IPG - 40 years young
The New years party on the 16th of January was a special event this year, celebrating 40 years of the IPG. With little appetite amongst the members for Black Tie dinners of yore, the committee opted for adding a little sparkle to our regular start of the year knees-up. Planning began in November 2024 with a group being set up to manage the event. Particular mention to Stasia Parker FIPG, Danila Tarcinale FIPG and Zoe Harding FIPG for their hard work on the preparations, table decorations, balloons, lights and invite design. (Top tip for anyone thinking of organising similar, check if the venue has a PA system before discussing options over several days via WhatsApp.)
Anyway, hundreds of WhatsApp messages and several Zoom meetings later, the preparations were completed and the event finally happened.
Once again taking place at the Sir Christopher Hatton
Once again taking place at the Sir Christopher Hatton this was our largest event yet. Seventy people turned up to celebrate. As is has become our practice, we invited members of the trade from other organisations and suppliers who give us discounts to strengthen our ties with them. Leo from HS Walsh, some of the Eurofindings crew, staff from the Goldsmiths Centre, Daren Daniels from Jewel Ads (who is building our new website), our good friends from the Goldsmiths Craft and Design Council, and finally, Antony Vanderpump from the Silversmiths and Jewellers Charity, our latest partnership.
Aside from the buffet, the entertainments included the usual raffle, which was generously supplied this year (it certainly seemed to go on for ever), an auction and of course a speech from the Chair Janet Weller.
In her speech, Janet gave a short history of the IPG from its founding in 1984, and its earliest Chairs. She emphasized the value of the connections and friendships we make as part of an organisation and the importance of the standards we maintain and pass on to future generations. Finally she paid tribute to all the IPGs previous Chairs and executive committees who have worked hard over the years to maintain the standards set by our founders and move the IPG onwards to each new decade, acknowledging that as a voluntary organisation members give generously of their free time, often unseen, for the upkeep, advancement and support of the Institute and its membership.
