Cut above the rest: Winners crowned in RCS England’s surgical skills showdown 18 May 2026 Two South East England based surgeons, Calvin Chan and Runzhi Chen, have been crowned the winners of the Royal College of Surgeons of England ‘s (RCS England) surgical skills competition, with 12 teams competing from across the UK this past weekend. The second-year core surgical trainees - Calvin Chan, who works at Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, and Runzhi Chen, who works at

Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula within the Tower of London A wonderful day of Knightly fellowship, history and hospitality — from our rare visit to the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula within the Tower of London to luncheon in the splendid surroundings of Bakers’ Hall, with its remarkable John Piper windows and fascinating historical commentary. These photographs capture the spirit of the 2026 Merlin Luncheon: friendship, tradition and the shared enjoyment of another m

An unforgettable evening at Lincoln’s Inn is captured in the photographs that follow. The night was marked by the Master Treasurer of Lincoln’s Inn, Elspeth Talbot Rice KC, who delivered a memorable Toast to this Honourable Society. The Society also celebrated its Knight Awardees, Barry McTaggart (Inner Temple) and Polina Sokolovska (Middle Temple) , who each spoke with gratitude and distinction. Musical moments added elegance and depth, with piano performances by Mischa Carr

We are honoured to share that Dame Mary Richardson DBE has been invited to attend the HMS Dasher Memorial Weekend 2026, marking a poignant moment in this year’s commemorations. This year marks the 83rd anniversary of the HMS Dasher tragedy in the Firth of Clyde, when 379 men lost their lives following the catastrophic explosion of the Royal Navy escort carrier on 27 March 1943. Their service—ranging from Arctic convoy duty to major wartime operations—continues to be remembe

I am delighted to have received this award. I am working as a paralegal to a barrister and County Court advocate, and will commence pupillage at 12 King’s Bench Walk this October. I moved to the United Kingdom from Ukraine a decade ago. After my A Levels, I read law at the University of Warwick, before obtaining a Masters in Law from University College London. I decided to pursue a career at the Bar during my undergraduate studies and in 2022, I completed the Bar Course with

The Awardees’ Lunch on 25 January 2026 was a really uplifting afternoon, bringing Knights, guests and award holders together for conversation, encouragement and celebration. Held at the Royal Air Force Club, the lunch gave awardees the chance to share what they are doing and the progress they are making, through short presentations and some wonderful musical performances. It was a real pleasure to see (and hear!) the talented young people as they develop their potential. Our

Thank you and the Knights so very much for this generous award for a second year. I am enormously grateful for your support as it has meant I can continue my studies at City & Guilds, where I have changed course to the Graduate Diploma in Carving part-time over two years. This has been due to financial reasons - I have returned to work in the NHS in order to cover costs. It has been a successful and rewarding year at City & Guilds. As it was necessary to change course, I grad

What a memorable Society’s Dinner in Honour of the Services at Cutlers’ Hall on Wednesday 26 November 2025. The procession proudly included the newly repaired Society flags, and RAF cadets lined the stairs as guests moved from the reception to dinner. Cutlers’ Hall, beautifully decorated for Christmas, lent a festive glow to the evening. From the Beadle’s call to table and the Knight President’s warm welcome—framed by a graceful piano piece from our RCM awardee Mischa Carr—to

Dear Knights of the Round Table I would like to start by thanking you for a lovely evening on 13th of June at the House of Lords which was incredibly memorable and a wonderful way to begin the summer. Throughout the summer, I was fortunate to attend two festivals. The first was the Budapest festival Academy where I participated both as a soloist and with my trio; the second festival took place in Majorca centred around the Torre de Canyamel a 13th century tower transformed in

Isabel has led the double bass section of the RCM Symphony Orchestra on numerous occasions, most notably at the 2024 BBC Proms with Sakari Oramo conducting. She has also performed under the baton of renowned conductors including Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir Andrew Davis, Vasily Petrenko, and Kirill Karabits, frequently playing as principal bass. She has also gained early professional experience, including performing with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Isabel has been select