Despite difficult trading conditions, the financial performance of the Institute remained strong, particularly with regard to surplus generated.
The numbers tell the story. There was a 1.6% rise in revenues to £119.2m across the Group, and a significant 18.1% gain in surplus to £13.4m. Chris Jones and his management team are to be congratulated for this performance. City & Guilds is a charity, and surpluses will be reinvested in the interests of our beneficiaries – namely learners who study for City & Guilds awards. There have been important steps
forward in the governance of the Institute during the year. In March, approval was given by HM Privy Council for changes to the Institute’s Royal Charter, first granted in 1900. The most significant step was to introduce a Trustee Board in place of the Executive Committee of Council. This Board will meet six times annually, and offer greater support to Chris Jones and his team. The number of Trustees will be gradually reduced over time to eight. The Council continues to appoint the Trustees from within their number and retains an important advisory role.
New President
Further, we were delighted that HRH The Princess Royal agreed to accept the Council’s invitation to become President of the Institute, in succession to her father, who retired in June on his 90th birthday. We owe an enormous debt to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who was our President for nearly 60 years, and oversaw impressive growth in the size, scope and influence of the Institute. My three predecessors – Morton
Neal, Paul Wates and David Young – and I, who together represent continuity since 1979, all attended
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The Duke of Edinburgh’s farewell lunch at the Royal Society. The Trustees of City & Guilds were privileged to be able to give our former President a specially made display cabinet that is now in HRH’s private library in Buckingham Palace. Our new President has already been active, opening a new office in Botswana in July and attending her first Council meeting at WorldSkills London 2011. My second period of office will come to an end in 2012. As the result of a formal selection process, we are delighted that Sir John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, agreed to be nominated by the Trustees for election to the role of Chairman in October 2012. Sir John was awarded Knight Bachelor in the New Year Honours 2012. He has joined Council and been elected a Trustee of the Institute.
Overwhelming success
Although WorldSkills 2011 took place a few days after the end of our financial year, it is right to record here the great success realised by the WorldSkills team in organising flawlessly the largest event in London prior to the 2012 Olympics. For those, including HRH The Princess Royal, who visited the event at London’s ExCeL, it was an overwhelmingly buoyant occasion. Nearly 200,000 young people visited the site, to see for themselves the global opportunities afforded by the choice of a vocational career. City & Guilds played a major role,
as a Premier Sponsor, and secondly through our former Director-General,
In March, approval was given by HM Privy Council for changes to the Institute’s Royal Charter. The most significant step was to introduce a Trustee Board
Michael Howell HonFCGI Chairman
Chris Humphries, who secured the event for London and, as chair, ensured its success.
Sincere thanks
I would like to pay a special tribute to Major General Philip Corp CB HonFCGI, who stood down as Vice President. I would also like to thank the following who stood down from Council during the year: Tim Carter, Alan Cornwell, Robert Hughes-Penney, Robin Leuchars, Howard McKenzie, Reginald Mussett, Lord Ramsbotham GCB CBE FCGI, Clive Strowger and Sir Glenn Torpy GCB CBE FCGI. I am deeply grateful for their commitment and application, freely given, in support of City & Guilds. I would also like to acknowledge the significant 27-year contribution of Andrew Sich, who retired as Head of Corporate Affairs. Finally, I owe a debt to my fellow
Trustees for their conspicuous support during a demanding year. I acknowledge on their behalf the many others who perform the functions of examiner or verifier or who sit on the many committees that are so necessary to the effective running of this Institute. I am, as ever, most grateful for their support. This then is the last Annual Review to which I shall contribute. I pay my respects to this Institute and all that it stands for, and offer my gratitude for the privilege of having led it for what will have been six years of growing profile and economic success.