Information Technologists' Company Receives Royal Charter on 17 June 2010
Howard Lake | 9 June 2010 | News
-Formal presentation to be part of a day of celebrations in the City of London-
London, UK: 9 June 2010 – The Information Technologists’ Company, the 100th livery company of the City of London, has been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen with the granting of a Royal Charter. The Royal Charter of Incorporation recognises the importance and ubiquity of information and communication technologies in the fabric of Great Britain and the work of the Company and its members in supporting charitable and educational programmes with their skills and resources.
The granting of the Charter will be celebrated by the Information Technologists’ Company on 17 June 2010. The events start with Choral Evensong in St Paul’s Cathedral, during which the Charter will be blessed before a formal presentation later at the Mansion House. The service in St Paul’s is open to all, and visitors will be warmly welcomed.
Following Evensong, the Company and its guests will proceed to the Mansion House in the City of London for a formal banquet where a representative of the Royal Family will present the Royal Charter to the Master of Company, Charles Hughes.
The Charter will be taken in procession though the streets of London accompanied by the Master and Sheriffs escorted by the Company of Pikemen and Musketeers, the Lord Mayor’s private bodyguard.
The Information Technologists’ Company is where the best of ancient tradition, especially relating to education and charity, meets the most modern of technology development. The Company’s honorary members include: Microsoft founder Bill Gates; World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee; and Internet pioneer and currently Google Vice President Vint Cerf.
“In a world of high speed computing and mobile communications some may question the ancient concept of livery companies, but the grant of the Royal Charter enables us to promote our commitment to helping the disadvantaged,” said Charles Hughes, the Master of the Information Technologists’ Company. “Like many of the ancient livery companies we are proud to support our industry and use our skills and resources for charitable and educational purposes. They – and we – are honourable institutions and we celebrate our commitment to the highest professional standards,” he continued. “The award of a Royal Charter is an enormous honour for the Company, marking the impact that our members have made in social and charitable endeavours from mentoring IT entrepreneurs to raising money and building the Hammersmith Academy, the new school sponsored jointly by the Information Technologists’ Company and the Mercers’ Company.
The Hammersmith Academy we are building along with the Mercers’ livery company, to open in September 2011, embodies this synthesis of the old and the new. Its educational infrastructure is to be supported by the best of digital media and IT thinking to create a benchmark for 21st century schooling.
Notes to Editors:
About Information Technologists’ Company
The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, formerly WCIT, is the 100th livery company of the City of London, bringing together the centuries-old livery tradition and information technology, a key industry of the new millennium. Since 1992, when the Company was awarded livery status by the Court of Aldermen of the City of London, it has been actively demonstrating the relevance of the livery tradition to modern day society. The Company uses the time, expertise and resources of its members to promote the information technology profession and undertake a range of charitable and educational activities. The Company currently has more than 720 members, all of whom are senior practitioners in the IT profession.
For further information about the Information Technologists’ Company, please visit www.wcit.org.uk
Press Contact:
Caroline Shawley
The Whiteoaks Consultancy
+44 (0)1252 727313
ca*******@wh*******.uk
The Whiteoaks Consultancy is proud to provide Pro Bono PR and communications support to The Information Technologists’ Company.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.