18 March

The Square Mile comes together for the launch of City Giving Day 2024

The Lord Mayor of the City of London Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli and Lady Mayoress Elisabeth Mainelli hosted the Square Mile’s top businesses at Mansion House this week to launch City Giving Day 2024.

A firmly fixed date in the Square Mile’s social calendar, the annual event hosted by The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, brings the City together every September to celebrate and promote the positive impact of philanthropy. 

Taking place on Tuesday 24 September this year, companies will be given access to The Appeal’s digital platforms and networks to shout about their charitable and community work. Whether they support The Lord Mayor’s Appeal or showcase their own chosen charities – City Giving Day encourages companies to tell their fundraising and volunteering stories and to collaborate with other businesses within the Square Mile.    

Providing a rallying call for companies old and new to register well in advance, the City Giving Day launch invites attendees to start forming fundraising ideas - from hosting an office sports day to organizing a company-wide bake sale. To further drive philanthropic action, a series of speakers were on hand to offer tips and inspiration.

Speaker Emily Wheeler, Director of Development and Research Partnerships at MQ Mental Health Research said,

“A huge thank you to The Lord Mayor’s Appeal for their support, giving MQ Mental Health Research and me this platform to discuss our vital research into mental health and share my own lived experience with mental illness. It was a wonderful reminder of how the City's philanthropy remains steadfast through thick and thin, and thank you again for having MQ as one of your charity partners. Let's use this year's City Giving Day to celebrate our collective knowledge and reflect on the positive impact we have on our communities. I’m so incredibly grateful for the kind reception to my speech and the heart-warming words of support from all who approached me afterwards.”

Other highlights this year included a rousing opening speech from The Lord Mayor of the City of London Alderman Professor Michael Mainelli who reminded participants that:

“through the companies we work for or the organisations we represent, have an extraordinary platform to improve the lives of people, not just in the Square Mile, but across the UK. The Lord Mayor’s Appeal is the perfect vehicle to achieve that aim.”   

He went on to say:

“City Giving Day is an annual celebration of that fantastic work. An opportunity for your organisations to reflect on the positive impact they have on our community, and importantly, to consider what more they can do.” 

Other guest speakers included Mark Williams, Head of Corporate Properties EMEA at Barings; and Lewis Clark, VP Customer Care Lead at Barclays Bank who said:

“City Giving Day is such a brilliant thing to be involved in, it gives our team something different to look forward to. The City of London is one big community, so it’s really important we play our part and get involved.”

To further inspire philanthropic ideas and get the ball rolling on corporate collaboration, guests were led in round-table discussions by a series of VIP guests and representatives from some of the City’s biggest companies including Lloyd’s Banking Group, Gallagher, EY and Pool Reinsurance Company. They joined other City representatives and Livery Companies in getting behind City Giving Day selfie frames, posting their pictures on social media to help spread the word. 

Since its launch in 2015, City Giving Day has grown year on year with 571 companies involved in 2023. Each year The Lord Mayor’s Appeal host a number of annual City Giving Day events which companies are welcome to join. These include Tour de City, astatic Wattbike challenge; City Walks hosted by expert City of London Guides; a Treasure Hunt inviting teams to solve a series of clues the City of London; and a general knowledge testing Quiz Night.

Register for City Giving Day 2024 here