WELCOME

Royal Docks Achievement Awards


The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers is the Livery Company that represents the licensed taxi trade and in common with many other Livery Companies the WCHCD has a school affiliation. The WCHCD has partnered with the Royal Docks Community School in Newham for many years, and works closely with the school on a range of initiatives aimed at improving the opportunities afforded to their pupils. The current Master of the WCHCD, Malcolm Paice, along with Andrew Overton, Past Master and now a governor of The Royal Docks Community School, recently attended the school’s Year 11 Achievement Awards ceremony. The ceremony marks the end of the Year 11 pupil’s time at the school before they move onto sixth form colleges or into apprenticeships or work.


A range of awards were presented at the evening, marking academic achievements as well as scholarships and bursaries. A number of musical interludes in the ceremony showed off the remarkable musical talent the school fosters. Each year the WCHCD makes a financial contribution to the school and this year the donation went towards a permanent trophy, which each year is to be engraved with the names of the winners of the outstanding academic achievement award. The school has a growing collection of trophies and the WCHCD trophy will form part of this impressive tally in the school’s main lobby. In addition, the five winners of the outstanding academic achievement award each receive a smaller replica of the main trophy as well as their achievement certificate.


The Royal Docks Community school is proud of its highly diverse student population and the school has worked hard to create a facility that also teaches a large number of pupils with physical and sensory impairments, some of whom have profound learning difficulties. The WCHCD outstanding academic achievement award recognised this, with two of the five recipients coming from a special educational needs and profound learning difficulties background. Master of the WCHCD, Malcolm Paice, gave an address at the ceremony and told the students, parents and tutors assembled there: “This school is incredibly exciting and full of confident, talented individuals. You should be proud of the talent being nurtured here, and the opportunities being created. The WCHCD is very proud to support the school, and this new award for outstanding academic achievement marks our long term commitment to supporting the school and those who study here.”


In the past the WCHCD has also made donations to update the school’s collection of text books, and provided special excursions for pupils with outstanding achievements. Earlier this year Andrew Overton and Malcolm Paice attended the school to unveil a new orchard, planted in the grounds of the school following a donation from the WCHCD. In honour of the WCHCD receiving its Royal Charter from HRH Prince Charles last year the orchard was named the Royal Charter Orchard. Andrew Overton now works very closely with the school in his role as governor and has been helping to introduce students to other Livery Companies who represent professional sectors where the students may one day end up working. Andrew is also active with the Livery Schools Link initiative, which aims to help students with real practical training and apprenticeships with the rich variety of skills represented across the City. Andrew Ross, Deputy Head at the Royal Docks Community School said: “Our relationship with the WCHCD has moved up a gear this year and we are all determined to make the affiliation part of an ongoing legacy for the school. Both the Royal Charter Orchard and the new trophy for outstanding academic achievement are a testament to this long term commitment.”

The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers