17 August

The countdown begins for City Giving Day 2023!

The countdown has officially begun for City Giving Day, the City's biggest annual celebration of charity, philanthropy and giving.

With just under six weeks to go until the big day, a host of exciting events have been announced, hosted by City businesses across the Square Mile. These include a brand-new live online auction to “knit for the community” being supported by the Lady Mayoress, Felicity Lyons and an event hosted by City Bridge Trust.

Below, we've pulled together a round-up of new and exciting City Giving Day events taking place this year: 

NEW FOR 2023 - City Giving Day Online Auction hosted by Jumblebee 

For those that don’t want to host or promote their own philanthropy this year, but are keen to take part, there are a host of City Giving Day events open to all City businesses. New for 2023, the Appeal has partnered with Jumblebee to host a City Giving Day Online Auction. Opening on 12 September and closing at 8pm on City Giving Day, businesses are invited to donate one or more auction lots such as cakes, honey, wine, sports tickets, dining, theatre, concert tickets, sports tickets or anything else you can think of with funds raised from the auction going directly to The Lord Mayor’s Appeal.

Find more info here

NEW FOR 2023 - How to bring an EDI lens to funding practice hosted by City Bridge Trust

Another new event this year is hosted by City Bridge Trust. Taking place at the Guildhall on 26 September, the free event will focus on how EDI considerations have helped to shape funding priorities, processes and commitments and the emerging learning from this work. Speakers will include James Banks, CEO, London Funders, Caroline Rowley, Head of Corporate Philanthropy,  Bloomberg, Sarah Denselow, Principal, Effective Philanthropy, New Philanthropy Capital, Sarah Benioff, CEO, Islington Giving, and young grant-makers Izzy Petriti and Freya Johnson and Sam Grimmett-Batt, Funding Director, City Bridge Trust.

The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers' Red Apple Giveaway

To #GoRed this year, The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers will simply be giving away fresh red apples at Guildhall Yard on the morning of City Giving Day for a donation.

The Worshipful Company of Pewterers'

Giving City Giving Day enthusiasts the chance to take home thier very own memento from the day, The Worshipful Company of Pewterers' will be pressing coins with the City Giving Day logo all day at Pewterers' Hall on Oat Lane. Each freshly pressed coin will be available for a donation. 

Knit for the Community hosted by The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters

Having launched their ‘Knit for the Community’ initiative in 2020 with the aim of creating 20-30 blankets and ending up with over 900, this year The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters are asking City businesses to join in the fun by knitting squares in The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s pillar colours – yellow, green, blue and red – from now until September. The results will be knitted together into lap blankets and distributed to deserving causes around the City.

Find more info here

The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors Browns Takeover 

Events taking part on City Giving Day itself include The Worshipful Company of Chartered Surveyors annual takeover of Browns in Old Jewry. From breakfast time to dinner time on 26 September, the company invite City workers to book in for breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner or just a quick drink to come together – with a percentage of the total spend on the day will be donated to the Appeal. When booking please quote City Giving Day.

Find more info here

The Big City Sing hosted by Music in Offices

Free to join, with the bonus of learning a new skill, another event on the day will be the Big City Sing hosted by wellbeing company, Music in Offices at the historic Guildhall Yard and sponsored by Culture Mile Business Improvement District. Vocal leader, Naveen Arles will be leading voluntary singers through a repertoire of uplifting tunes including ‘Celebrate’, ‘Higher and Higher’ and ‘Bring me Sunshine, giving colleagues the chance to have fun and sing together. Before the performance, Music in Offices will be holding lunchtime rehearsals in the City on the 7, 14 and 21 September. These rehearsals are an opportunity to fine-tune performances, ready for the 26.

Find more info here

Support London Community Kitchen via Square Mile Farms 

For City Giving Day, Square Mile Farms, a company that set up and maintain hydroponic farms in offices across London and The City have offered their clients the opportunity to donate produce to London Community Kitchen. On the big day, the Square Mile Farms team will harvest a selection of fresh lettuce, pak choy, herbs and other greens grown in corporate spaces and deliver them on behalf of the businesses to the Bermondsey-based community kitchen that provides free community meals while enabling young people to gain cooking qualifications. 

The Lord Mayor's Appeal's Annual City Giving Day events

The Lord Mayor’s Appeal also hosts several annual City Giving Day events which companies are also welcome to join. These include Tour de City, a static Wattbike challenge sponsored by EC Business Improvement District and supported by Third Space’ where company teams of up to five people compete against each other in a thrilling 40 minute static bike race, divided into five eight-minute slots; City Walks – a one hour lunchtime walking tour taking place around the City hosted by expert City of London Guides; a Treasure Hunt inviting teams of up to six people to solve a series of clues discovering some little known facts about the City of London; and a Quiz Nightchallenging teams of up to six to test their general knowledge and compete with the greatest minds on the Square Mile, hosted at various locations around the City.

Find more details of all City Giving Day 2023 events here