The 2023 Widespread Corridor ceremony of the Worshipful Firm of Butchers (WCB), held at Butchers Corridor, London right now [14th September] has elected Chris Wooden as its new Grasp for the approaching 12 months.
As a part of the ceremony, a brand new Court docket made up of Wardens and Assistants had been additionally elected by the Livery.
Held on the second Thursday of September, Widespread Corridor is an annual occasion with a historical past stretching again many tons of of years. All 21 members of the WCB Court docket are required to attend the occasion the place the brand new Grasp is put ahead for election.
The Widespread Corridor ceremony follows a church service on the close by St Bartholomew The Nice, the place a variety of the Firm’s artefacts are displayed. As a part of the ceremony the outgoing Grasp and the Court docket course of from Butchers Corridor to the church after which return for the election. A latest custom is the taking of wine at Founders’ Corridor by the Court docket as they course of to church and the same imbibing on the Hand and Shears public home on the return journey.
The election course of and affirmation of all of the appointments is adopted by a convivial lunch attended by household and visitors of Livery members.
The Clerk, Main Common Jeff Mason, acknowledged that “as a 1000 12 months previous Firm you will need to bear in mind the previous by way of our traditions in addition to wanting ahead in supporting the meat trade in as some ways as we will.”
The brand new Grasp
Chris Wooden is well-known identify inside the British and Irish meat trade, being the previous managing director of G Wooden & Sons earlier than the enterprise was purchased by Northern Irish processing group Dunbia in 2013. Following the acquisition, Wooden now works in procurement at Dunbia’s Mansfield division.
Mason mentioned that Wooden is “extremely proud” to have been elected to the appointment of Grasp.” He added :”While the burden of duty is nice, [he] is wanting ahead to supporting the Business, offering fellowship to Liverymen and guaranteeing that participating with the Metropolis of London are key tenets in his 12 months.”
This 12 months’s ceremony additionally marks the tip of Andrew Parker’s time period as Grasp, who’s the managing director of W & J Parker Holdings Ltd. The Livery beneath Parker’s management gained the award for Finest Commerce Organisation on the Meat Administration Business Awards 2023, introduced on Tuesday twelfth September, marking a optimistic finish to his tenure.
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