Written by Claire Palmer, Chair of Trustees

I am delighted to report that trustees finally managed to meet in person (with a handful of remote attendees) for a Strategy Day on 12 January 2022. The day provided the opportunity to review the financial strategy which is particularly important as the Trust reaches its 21st birthday on 27 March 2022. As former Chair, Jeremy Batchelor, has explained before, the rules relating to accumulation of capital change significantly at that stage. 

We also reviewed the projects that are already supported (such as Friendship Works, Build Up Foundation, R;pple, Secure Futures, City of London donations, and our education projects) to ensure that they continue to meet our objectives, and to consider other areas that we might fund. It was a helpful review of what our objectives as a Trust are. I will write further once we have collated all the helpful contributions on the day. 

This post requests three things from Members of the Company:

• Apply to be a trustee: we have a minimum of two vacancies for trustees, more details in the attached letter. Past Master Stuart Seymour has stood down to focus on his increasingly busy workload, and the Trust thanks him for his sterling support of the Trust over six years as a Trustee. Senior Warden, Paul Miller, is also stepping down to have a break between being an elected trustee and, subject to election, returning as an ex officio trustee as Master. This enables us to recruit two trustees at the same time, and we also thank Paul for his service to the Trust.
• Please follow this link for further information https://www.dropbox.com/s/o72jiifkr4l4blv/Trustee%20Vacancies%20-%20Jan%202022.pdf?dl=0

Applications to the clerk please by 4 February 2022. Interviews are likely to take place on 23 February and 2 March. Further details can be found in the attached letter via the link above.

• Refer Projects that need support to the Trust: for the Trust to distribute your monies to deserving projects, we need to know what projects are out there that need support. The Trust particularly looks to support those in suffering in the security profession (in its widest sense), as well as initiatives that support broader public protection (crime reduction, support for victims of crime, education) and other projects with wider significance. 

The Trust always welcomes applications proposed by our members and please do send any such applications via the Clerk or to [email protected] .

It is always helpful if the application highlights a particular item or initiative that the request is for, rather than just for a sum of money to add to a pot.

• Donate an Auction Prize to the Spring Dance: if you are able to help with this, please let Peter French know; [email protected] . And, of course, please do come along to the Spring Dance itself on Saturday 5 March 2022, donate, and buy auction prizes and raffle tickets, as well as having a fantastic time. 

Many thanks, and I look forward to seeing you in 2022. 

Claire