This blog post was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

30th December 2010 New York, USA

12 Highlights of the NY-UK relationship

Holiday message from British Consul-General New York Sir Alan Collins:

2010 has been a busy, challenging and rewarding year at the Consulate.  There are many ways to reflect on the year that was.  In the spirit of the holiday season, and with apologies to the English carol “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, it strikes me that there are “12 Highlights of the NY-UK relationship”…


12 – US Olympic Athletes

… and hopefuls attend a reception celebrating 2 years to London 2012;


11 – November
The British Garden at Hanover Square in Lower Manhattan holds a Remembrance Day ceremony;

10 – Off-Broadway British plays
…featured by the Brits Off Broadway and First Irish theatre festivals;

91,900
…people employed by British companies in New York;

8,442 student visas
…issued by the UK Border Agency in New York 2010;

7 new cabinet ministers and the PM
…visit New York to share best practice and explain that Britain is open for business;

 

6 Gumpathon athletes
…starting at the USS Intrepid, run cross-country for UK and US veterans;

5000 runners
…participate in the Achilles Hope and Possibility Run with Prince Harry;

4.5 billion
U.S. Dollars of merchandise is exported from New York to the UK;

3 British vessels
…Yorkshire Clipper, HMS Albion and HMS Daring visit NYC;

2 British singers
…Susan Boyle and Katherine Jenkins perform at the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree;

AND… 

1 historic visit from HM The Queen;

And 1 British Consulate in Midtown wishing you Happy Holidays and best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous 2011!

About Dominic Meiklejohn

I was born in Woking, outside London, in 1967 and attended Merton College, Oxford University, graduating in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. After university, I worked for HM Customs and Excise…

I was born in Woking, outside London, in 1967 and attended Merton College, Oxford University, graduating in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

After university, I worked for HM Customs and Excise before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1990. After working for the European Community Department, I learned Polish and began a posting at the British Embassy Warsaw, where I headed the British Know How Fund for Poland (1993-96). In 1997, I worked for the OSCE Mission in Albania, before heading up the India team in the South Asian Department of the FCO. In 2000, I was posted as First Secretary to the British Embassy Warsaw, with a particular focus on European Union issues in the run-up to Poland’s accession to the EU. In 2003, I returned to the UK as Deputy Head of the Environment Policy Department. From 2004-2005, I led the FCO’s Knowledge Management Programme. During this period, I led two deployments of the FCO’s Consular Rapid Deployment Team– to Sri Lanka, after the tsunami in 2004 and to Pakistan, after the earthquake in 2005. From 2006-2007, I served as Deputy Consul-General, Basra, Iraq. From June 2007 I worked with the FCO’s Change Unit.

I took up my current appointment on 22 January 2008. My wife Joanne and I are the proud parents of Olivia. Outside of the office, I cycle around Manhattan, play soccer (football) and, when parenting duties allow, enjoy the cultural riches offered by New York. I try hard to understand baseball.