What a day of celebration of how we can all support our fellow human beings. The day began early, as it has now for 11 years, with a start ringing the bell at the London Stock Exchange. Here’s a glimpse of some of the events that went on:
0730 Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress depart Mansion House.
0740 Arrive at the London Stock Exchange, 10 Paternoster Square, London EC4 for Market Open.
“Good morning everyone, and welcome to City Giving Day 2024! Thank you, Julia, for kindly hosting us once again this year, and more importantly, thank you all for joining us for this early start to the day. Audrey Hepburn said that “as you grow older you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”
And as you heard in the video just then, City Giving Day is all about bringing businesses together in this most ancient of cities to provide that helping hand. Through your amazing fundraising efforts today you’re supporting the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and helping National Numeracy tackle numerical illiteracy; MQ Mental Health Research develop groundbreaking new treatments; and Homewards, A Royal Foundation Programme, end homelessness.
Now I’m not the competitive sort. Lord Mayors, of course, never are. But it would be entirely remiss of me not to mention that more companies are taking part in City Giving Day this year than ever before – over 600, compared to a record 571 last September. That’s all thanks to you.
Today, we have an extraordinary platform to improve the lives of others, demonstrating that the City is a formidable force for good that contributes positively to the health and wellbeing of communities around the country. Let’s show exactly what this City can do when it comes together and connects to prosper. Thank you.”
0830 City Giving Day photocall in Guildhall Yard.
“Good morning everyone, and welcome to Guildhall Yard! Across the world, the colour red represents many different things: love, anger, danger, heroism, Lord Mayors – but here today, by far the most important, charity!
So it’s great to have a sea of red in front of me – visual confirmation that with over 600 companies taking part, this is the biggest City Giving Day ever! Today is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing work you and the organisations you represent undertake for good causes, and more importantly, to raise even more money for charities that help to transform the lives of people not just in London, but around the UK.
Earlier this summer the Lady Mayoress and I, accompanied by 100 brave souls, took part in a sponsored 215 metre abseil down the Cheesegrater for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, and I know many of you today are going to the same, albeit metaphorical, heights, with lots of creative fundraising activities taking place across our Square Mile.
Along with the Lady Mayoress, the Sheriffs, and my fellow Aldermen, I look forward to visiting lots of you during the course of the day, seeing what you’re up to, supporting your work, and of course, getting involved in the fun you’ve got planned! My thanks to the team from Drake & Morgan for kindly providing this morning’s refreshments, and thank you all for playing your part in today’s mega fundraising endeavour. Together, let’s show what the Square Mile can do! Now, can I please ask you to join me and our charity partners for our customary City Giving Day photo?”
Lady Mayoress moves to her own programme.
0930 National Numeracy Event at Bloomberg
1020 Cupcake decorating with Senior Leaders at Lloyds Banking Group.
1100 Town Hall Event at Bank of China
“您好 (nín hǎo) – it is wonderful to be with you all today. As we all know, the colour red is hugely important in Chinese culture and tradition, representing happiness, good fortune, wealth and prosperity – and here today, charity!
City Giving Day is our annual opportunity to come together and celebrate the fantastic community work being undertaken across the Square Mile for charitable causes. The Bank of China has been a key supporter of City Giving Day since the very start, and I am delighted to say, with over 600 companies taking part, and thanks to the energy and enthusiasm of everyone here, this is the biggest City Giving Day yet!
One of my favourite teachings from Confucius is: 有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎 (Yǒupéng zì yuǎnfāng lái, bù yì lè hū) “When friends come from afar, it is happiness.” The happiness of our friendship is that we do not have to come from afar. The Bank of China is an important member of our broad and diverse City of London family, and today, as it is every year, a great supporter of City Giving Day. So 谢谢 (xièxiè). Thank you for everything you’re doing. I hope you all have a wonderful day!”
