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FEATURE - A heart like stone
Posted 26/06/25
Giles Speid, Vice Chair of the CTSI London Branch Race & Equalities Working Group, shows his appreciation for the hard work demonstraed by Brian Stone and the important role he plays for Trading Standards.
Brian Stone is a Secretary of the CTSI College of Fellows and has been a Fellow since 2009. Here, Giles reflects on the qualities needed to be accepted into the College of Fellows and how Brian has demonstrated those qualities time and time again!
A heart like stone
We all watch movies and whilst we can often name the main actors, there are also supporting actors who are critical to the success of any film. The Shawshank Redemption had Morgan Freeman; Ghost had Whoopie Goldberg; and Paul Giamatti elevates just about anything he appears in. Brian Stone may also fit that bill. Most of us in Trading Standards know who he is, but perhaps not everyone knows the important role he plays within the Trading Standards family. Quiet efficiency may well be his watchwords.
Brian is Secretary of the College of Fellows, a role he has held since 2014, and he has been a Fellow since 2009. He remembers the occasion when he was inducted into the College vividly. “My wife attended the CTSI Conference in Brighton, and as excited as she was for me to become a Fellow, the most important thing was to ensure that a bird table that she had ‘won’ from the B&Q stand could fit into the car so we could get it back home,” he says.
Acceptance into the College of Fellows is unique in that it is based on peers’ recognition of inductees’ work. To be considered for the College of Fellows, a nominee must have carried out work above and beyond their normal duties that adds significant value to the CTSI service over a lengthy period of time.
Acceptance is not based on buying your way into the College of Fellows; it is based on merit only.
The College of Fellows
In addition to supporting professional development and working in the best interest of the Institute, the College has two significant roles: conducting charitable activities and promoting the College as a membership category.
The composition of the Fellowship has become more reflective of the service since its inception. When the College of Fellows was founded in 1951, they first met on 31st May 1951 in The Savoy Hotel, Blackpool.
The Deed of Trust is dated 1957 for the start of Charitable activities and in 1962 it was registered with the Charity Commission. The term ‘College’ was chosen because it was felt that it best reflected its aims of being a “society of men possessing rights and powers and engaged in common study and pursuit”. The College Charity now has a Trustee Board consisting of five women and five men.
Brian Stone's work for the College of Fellows Charity
Brian has worked to ensure that the language and principles adopted by the College of Fellows are more inclusive and modern. “It has made a huge difference in outlook since we changed the Board,” he says.
In 1955 it was felt that the College could become an ‘upper chamber’ and act as ‘counsel’ to CTSI Council, in the way the legal system has the Privy Council to advise the monarchy.
Over a period of time it was decided that there should be four pillars for the College Charity to focus on:
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welfare support for members in times of need due to financial hardship or personal difficulty such as redundancy, bereavement, illness or relationship breakdown;
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under-18 support through annual grants to families with dependent children where sadly either the member or the member’s spouse/partner has died;
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further and higher education grants for children (aged over 18) of families where either the member or the member’s spouse/partner has died; and
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research grants of up to £1,250 for areas of study that will benefit the Institute (even though resourcing pressures make this quite difficult lately). Financial support is also available for members undertaking postgraduate studies including research relevant to the profession.
The cost of the Charity’s admin is covered by CTSI. In relation to the governance however, the Fellowship is aware that succession planning is vital in ensuring that it modernises and remains relevant.
The College Charity has stepped into the breach on more than one occasion to provide support for members and families of members. This is done with no fanfare and no questions asked. There is no means-testing criteria, just the offer of help where it is needed. The aim and purpose are really quite laudable when all things are considered.
Brian says his duties are part of a “good part time role” even though he says he carries out Fellowship business “nearly every day of the week”. This includes ensuring that the newsletter, edited by Nigel Strick, goes out three times a year; ensuring that the positions of the trustees are filled when they are up for election every three years, or when a trustee stands down; and overseeing the induction of new Fellows and organising the Fellows Lunch at Conference.
Nothing happens within the College of Fellows without it going through Brian. This demonstrates the quiet importance of his role. If you need to get things done through the College of Fellows, he is the person to start with, as we are clearly lucky to have someone with a heart like Stone.
CONTRIBUTOR: Giles Speid, Vice Chair of the CTSI London Branch Race & Equalities Working Group
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