Mansion House, the official home of the Lord Mayor of London, and one of the city's most iconic buildings, was the setting for the Worshipful Company of Actuaries' Annual Banquet in April.
Over 200 actuaries and guests enjoyed dinner with Lord Mayor, Alan Yarrow, in the Egyptian Hall.
Master actuary Martin Miles welcomed Nick Salter, president of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, and the masters of the Grocers, Needlemakers and Educators livery companies as well as Gordon Arthur, recently appointed as high sheriff of Leicestershire. The latter spoke most interestingly about the reburial of Richard III, who this year was moved a few hundred yards from a car park to Leicester Cathedral. The historical significance of this was eloquently explained by Arthur who, with his wife, had been fully immersed in the whole affair for many months.
Miles spoke passionately about the work being undertaken by the Company of Actuaries Charitable Trust (CACT) in the field of mathematics education. He focused particularly on CACT's newest project of assisting schools with strong mathematics departments to take their skills and enthusiasm into the community through a range of outreach programmes, so that it is not just those lucky enough to be in the good schools that have their talents nurtured and extended.
After port and brandy, the evening was soon over. A lasting memory, however, was that of two trumpeters from the Militaire Orchestra at opposite ends of the balcony outplaying each other in the Post Horn Gallop. What a great end to a marvellous evening.
