Lord Mayor's Briefing to Masters and Clerks
14th November 2012To the Mansion House for the annual briefing of the Livery Companies by the new Lord Mayor, Alderman Roger Gifford. In setting out his aims for the year ahead, he commented that, as the first banker to have become Lord Mayor for a while, he wanted to make it absolutely clear that he regarded proper banking as a socially useful activity. Hence his theme of 'The City in Society'. I expect he'll be very active in promoting the City.
He also spoke about his hope that the Livery Companies would take steps to build up their capital, to secure their future philanthropic firepower. More details will be with us shortly but the basic idea is that all new, and hopefully many existing, liverymen will sign a legacy form in favour of their Companies, even if it's initally for as little as £1, thus making a long term commitment to their Livery Company's Charitable Funds. The working title is the London Livery Legacy. It's a great idea and I very much hope that our Court will support it.
The charities that will benefit from th Lord Mayor's Appeal are The City Music Foundation, giving new opportunities to professional musicians in the early stages of their careers, Futures for Kids, Gifford Wood Appeal, extending Epping Forest, and The Harold Samuel Collection, for the maintenance and conservation of the wonderful Dutch and Flemmish paintings that hang in the Mansion House.