Leading figures from the business, finance, law, education, medicine, literature, and diversity and inclusion sectors have been awarded the Freedom of the City of London during a group ceremony, hosted by Lord Mayor Professor Michael Mainelli.
Continue readingAs is well-known, official City roles such as Lord Mayor and Sheriff involve a lot of dressing up, and down. Over the years, friends have realised about the only dressing up I don’t mind is putting on a Jerry Garcia tie. Yes, I am a fan of the Grateful Dead, but also feel if I’m going to wear a tie I might as well like it so I have a small collection of eighteen or so. Requisite attire embraces a variety of official functions, largely in the following order of increasing formality:
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Well, tonight’s event was an honour. We say that a lot, but this evening it truly was as I was given the rank of Commendatore in the Italian Republic’s Order of Merit.
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I could start to get a bit cranky about achievement awards, but not about this one from Vietnam International Awards. While I related this true story in my speech to the judges this week:
Ah, how childhood musical infatuations return again and again. I was so excited to receive via email earlier this year a new march for the bagpipe composed by Malcolm McCaig:
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What a fantastic evening at the Guildhall! Tonight, in our special gala for LSO Discovery, the legendary Il Cannone – Niccolò Paganini’s 18th-century Guarneri del Gesù violin – was brought to life by violinist Simon Zhu, with Sir Antonio Pappano conducting. 🎻✨
We were also honoured to welcome His Majesty The King, Patron of the LSO, to share in this extraordinary moment. My opening remarks:
Romney Tweed, a Community Interest Company, was born out of a wish to promote both the Romney breed of sheep and the Romney Marsh area. I had the pleasure of driving Romneys over London Bridge in 2008 in the very first sheep drive event, organized by the Worshipful Company of World Traders.
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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:
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I had long lamented that we need to celebrate the Thames’ connection with the City forcibly each year as part of the Totally Thames Festival each September. We lit upon World Rivers Day, the fourth Sunday of every September as most appropriate, keeping our tradition yet celebrating with all the other cities of the world.
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