3 October

What we learned from City Giving Day 2024

On Tuesday 24 September, The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of the City of London, Alderman, Sheriffs and a record-breaking 603 City businesses helped us celebrate the biggest City Giving Day yet!

This year our annual event that unites the City in celebration of charity smashed its own ceiling - showcasing more companies doing brilliant philanthropic work in their communities than ever before.

Here’s what we learned from City Giving Day 2024…

1. The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress hit their step goal on City Giving Day 

From an early start to London Stock Exchange to negronis at The Ned, The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress really do cover the Square Mile during City Giving Day! 

The Lord Mayor spent the morning talking adult numeracy with National Numeracy and Bloomberg, judged cupcake decorating with Senior Leaders of Lloyd’s Banking Group, Bank of China, taking part in the annual Bank of China Town Hall event and networking with the London Chamber of Commerce.

After lunch, it was on to Tour de City before a spot of cocktail mixing at Drake & Morgan’s The Anthologist. Finally, he joined the Chartered Surveryors’ Company at Browns, popped in to Mansion House to cheer on City Giving Day Treasure Hunters then celebrated the end of a busy day with a negroni at The Ned.

It was an equally action-packed one for The Lady Mayoress, starting with breakfast at Brown’s Old Jewry to meet Women in Property South East before judging a bake sale at China Construction Bank. Next a visit to stunning The Royal Exchange for tea blending at Fortnum & Mason and red-cocktail sipping at Engel.

Then on to the Guildhall Yard for some drumming with Drumworks and to wave off the annual City Walks. In the afternoon she popped into Standard Chartered for the young women’s entrepreneur fair, Bank of England for the ‘Threadneedle Street Charity Challenge’ before meeting The Lord Mayor for the Treasure Hunt.

2. Tour de City gets more competitive every year

There was another electric atmosphere at the Leadenhall Building this year for Tour de City – the annual static Wattbike challenge hosted by The Lord Mayor’s Appeal. Brilliantly compared by Third Space who kept the energy levels buzzing, 180 cyclists gave it their all in the name of charity.

Serious faces, sweat and shouts of encouragement from team members made for the most competitive year yet – with teams cycling an astonishing 1,024.25km over the three sessions. Congratulations to our session winners Axis 1 and Fidelity International 3; and to our overall winners Bloomberg 6 for cycling a very impressive 30.66km in just 40 minutes.

Well done Leon Stoneman, Ben Brookes, Savvas Petrou and Anton Razamorsky from Bloomberg for beating the stiffest competition yet.

4. As the City community grows, so does City Giving Day 

Rising from 571 in 2023 to 603 in 2024, The City community joined together to support City Giving Day in record numbers. It was a year for breaking records, from the World Guinness Record Pickleball attempt from Blue Orchid Hospitality to Janus Henderson’s own static bike challenge which saw team members hop on for charity throughout the day.

Elston Consulting’s team invited passers-by to ‘spin it for a minute’ to help raise money and awareness for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

The Appeal broke some of its own records too – including the number of teams taking part in our annual Quiz Night. This year we had 52 teams competed across seven venues with some brilliant scores – huge congrats to the ‘Saffer Cakes’ representing Saffery our overall winners. 

From the Treasure Hunt and Tour de City teams cheering each other on, to smiling attendees at the annual Guildhall Yard photocall, to those who donated for a red apple from The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, the City came out to celebrate the work we do as a community.

4. The City is full of do-gooders

From IPS Group who took part in four separate events to the team at Hays Macintyre who not only took part in events but held their ‘Great Haysmac Bake Off’ in aid of charity partner Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People – it’s safe to say that City Giving Day showcases some serious do-gooding.

McGrath Sheldrick created an interactive space for employees to share the charities and causes close to their heart while a team from Thomas Miller volunteered at St Mungo’s.

A huge part of City Giving Day is providing a platform for companies to talk about their own charity partners and giving – highlighted brilliantly BIE Executive who supported Drive Forward Foundation and The Aldridge Foundation and First Sentier Investors supporting Plan International.

Thank you to all those who used their digital platforms to help us amplify the message and bring support to those that need it.

On that note, we want to thank The Lord Mayor’s Appeal partners Homewards, MQ Mental Health Research and National Numeracy for taking part.

Sign up for City Giving Day 2025 here