Merchanting – not just for the boys! Louise joined National builders’ merchant Travis Perkins (TP) just over a year ago as a Regional Director. Like many other female colleagues at TP, Louise is making a name for herself in what is typically thought of as a male-dominated industry. Here, Louise talks about why she thinks...Read More

Charlotte’s Apprenticeship Story with Travis Perkins Charlotte joined Travis Perkins Tool Hire with no previous experience in the industry but has since gained a promotion and is now Assistant Tool Hire Manager at its Hemel Hempstead branch. Coming from the care sector, it was a really daunting move for Charlotte to join Travis Perkins’ Tool...Read More

In our next #BuildACareerWithoutLimits blog, Court Assistant Lucia Di Stazio and Vice Chair of the Education & Training Committee speaks to three present and past Polypipe apprentices to get the lowdown on their experiences of starting a career within the builders’ merchant supply chain. You can also catch this article in Builders Merchants News – here...Read More

WCoBM donated nearly £90,000 last year to a wide range of causes to support charitable organisations and initiatives during Covid-19. Additional donations were made to those supporting the NHS and frontline key workers, as well as trade charities such as the Rainy Day Trust, Crash, Lighthouse Construction Industry and the Timber Trades Benevolent Society, all...Read More

The Drapers Company is inviting Freemen and Liverymen of the WCoBM to join them for a webinar on the Livery Kitchen Initiative (LKI) on 9th June. Jointly presented by Col Richard Winstanley OBE, Clerk to the Drapers’ Company, Mr Rej Bhumbra, Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon Barts Health NHS Trust, and Mrs Laura Winningham OBE, Founder...Read More

Fellow Liverymen Since I last wrote to you at Easter we had the sad news of the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. Prince Philip was a fantastic champion for the UK and the City of London over more than seven decades, and an active supporter of the Livery. He will be very much...Read More

Dear Masters, Prime Wardens, Upper Bailiff and Clerks, Over two years ago, arising out of the Pan Livery working groups that were set up in 2017, a Livery philanthropic initiative started to take shape. It was important to those involved in creating the ideas that such an initiative had to have certain key objectives: It...Read More

Our outgoing Clerk Virginia Rounding features in a new documentary on #CelebratingCityWomen. The documentary looks beyond the big stories in our history to uncover the unsung heroes, women of the Square Mile. Featuring interviews with historians, artists and curators – among others – the short film takes you back in time, discovering the stories of...Read More

Since the first lockdown last April, our Livery has welcomed 11 new Liverymen and Freemen. Despite the challenges of a pandemic year, we like many others, have adapted to virtual life with all admissions and installations over the last 12 months taking place via Zoom. With membership by invitation only, WCoBM now has a very...Read More

In our next blog, Past Master Brian Blanchard and Chairman of the Education & Training Committee discusses the value of apprenticeships and why there has never been a better time for merchants and their suppliers to bring fresh new talent into the industry. You can also catch this article in Builders Merchants News – here...Read More