The Summer Court Dinner of the Fruiterers is traditionally held in July and attracts husbands, wives and partners.

It is generally a light hearted occasion reflecting the company, season and weather, which fortunately has been quite summery in recent years. So it was on the 15th July when the diners assembled at the hall of the Stationers and Newspaper Makers.

It was a close run thing however, as there had been a fire in the building three weeks before, forcing the unfortunate Worshipful Company of Musicians to abandon their dinner. The resourceful residents had set about making immediate repairs and had returned the hall to a serviceable condition in a very short period of time.

David Quarmby, chairman of the RAC Trust and sometime director of Sainsbury’s, was the principal guest and speaker, touching amusingly on the habits and characteristics of UK multiple grocers.

The Master presented Will Sibley with the Master’s Medal for the recipient’s services to the industry, the Livery and its charities. This was a popular choice and the assembled Fruiterers and their guests gave him a standing ovation.

MASTER’S COMMENT

By Steve Bodger

RESEARCH STILL AT THE HEART OF SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTION

The importance of scientific research to all in the fruit industry is not always widely understood. Growers, of course, are well aware of scientific developments in, for example, crop protection. But do traders, wholesalers, importers and supermarket managers always realise the importance of science in the production of high quality fruit?

East Malling Research is the leading fruit horticulture research centre. Founded many years ago by fruit growers, East Malling soon established pre-eminence. The value to the fruit industry of East Malling Research’s work over the years is immense. It came into state ownership and, in recent years, it was then privatised and is now under the umbrella of the East Malling Trust, a charity which provides financial support for the research activity.

Based in the heart of the Kent fruit growing area, the East Malling team of 38 scientists focuses largely on practical applied research, typically on crop protection, cultivation techniques and developing new varieties. A walk around East Malling today reveals interesting projects on biological control of pests, breeding of new strawberry varieties, optimising the use of irrigation and nutrition, concept orchards to develop and test cultivation techniques and much, much more.

As a non-scientist I find the irrigation and nutrition project easier to relate to than most of the more technical research. The optimisation of the timing and amount of water delivered to the growing plants and the careful metering of the nutrients, which are delivered precisely to the roots of the plants, increases both yield and quality and reduces the use of water and nutrients as well as minimising the polluting effect of having too much nutrient in the soil.

We at The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers are very proud of the links between us and East Malling. They run long and deep. Many liverymen have served on the board of East Malling and a number do currently, but two deserve special mention.

Dr Ian Graham-Bryce, who has very recently retired as chairman of East Malling Trust - the charity which supports the research activity - is a liveryman. Many years ago he was head of the research activity of East Malling. He then continued his research career within the commercial sector and later became vice-chancellor of Dundee University, before coming back to East Malling 10 years ago. He has steered East Malling exceptionally well through some fast changing times. He is succeeded as chairman by another Fruiterer, past Master Will Sibley. Many readers will know Will as a broadcaster and writer, a nurseryman par excellence and a director of the HDC. He has been a director of the East Malling Trust for some years and has made a strong contribution to its financial underpinning and its support of the scientific efforts of East Malling Research.

Congratulations Will, and good luck!