In January this year, the Worshipful Company of Actuaries held its Winter Livery Dinner at Mercers Hall, a venue we had not used since 2003.
Although very plain from the outside, the inside, as you would expect from the first Company in order of precedence, is truly magnificent.
We filled the hall with our 130 attendees and it got off to a very amusing start with the chaplain's grace - using his usual prose, he pointed out that, while the mercers might be number one in order of precedence, we actuaries are first alphabetically!
The food and wine were excellent, and after dinner liveryman Marian Elliott welcomed our guests, who included four masters and clerks - the woolmen, the plaisterers, the glovers and the farmers.
Our principal guest was Mr Tony Little, retired headmaster of Eton College and now a consultant worldwide on the education of young people. He spoke passionately about how the focus of education needs to change in the light of moving technology and other developments, and was very optimistic that the necessary adaptations would be made.
The Master rounded off the evening by thanking everybody and reminding us that the Company has been successful in a number of inter-livery events recently - in particular the FSG quiz and inter-livery skiing.
A wonderful evening was rounded off with a 'stirrup cup', and we all wandered out into the cold night. At least the snow that was forecast had not arrived!
