This month I find myself inspired by the individuals and groups who have done great things for London. This has been brought to my attention for a number of reasons. Firstly, we have been working with the incredible Be First team on a very exciting tour of their new projects Barking and Dagenham. With many examples of groundbreaking buildings in the area, I can’t wait to jump on board the bus we have borrowed from Lord Peter Hendy – someone who has done a huge amount for transport in London and is now Minister of State for Transport.

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Sadly, there are other reasons to reflect on great Londoners as we recently lost the incredible Nicky Gavron, who rose from activist to politician and then up to the dizzying heights at the GLA. Reading an appraisal of her career by Society trustee Dave Hill, I was struck by her clear passion to improve London and her dedication to the belief that the capital is “the world in one city”.

We have also just celebrated the life of Gayne Wells who was the Chair of the Society for many years. He was also committed to our city’s history and buildings, as well as playing a key role in saving the Society from closure. Another past chair, Peter Murray, reflected on his contributions here.

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And as we look ahead, who will inspire the London of the future? I hope to find some answers to that question in our returning writing prize: Love Letters to London. This has been officially launched for 2024 and we have partnered with St Paul’s for the prize-giving ceremony. The theme, fittingly, is Dreams for London and is based on the 60^th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s sermon at the Cathedral.

Individuals really can make a huge difference but it’s up to all of us to listen, learn and change things for the better.