For the past few years the leg work of the Cooks’ magazine has been carried out by Jerry Cullum from Treloar’s, the college in Hampshire for disabled young people that is one of the key beneficiaries of the Company charity.
He lays out the articles, arranges the printing and posts the finished magazine to members of the Livery, freemen and associations we connect to including Guildhall and catering colleges. The college has closed because of Coronavirus and while Jerry was able to produce the magazine digitally it was felt that with the country in lockdown arranging with printers and postal services would be difficult.
The Court decided that this was an opportunity to dip a toe into the future (which is the present for much of the world) and test out the possibilities of an online magazine. After all, the members had already met outside the panelled walls of the Innholders’ Hall and managed to achieve what they needed despite being unshaven and dressed in Polo shirts and Chinos rather than the usual City suits and Livery ties (see below).
This is really a suck-it-and see exercise and it would be encouraging to get some feedback either way. It would be good to know from readers what works and what doesn’t. It may be of course that belts will have to tighten and a digital version of the magazine will have to be produced for a while merely to save some cash. Nevertheless comments to the editor or the Clerk would be very welcome. Other aspects of the magazine have also changed. There is no sport – a disappointment to some but a relief to others perhaps.
On a more positive note, the concentration on the Company’s charitable giving has ballooned to match the unusual amount of ‘rainy day cash’ found in the company coffers. And for traditionalists some things have stayed the same. After all, the old world was still in orbit until March 23 and the Company was able to carry out the high point of its links with the hospitality industry – the annual prizewinners lunch – as well as its regular event for schoolchildren.
