At 12.31pm on Thursday 18 June 2020 a unique meeting in the history of the Company took place. Given the lockdown situation members could not attend the Merchants’ Hall for the usual June Stated Meeting of the Company. Hence the meeting was held using Zoom, a medium unknown to many before lockdown but now quite commonplace in our day-to-day lives.
The Master, Peter Hillier, started the first virtual Stated Meeting in the history of the Company a minute later than normal – as people joined the meeting. In all 74 members attended. They heard from the Chairs of the Governing Councils of Erskine Stewart’s Melville School (ESMS) and George Watson’s College (GWC) who both provided an insight into how the schools were adapting to the impacts of COVID-19.
A round up of the actions over the last few months of the Charities Committee was then provided. This highlighted varied work including contacting our more vulnerable members, supporting a local brewery to make hand sanitiser when stocks were low to help the community and our elderly beneficiaries, and donating laptops to young carers to enable them to home school. It was heart-warming to hear that the Company has continued to be a force for good for the people of Edinburgh in such difficult times.
The Master concluded, after around half an hour, with the hope that the next meeting would be back in the Hall and wished all members well in the coming months.
