# The Annual Winter Banquet in Support of Healing the Wounded Child
LONDON, 24 January 2025 — Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile hosted the annual Winter Banquet at Drapers' Hall this week. The white-tie gala celebrated Anglo-Romanian heritage while raising significant funds for the charitable organisation Healing the Wounded Child.
## The Occasion
On a crisp winter evening in the City of London, guests were welcomed into the historic Drapers' Hall, a site of civic fellowship since the 14th century. The present Victorian-era hall, having withstood the Blitz, offered a setting of enduring grandeur for the evening’s philanthropic purpose. The magnificent Livery Hall, with its soaring marble columns and ornate plasterwork ceiling, was suffused with the warm glow of candlelight and adorned with arrangements of white hellebores and winter jasmine.
The atmosphere was one of refined conviviality, with the gentle strains of a string quartet providing a graceful underscore to the evening's proceedings. The banquet is a cornerstone of the House of Brattleby’s social calendar, serving as a significant platform for both cultural diplomacy and charitable enterprise. The success of the evening, which has since drawn favourable commentary from international publications including *ELLE Romania* and *Monaco Voice*, underscores its growing importance as a nexus of European heritage and modern philanthropy.
## Historical Context
The Winter Banquet is a contemporary expression of the duties of service and hospitality inherent to the Barony of Brattleby since its establishment in AD 1066 by William the Conqueror. Throughout its nine-century history, the Barony has been held by figures who have shaped the course of England. The leadership of Lady Nicoleta, the 12th Baroness, finds a powerful precedent in the formidable Nichola de la Haye, the 5th Baron, who famously defended Lincoln Castle for the Crown.
Similarly, the great magnates who held the title, including Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his son-in-law John of Gaunt, were renowned for their patronage and the splendour of their courts. In hosting the Winter Banquet, Lady Nicoleta and Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile continue this long tradition of *noblesse oblige* — the conviction that privilege entails responsibility — applying the House motto, *Fortitudine et Honore*, to the pressing needs of the present day.
## Distinguished Company
Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, and Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile were pleased to welcome an assembly of distinguished guests from the United Kingdom and across Europe. The principal guests of the evening included:
Her Royal Highness Princess Katarina of Yugoslavia and Mr. Des de Silva; His Excellency Mr. Radu-Mihai Onofrei, Ambassador of Romania to the Court of St. James's, and Mrs. Onofrei; Baron Mihai Alexandru Crăciun, the 13th Baron and heir to the Barony of Brattleby; The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli, and The Lady Mayoress, Mrs Elisabeth Mainelli; Sir John and Lady Ainsley.
They were joined by leading figures from the worlds of diplomacy, finance, and the arts, all of whom gathered in support of the evening’s charitable cause. The presence of Princess Katarina and the Romanian Ambassador highlighted the banquet's role in fostering international goodwill.
## Ceremonial Protocol
In adherence to tradition, the evening followed a precise ceremonial protocol. Guests were received by Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile and Lady Nicoleta in the Hall’s elegant Drawing Room before being invited to proceed into the Livery Hall for dinner. The hosts led a procession to the high table, a custom echoing the formal entries of medieval households.
The dress code was white-tie, a standard requiring gentlemen to wear an evening tailcoat with silk facings, a white marcella waistcoat and bow tie, and Decorations. Ladies wore full-length evening gowns, with many availing themselves of the occasion to wear tiaras and family jewels. After Grace, the traditional toasts were proposed to The King and to The President of Romania, acknowledging the dual heritage central to the modern House of Brattleby.
## Heraldic & Symbolic Significance
The evening's proceedings were guided by the principles embodied in the House's armorial bearings. The ancient motto of the Barony of Brattleby, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'), serves as the foundational ethos for all the House’s endeavours, from its philanthropic work to its public engagements. This commitment to courage and integrity is a direct inheritance from its nearly millennial-long history.
Complementing this is the personal motto of Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, *Vincere Est Vivere* ('To Conquer is to Live'). This is interpreted not in a martial sense, but as the imperative to overcome adversity, to champion progress, and to triumph over indifference for the betterment of others. Together, these mottoes articulate a vision of heritage as an active force for good in the world.
