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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After an enormously long and enjoyable day of meetings, we went to a great restaurant, Wahoo, in St George’s (St George is a recurring theme this year). What does our chauffeur, Nigel Richardson, show us when we emerge to make us feel at home? Vandalism! Graffitti!!
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We were delighted to celebrate our very first City of London “Pepys Day”.
225 people participated in a series of wonderful walks led by City of London Guides, leading from the Monument at 10:00 and ending at Mansion House at noon, whereupon we had a glass of champagne in celebration, and many decamped to The Hydrant for lunch.
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It was a privilege to host Eurogroup President, Irish Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery & Reform, and former Irish Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe at Guildhall and Mansion House for an important talk in London on liberalism and the capital markets union.
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Regular readers know that I try to avoid having more than one post a day, but this was special, the very first Lord Mayor of London ringing the 5 minute bell at Lords Cricket Ground to reopen England versus Sri Lanka. Chris Hayward in shot, but masterminded so kindly by Mark Berman.
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A highlight of the mayoral year arrived at Mansion House today, the 695th Lord Mayor’s Whisky (or whiskey to us Irish). With the immense help and support of the magnificent Braeburn Whisky (Scottish) team, we have a very very limited edition for charity fundraising purposes.
And doesn’t it look spectacular:
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For only the second time since 1899, dozens of people have been awarded the Freedom of the City of London today. The ceremony saw 40 recipients from a broad spectrum of sectors honoured at the Mansion House for their outstanding contributions in their respective fields, rom the science, medicine, business, academia, education, and arts sectors.
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More smiles than stains, we held a wonderful recreation of a very old tradition. It was something long in the planning, and only possible with enormous help from a huge variety of people, not least my Water Bailiff (Chris Livett) and Under Water Bailiff (Frank Moxon – affectionately known as ‘Scuba Bailiff), DL Nicholas Wood-Dow, Sheriff Langley, Sheriff Masojada, LM’s Sea Cadets ADC, Doggetts Coat & Badge Watermen, four Livery Masters, Sea Cadets, Sea Cadets Pipers, RNLI Crew, the Mayor and people of Staines and Spelthorne, and a lot of boat owners. Particular mention must go to Stephen Barnard, friend, fellow Waterman & Lighterman, and owner of M B Leonie.
