In July, Senior Warden Simon Fordham was elected by the Court to become Master of the Worshipful Company of Launderers for the year 2023 to 2024.

Court Assistant Charles Betteridge was elected Senior Warden and Andrew Doyle, Renter Warden. Deputy Master is Sarah Lancaster.

Fordham has had a 43 year career in drycleaning and laundry, starting in 1973 at Sketchley Cleaners where he progressed over time into area and regional management. He then worked overseas including setting up and running a laundry and drycleaning business in Abu Dhabi for a local client. Following that he went on to work in the Safeway and Morrisons business as drycleaning team senior manager. He retired from full time work in 2016.

He has four grown up children, six grandchildren and lives with his wife Gill in a small village in Cambridgeshire. He’s also a big fan of test cricket, rugby and cars and he’s a director of a small pub company…..that’s his favourite role of all!

The installation ceremony was held in the court room at Launderers Hall, finishing with a blessing of the new Master by the Honorary Chaplain, The Very Reverend Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark who then officiated at the Launderers’ evensong service at the Southwark Cathedral. This was Nunn’s last official service at the cathedral as Dean of Southwark, as he has now retired from office but will continue as the company’s honorary chaplain.

Following the service, including an Act of Dedication by the new Master, guests attended a celebratory dinner with family, friends and colleagues.

A key aspect of the Livery movement is benevolence and it is tradition that the new Master selects a charity to support throughout their year in position. Fordham has chosen Pinpoint Cambridgeshire. A small charity that is based very close to where he lives. This organisation is run by parents for parents helping Cambridgeshire families who have children with additional needs such as dyslexia and autism and others as well as physical disabilities..

[Fordham install] The new team! Left to right: Renter Warden – Andrew Doyle of Berkeley Laundry, the new Master – Simon Fordham, Deputy Master – Sarah Lancaster of Total Laundry and Senior Warden – Charles Betteridge of Christeyns.

Simon Fordham, the new Master of the Worshipful Company of Launderers for 2023/ 2024