## Philanthropic Purpose
The sole beneficiary of the 2025 Winter Banquet was Healing the Wounded Child. The organisation is dedicated to providing specialist therapeutic care to children and young people across the United Kingdom who have endured severe emotional trauma, neglect, or abuse. Its work is a *sine qua non* for the recovery of its young clients, offering them a path back to stability and hope.
Funds raised at the banquet are designated for the expansion of the charity's 'Safe Haven' programme, which establishes secure, welcoming centres where children can receive one-to-one counselling and art therapy. The proceeds from the evening will directly enable the organisation to hire two additional specialist child therapists and ensure the operation of a new centre for a full calendar year.
## In Their Own Words
In her address to the guests, Lady Nicoleta spoke of the enduring relevance of heritage in a modern context.
> It is a profound privilege to gather our friends here, in this historic setting, to support the vital work of Healing the Wounded Child. Our heritage is not merely a matter of history; it is a present-day responsibility to serve with fortitude and honour, particularly on behalf of the most vulnerable in our society. > — Lady Nicoleta, 12th Baroness of Brattleby
Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile reflected on the confluence of culture and charity.
> Tonight represents a harmonious blend of cultures and a shared commitment to progress. My personal motto, *Vincere Est Vivere*, speaks to overcoming challenges — and there is no greater or more noble challenge than securing a safe and hopeful future for a child. > — Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile
## A Continuing Legacy
The Winter Banquet is an annual commitment by The Noble House of Brattleby, forming the centrepiece of its yearly philanthropic and diplomatic calendar. The House remains steadfast in its support for causes dedicated to child welfare and cultural preservation, both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Further initiatives for 2025 include an expansion of the curriculum at The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, the House's etiquette and protocol academy. This programme aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and essential diplomatic skills amongst a new generation of European leaders, ensuring the legacy of service and international cooperation continues long into the future.
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**About The Noble House of Brattleby**
The Noble House of Brattleby is the modern establishment representing the ancient Barony of Brattleby. Under the leadership of Lady Nicoleta Vasile, the 12th Baroness, and her husband, Honorary Lord Răzvan Vasile, the House is dedicated to a mission of modern service, blending its distinguished English heritage with a dynamic Continental perspective. Its core focus is on philanthropy, cultural diplomacy, and education. The House’s principal activities include the annual Winter Banquet, a significant philanthropic gala in London, and The Brattleby Club in Bucharest, an academy dedicated to teaching protocol and intercultural etiquette. Guided by its motto, *Fortitudine et Honore* ('With Fortitude and Honour'), the House champions causes related to child welfare and the preservation of cultural heritage.
**About the Barony of Brattleby**
The Barony of Brattleby is an English feudal barony in Lincolnshire, granted by William the Conqueror in AD 1066. Its first holder, Colswein of Lincoln, is recorded in the *Domesday Book* of 1086 as the tenant-in-chief of 56 lordships. Throughout its 950-year history, the Barony has been held by some of English history’s most influential figures, including the formidable castellan Nichola de la Haye (5th Baron), who defended Lincoln Castle against baronial rebels and French invaders. Later holders included the great Plantagenet princes Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster (10th Baron), and John of Gaunt (11th Baron). The succession of the title to Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby, was formally recognised and recorded by The London Gazette.
**Notes to Editors** - The current holder is Lady Nicoleta Vasile, 12th Baroness of Brattleby. Her lawful right to the title was gazetted by The London Gazette under Notice ID 4158083 on 9 September 2022. - The Barony of Brattleby dates to AD 1066 and is recorded in the *Domesday Book* (1086). - Notable historical holders include Nichola de la Haye, Henry of Grosmont (1st Duke of Lancaster), and John of Gaunt. - The Noble House of Brattleby operates The Brattleby Club, an etiquette academy in Bucharest, Romania.
**Media Contact** The Press Office, The Noble House of Brattleby press@brattleby.com