There are a number of Company Officers to support the Master. The majority are members of the Company but the Company employs a Clerk and will, from time to time, appoint others for a specific time and purpose. These, with an outline of their responsibilities, are:
The Deputy Master is the Immediate Past Master and acts for the Master when unavailable for any reason. The period of office is one year.
The Upper Warden is the senior warden and supports the Master on all Company occasions and sits on all main committees. The incumbent gives a short speech before proposing the Toast to the Guests at the Installation Dinner and the Civic Toast at the Ladies’ Banquet. The period of office is one year, during which the incumbent is normally elected Master for the following year.
The Renter Warden is the junior warden and supports the Master on all Company occasions. The incumbent sits on the Finance Committee, and may when available attend Charity Committee meetings. The period of office is one year, during which the incumbent is normally elected Upper Warden for the following year.
The seven Assistants are elected to the Court of Assistants by the Court. They are voting members of the Court and are required to pay a fine before taking their seat. They may be appointed members of Court Committees or working parties to gain experience of the more detailed operation of the Company.
In accordance with the Trust Deed, Trustees are appointed by resolution of the Trustees, and amongst other requirements, must have served as a Warden. Trustees are responsible for administration of the Fletchers’ Trust with a legal obligation to administer the Livery’s charitable funds in a manner acceptable to the Charities Commission and in accordance with the purposes set out in the Trust Deed. They are members of the Charity Committee.
The Honorary Almoner is responsible for identifying suitable causes, assessing charitable claims and requests for assistance and advising the Charity Committee on distribution, in accordance with charity law and the guidelines laid out by the Court. The Honorary Almoner establishes and maintains close links with archery clubs with disabled members, to raise the profile of the Fletchers’ Trust and thereby increase the number of applications for grants, to help stimulate a higher level of donations from Liverymen and elsewhere to increase the Trust Fund. The Honorary Almoner attends meetings of the Charity Committee and cannot be a Trustee.
The Deputy Honorary Almoner assists the Honorary Almoner and is appointed by the Court. The appointment is endorsed annually and further periods of office are at the discretion of the Court. The Deputy Almoner also attends meetings of the Charity Committee and cannot be a Trustee.
The Honorary Archivist is appointed by the Court and is a member of the Communications Committee. The Company’s Archives are kept in the Guildhall Library and the Honorary Archivist is responsible for maintaining the link with the Guildhall Library, ensuring the archives are available to bona fide researchers. The Honorary Archivist oversees the catalogue, available on the Guildhall website, ensuring it is accessible through the Livery website. The Honorary Archivist may recommend to the Charity Committee additions of any hard copy material, such as books, memorabilia or historical information that should be added to the Fletchers’ Library and produces biographical summaries, as required by the Court, the Clerk or the Editor of La Flêche.
The Stewards are appointed by the Court and their appointment is reviewed annually. They provide practical assistance to the Clerk at functions, to ensure the smooth running of events. All new Liverymen are invited to become Stewards, to encourage their attendance at functions, and to widen the pool of Stewards.