently moved to Saint Paul’s so that more people could attend. How significant, then, that the first female Archbishop of Canterbury should be appointed in her Diocesan Cathedral. As a former Chief Nursing Officer, we all wish Dame Sarah well in her new role.

The 25/26 Masters’ year group has already shown great energy and camaraderie, with a well-attended Burns Night on 25th January, joined by the Lady Mayor and the two Sheriffs, and enjoyed by 55 Masters.

Two further highlights were the 400 Committee meeting, chaired by Charles Mackworth-Young to consider the awards for the Rhino Electives. With 217 high standard applications it was not easy. This year, we have combined all our elective awards so we had 17 to give out. The second was a lively virtual meeting of the Fellows in Ethics and Philosophy in Medicine, chaired by Andrew Papanikitas, which continued the discussion from the Sydney Selwyn Lecture and explored the complexities of treating relatives, colleagues, and public figures. These monthly discussions involve both philosophy and ethics and our history fellows, and are held either in person (with a hybrid option) or virtually. This is perhaps a less well-known part our Society, but a very active one.

Looking ahead, February and March will be busy. I will be taking part in the Masters’ Pancake Race on Shrove Tuesday in Guildhall Yard, and look forward to the Livery Dinner on 27th February, which will also mark the formal opening of our new toilets. Please also book for our Symposium on the 18th of March, focusing on innovations in wound care, knife crime prevention, and fostering research and business in London.

I have also volunteered to join with other Masters and the Sheriffs for the Lenten Prison Walks. Walking from the Old Bailey to Wandsworth Prison where we will meet the governor and some of the prisoners taking part in rehabilitation programmes. The purpose of the walks is to highlight the need for more offender rehabilitation and to raise funds for programmes being undertaken by the Sheriff and recorders fund. Each Master has been asked to get 100 supporters to donate £10, so that each of the six walks will raise £10,000. If you would like to donate and support me, please head over to the official Just Giving page and do quote my name if you sponsor me.

Finally, here are details of the walks for the Master’ Charity in April and May. Do read about these walks and please join and/or support them as you find most appropriate. Sponsorship can be made using this Just Giving page.

I look forward to seeing you at events over the next few months, and if you have any questions or feedback about this newsletter or other matters, please do contact me.

Best regards,
David Jefferys
Master

P.S. Did the master have time for anything else in January? Answer: yes. We were able to fit in a short skiing trip with all the family, the older grandson learned to ski, and two visits to Bromley FC who as everyone knows are now six points clear as the leaders of division two!!