1145 Networking event with London Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, it is wonderful to join you all today as part of our City Giving Day celebrations – an annual opportunity to showcase the fantastic community work being undertaken across the Square Mile for charitable causes.
Audrey Hepburn said that “as you grow older you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” City Giving Day brings businesses together in this most ancient of cities to provide that helping hand. Through your amazing fundraising efforts today you’re supporting the Lord Mayor’s Appeal and helping National Numeracy tackle numerical illiteracy; MQ Mental Health Research develop groundbreaking new treatments; and Homewards, A Royal Foundation Programme, end homelessness.
Now I’m not the competitive sort. Lord Mayors, of course, never are. But it would be entirely remiss of me not to mention that more companies are taking part in City Giving Day this year than ever before – over 600, compared to a record 571 last September. That’s all thanks to you. Today, we have an extraordinary platform to improve the lives of others, demonstrating that the City is a formidable force for good that contributes positively to the health and wellbeing of communities around the country. So together, let’s show what this City can do!”
1230 Canape and drinks fundraising reception at the Pewterers’ Company.
1320 Tour de City.
1345 Lunch break at Aon.
1430 Cocktail making at The Anthologist with Drake & Morgan.
Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress reunited.
CITY GIVING DAY – Lady Mayoress’s programme
0915 Women in Property Breakfast Event at Browns Old Jewry.
1000 Judging Bake Sale at China Construction Bank.
1040 Tea blending at Fortnum & Mason.
1120 Red Cocktail at Engel.
1210 Drumworks (Culture Mile BID) and City Walks at Guildhall Yard.
1300 Young Women’s Entrepreneur Fair at Standard Chartered Bank.
1330 Lunch break at Standard Chartered Bank.
1420 Threadneedle Street Charity Challenge at Bank of England.
Lord Mayor & Lady Mayoress reunited.
1510 Afternoon tea at Browns Old Jewry with the Chartered Surveyor’s Company.
1540 Treasure Hunt at Mansion House.
1610 Negronis at The Ned.
1630 City Giving Day concludes.
The Giving Theme continued with a meeting with Fair Pay Foundation Ambassadors.
Formal events ended with a special combined charity evening event for the Monte San Martino Trust and the bilingual Kensington Wade School (Monte San Martino Trust report, Kensington Wade School report):
“Headmaster, Ladies and Gentlemen. Good evening. Buonasera. Wǎnshàng hǎo.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to Mansion House tonight for this celebration of the Monte San Martino Trust and Kensington Wade School. I am so glad we have been joined by the Consul General Domenico Bellantone and Rear Admiral Angelo Virdis who are representing His Excellency the Ambassador of the Republic of Italy this evening. Thank you also to Lord Willetts, Chairman of the Pontignano Conference, which brings together leaders of Italy and the UK every year; Sir Nicholas Young, Chairman of the Monte San Martino Trust; and everyone involved in making this evening possible.
For those who don’t know me, I’m Michael Mainelli, the 695th Lord Mayor of the City of London…a place I like to refer to as the world’s oldest democratic workers’ and residents’ cooperative. I am the first Lord Mayor of British, Irish, American and – as the name suggests – Italian descent…with a lifelong interest in China and Chinese culture. In a reflection of my ‘international’ background, this year’s mayoral theme, ‘Connect To Prosper’ is about leveraging the power of positive connections to tackle global problems, and that ambition has taken us to Italy and China (twice!) this year to foster ties with key stakeholders.
Both the Monte San Martino Trust and Kensington Wade School are similarly focused on creating connections and building cross-cultural understanding. But how these two apparently rather different organisations came to be joined together here tonight is something I’m going to leave Lord Willetts to explain.
Before I do, I’d like to leave you with a quote from Woodrow Wilson: “Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.” Now, over to Lord Willetts…”
To cap off a thoroughly packed day celebrating everyone in the City’s contributions to charity, Elisabeth and I headed upstairs at 19:00 to host a private dinner for eighteen colleagues where we discussed … philanthropy.