Over 120 Lightmongers and guests, from across the lighting, electrical and construction industries, joined Master Graham Smith at the historic Vintners Hall on 18th March for the Company’s 2026 Livery Dinner.  A wonderful networking and social event during which our annual Military Merit Awards are presented.

We were privileged to be joined by cadets from our affiliated Sea Cadets Unit (TS Wizard) based in Haringey. They provided the guard of honour for guests on arrival, demonstrating a very professional and welcoming approach, which the Master commended them on.

The Master with the Sea Cadets from TS Wizard

The evening was privileged to include the presentation to Stuart Swalwell, Managing Director of Cembre Group, recognising Cembre as a founder member of the Lightmongers’ Corporate Patronage scheme and thanking them for their support to the work of our Charitable Trust.

L-R Past Master Rodney Bennion, Stuart Swalwell, Master Graham Smith.

The Lightmongers’ Livery Dinner is very much an industry-wide networking and social occasion, so the Master was delighted to formally welcome and drink a toast with the Presidents of the Industry Associations and Professional Bodies of our industry attending the Dinner:

  • Ruth Devine MBE – President Electrical Contractors Association (ECA)
  • David Moore – President Electrical Distributors Association (EDA)
  • David Barnwell – President Lighting Industry Association (LIA)
  • Kristina Allison – President Society of Light and Lighting (SLL)
  • Dervan Alleyne – President Highways Electrical Association (HEA)
  • James Duffin – President Institute of Lighting Professionals (ILP).

Following an excellent dinner the guests enjoyed musical entertainment in the form of Jazz, given by two very talented students from the Guildhall School of Music.

In his after dinner speech the Master, Graham Smith welcomed all the guests and thanked them for their support to a wonderful evening. A highlight of the Livery Dinner evening is the presentation each year of the Lightmongers’ Military Merit Awards. These are awarded to individuals from our three Military Affiliations for outstanding contributions, who have been nominated by the Commanding Officers of their Units. This year the winners of the Awards were:

  • Petty Officer, Christopher Walden from our affiliated Royal Navy ship HMS Queen Elizabeth. The supporting citation was presented by Lt Cdr Julian Caithness RN and the Award was generously sponsored by Past Master Jamie Berry.

L-R Past Master Jamie Berry , Petty Officer Christopher Walden, Lt Cdr Julian Caithness and the Master.

  • Staff Sergeant Aaron Mitchell from our affiliated Army unit, 579 Field Squadron (Explosive Ordnance Disposal & Search), The supporting citation was presented by Major Duncan Wood RE, OC 479 Sqn RE and the Award was generously sponsored by Liveryman Bob Harris.

L-R Major Duncan Wood, Liveryman Bob Harris, Staff Sergeant Aaron Mitchell and the Master.

  • AS1 Dubhaltach Reid from our affiliated RAF unit, 606 (Chiltern) Squadron RAF Benson. The supporting citation was presented by  Sqn Ldr John Burgess, OC 606 (Chiltern) Sqn and the Award was generously sponsored by Past Master Peter McVeigh.

L-R The Master, Past Master Peter McVeigh, ASI Dubhaltach Reid and Sqn Ldr John Burgess.

 

Guest of honour Lynda Atkins DL,  Honorary Air Commodore of 606 Squadron (our affiliated RAF Unit) and the National Chair of the Royal British Legion (RBL), thanked the Master and the Company on  behalf of the Guests for their hospitality and for a memorable event. She  congratulated the winners of the Military Merit Awards and emphasised the importance of support to our military organisations, particularly in the current geopolitical climate and acknowledged the commitment of all reservists, who give a considerable amount of their personal time to their reserve roles. She also thanked the Lightmongers for their support to the valuable work of the RBL noting, as an example of their work,  that the RBL is the largest employer of MacMillan nurses in the UK. Lynda closed her speech by proposing the toast to the Company –

“The Worshipful Company of Lightmongers, may it flourish root and branch forever”

Honorary Air Commodore Lynda Atkins DL giving her speech

The Master closed the formal part of the evening by highlighting two major Lightmonger Events later this year:

  • The Lightmongers Charity Golf Day – 8th September 2026, at the Royal Automobile Club, Epsom
  • Summer Banquet – 2nd July 2026, which will be held at Barber Surgeons Hall.

The evening then continued more informally, with time for conversation and networking over a stirrup cup – an excellent evening enjoyed by all, in a historic London Livery Hall setting.

If you would like to find out more about getting involved with Lightmongers and joining us at future events please contact the Clerk, Mark Houghton clerk@lightmongers.co.uk