Dear Member
The world (or at least Westminster) has changed but life seems to go on – perhaps I will be less sanguine this time next week after the budget. The debate will rage, decisions will be made and people will forget where once they stood on a whole series of issues. We will all go in for special pleading with that influencing our own thoughts on “fairness”. It is clear that this will be a time for reflection particularly in those regions, like Wales, where the public sector is such a major constituent of the economy. Is it fanciful to think of the public sector using its influence (and buying power) to help develop the private sector and in Wales for the Welsh public sector to be seen as the preferred partner for a quality private sector.
As I write this I am looking forward to our evening with Dannie Abse and Owen Sheers at the Arts Club on Thursday 17th – we are close to capacity (50) which is marvellous. Dannie and Owen will be bringing various works with them so now is a chance to get those autographed copies.
On the 14th July we have our summer reception at 45 Millbank. Rather unusually for Wales in London people have applied “early” and we are fast running out of capacity – if you have enquired but haven’t confirmed or are planning to come please let us know as soon as possible. It “feels” as though we are going to be oversubscribed.
The next social evening is planned for Tuesday 14th September so please Save the Date in your diaries! More details will follow in my next newsletter about this fun evening at a central City venue.
Prior to that we are trying to agree the format of a “seminar type” event with Jonathan Price Chief Economist with WAG – the purpose of the evening will be to explore both myths and realities about the economy in Wales. The intention is to make the session interactive and informal, structured around a quiz but with the opportunity to discuss where we think the economy in Wales is now, where it may be heading, and what, if anything, we can do about it. I hope that this will be arranged for late July but, as you can imagine, it does take a little organising. If people are interested in participating (subject of course to timing) perhaps they could email Bridget on bridget.robinson@rllj.com
Undoubtedly that will provoke the debate of why the private sector is relatively weak in Wales. A little while ago I sat down with Frank Holmes of Gambit Corporate Finance, based in Cardiff, and discussed with him the results of some research they had done of Welsh Company exits in the period 1999-2009 – exits include trade sales, buy-ins/outs and divestments as well as Public Offerings. The data is distorted by a small number of mega transactions such as the transfer of ownership in the utility sector and flotations of companies like Admiral and Peacocks. If one excludes that limited pool of £100m plus deals the data indicates that 25% of exits involved companies less than 5 years old and a further 40% less than 15 years. Is it lack of finance or lack of ambition which drives these statistics? A copy of the Survey of Welsh Company Exits 1999-2009 can be obtained on www.gambitcf.com under Succession Planning.
Politicians of all hues are looking to the voluntary sector to increase its influence in the period ahead. We are lucky in Wales to have a wide number of organisations which do invaluable work – Ty Hafan, the Children’s hospice, is an obvious example. I met Stephen Pegge Chairman of Prime Cymru to discuss their work – it is one of the Prince of Wales’ group of charities and is an initiative for Mature Enterprise (see www.prime-cymru.co.uk). In essence they support the needs of the 50 plus age group to get into economic activity through self employment, employment and volunteering. Stephen reminded me how serious the problem is in Wales – 34% of people in the 50-65 age category or 160,000 are economically inactive. To date Prime has helped over 5,000 people with some 1,450 starting their own businesses creating 2,400 jobs in the last 5 years. Undoubtedly initiatives like this will become increasingly important and, I suspect, offer tremendous value for money.
I am intrigued by the range / scope of the Princes’ charities in Wales – perhaps there will be merit in looking at what they do in a little more detail.
As ever there is much going on and noted below are a number of new events where we have been sent information. More information on these and other current events can generally be found in the news section of the webpage www.walesinlondon.com
• The Gregynog Festival is underway and runs until the 21st June.I have a soft spot for this festival, held in the most wonderful part of Wales, as Philippa sang there a number of times.
• June 22nd (10.00 to 21.00) and June 23rd (10.00 to 13.00) the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama showcase the work of their theatre Design graduates at the Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE. I went last year and was immensely impressed – no wonder that the college and its graduates have such an outstanding track record.
• June 26th – 4th July Pembrokeshire hosts its wonderful Fish week. See www.pembrokeshirefishweek.co.uk. Well worth looking at with a host of events from outdoor activities, master classes to “just eating”.
• June 28th. The London Welsh school has a fundraising concert at the Arts Club Dover Street. Detail in the news section but a concert with Aled Jones; Cerys Matthews, Karl Jenkins and others will be very special.
• 6th July the second meeting of the Welsh Circumnavigators Club at the Hilton in Cardiff.
• 24th July – 1st August. For those of us who head west in the summer the Fishguard international Music Festival is one of the cultural “highpoints”. This year they celebrate their 40th Anniversary and have an extensive programme with events held in a number of locations from St Davids to Rhos-y-Gilwen, Cilgerran. See www.FishguardMusicFestival.co.uk
• 29th July – 31st July WBC Night of Champions in Cardiff
Looking further ahead the Thakeray Gallery (just behind Wholefoods in Kensington) is hosting an exhibition by 6 leading Welsh artists in September. The gallery has an enviable track record having supported another unrecognised Welsh artist many years ago - the then unknown Kyffin Williams. I will provide more detail when I have it.
On the 15th September Music Theatre Wales returns to the Royal Opera House Linbury Studio Theatre for 4 nights with the UK premiere of a Philip Glass opera In the Penal Colony, based on a powerful short story by Franz Kafka. I am interested to know whether people would like me to organise tickets for Wales in London members with the chance to join the MTW company for drinks after the show – email bridget.robinson@rllj.com if you are and I will send more detail.
I look forward to seeing you at one of our events
Robert
