Bridewell Banquet, Mansion house - 24th May 2019

6.30 - 10.30pm

The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Guild member and alumni of King Edward's School Witley, Peter Estlin, is hosting a black tie banquet at Mansion House to benefit the Bridewell Foundation.  There are a couple of tables available, and possibly individual tickets. A table for 10 is £1500 and individual tickets are £185, subject to availability. The Guild's Charity supports the Foundation with a  Bursary grant which supports disadvantaged and vulnerable children in need of a boarding education. Members may be interested in attending; contact the King Edward's School Witley Development Office on 01428 686738 or development@kesw.org

 

'Bridge at the Bailey' - 11th June 2019

5.30 - 9.30pm  at the Old Bailey
We hope that this will be a fun evening for bridge players of all levels. Tables for four wlll be sold on a 'first come first served basis'. On this occasion the Sheriffs' & Recorder's Fund will be targeting the money raised to support Working Chance, a charity working with female prisoners to help them find work and learn computer skllls. Many women leave prison without basic computer skills and therefore cannot access the internet to search for and apply for jobs. Funds raised wlll be used to purchase laptops and pay for trainers to help a greater number of women gain these essential skllls. A hot buffet and wine will be served.
Tickets £75 each. Available from end of April 2019 Register your interest at:   srfundsec@yahoo.com  
 

 

Knollys Rose Ceremony - 17th June 2019

Morning

The Knollys Rose Ceremony is held in June each year and is organised by the Company of Watermen and Lightermen of the River Thames. On that day one red rose will be plucked from the garden in Seething Lane and taken to the Mansion House on the altar cushion of All Hallows by the Tower, where it will be presented to the Lord Mayor.

Guild member Darren Knight, Honorary Court Assistant of the Company of Watermen and Lightermen, has very kindly offered to host a small party of Guild members to attend the ceremony. There is a possibility of lunch too.  Ticket price and the number that can be accommodated will be known in May, but to express interest in attending please contact the Clerk as soon as possible. clerk@guild-freemen-london.co.uk

The ceremony commemorates an ancient City judgement dating from 1381. Sir Robert Knollys owned a house on Seething Lane. He was sent abroad to fight alongside John of Gaunt. While he was away, his wife is reputed to have become annoyed with the chaff dust blowing from threshing ground opposite their house, so she bought the property and turned it into a rose garden.

She also built a footbridge over the lane to avoid the mud, but without the equivalent of planning permission. The penalty was that a red rose 'rent' from the garden had to be paid annually to the Lord Mayor. The rose payment was no more than a peppercorn rent, a symbolic fine upon Sir Robert, a leading citizen and a successful and respected soldier.

For this payment permission was given "to make an haut pas of the height of 14 feet" across the lane. The footbridge has long since disappeared, but the legal requirement for the payment of this quit-rent has been established as one of the City's traditions.
This year's Ceremony will take place on Monday 17 June, with the cutting of the rose being carried out at 11am in the church garden before being processed through the City. 
 

Lord Mayor's Appeal Abseil Challenge - 5th July 2019

The ever-so-popular Lord Mayor’s Appeal Abseil Challenge is taking place at Barclays in Canary Wharf this year on Friday 5^th July. As a Senior Advisor at Barclays, the Lord Mayor Peter Estlin, will be leading the way to descend 150 metres down the building and would be delighted if you were to join him in the challenge. Alternatively, you can sponsor him at justgiving.com/fundraising/aldermanpeterestlin – any support, however large or small, will be greatly appreciated.
 

Horse ride through the City of London - 10th July 2019

The ride will start at 9.30am from the Old Balley (Warwick Square). The Sheriffs wlll visit a number of Livery Halls and businesses
and end up at Armoury House (home of the HAC) for a fund raising lunch. They would be hugely grateful for support by walking with them (Vincent and Liz will be on horseback), collecting money on the way, and by supporting and attending the lunch at Armoury House.. For those who cannot attend on the day they would very much appreciate a donation of £10 via their Virgin/Just Giving page (further details will follow, together with a link for the fundraising page).
 

A Night At The Opera - 16th July 2019

6.30 - 10.45pm at Guildhall
Garsington Opera together with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of the City of London invite you to a thrilling evening of opera and fine dining in aid of The Lord Mayor’s Appeal. Exceptionally talented singers from Garsington’s Alvarez Young Artists’ programme will perform a shortened version of Don Giovanni to entertain you between dinner courses. The evening will
start with a short performance by local school students as part of the Lord Mayor & Garsington’s outreach programme. Net proceeds from this fabulous evening will go to The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, supporting Place2Be, OnSide Youth Zones and Samaritans.

For further information or to reserve your tickets, please contact events@thelordmayorsappeal.org or call 020 7332 1582.
 

Cart Marking Ceremony, Guildhall Yard - 17th July 2019

 
10.0am

Celebrate Transport across the ages
From handcarts and horse-drawn carriages to steam-driven vehicles and London busses; see this parade of vehicles as they are marked with a red hot iron.
Once a year, Carmen bring their horse-drawn wagons and carriages, steamers, veteran and vintage lorries, buses and coaches, and modern trucks and tractor units, to be branded (or marked) with a red-hot iron on a wooden plate, with the year letter and the car number as a reminder of centuries of service to the City and to maintain their ancient tradition.
The event, which takes place in Guildhall Yard, sees each vehicle brought for the Master’s inspection, then branded by the Keeper of Guildhall. The duties of the Keeper are shared with the Lord Mayor, and also the Master Carman.
Afterwards the Lord Mayor, Sheriff, Master Carman and Wardens doff their caps as each vehicle passes the rostrum, and then Carmen, partners and guests join in fellowship for lunch in the Great Hall – a great free event to watch during your day in the City.
 

City Beerfest Guildhall Yard -  18 July 2019 

12.30 - 9.00 pm

Come and raise a glass in support of three charities championed by the Lord Mayor's Appeal addressing social issues and delivering ground breaking programmes that change, and save, people’s lives - the Samaritans, Place2Be and OnSide Youth Zones  - Beer, Music and Food

Buy beer packages at early-bird prices

All profits go to the Lord Mayor's Appeal.

 

Sheriff's Ball - 20th September 2019

 
The Sheriffs of the City of London, Alderman Vincent Keaveny and The Hon Liz Green, will be hosting the fourth annual Sheriffs' Ball at Guildhall on Friday 20 September 2019 in aid of The Lord Mayor's Appeal. This fun evening of wining and dining will include a drinks reception, three-course dinner with wine, dancing to a live band and a fundraising auction. The event is black tie. To register your interest, please contact the events team at events@thelordmayorsappeal.org or call 0207 332 3080.

 

The Worshipful Company 0f Woolmen's Sheep Drive - 29th September 2019

 
After dipping our toe in the water at the Sheep Drive in 2018 The Master is hopeful of securing spaces for 3 or 4 teams of 10 Guild members each to drive their sheep over London Bridge. It is open to all Freemen of the City of London, or guests accompanied by a Freeman, so an opportunity for non-Liverymen to take part in this fun charity event.  The minimum donation in 2018 was £60 per person and all proceeds go to the Lord Mayor's Appeal and the Woolmen's Charitable Trust.  If we are able to secure spaces we hope to add an optional lunch afterwards.  Please do apply early to express interest as we will need to book the slots in early May. Apply in the usual way https://www.guild-freemen-london.co.uk/events/home/sheep-drive-london-bridge-2019

Grand Finale Dinner - 5th November 2019

Join the Lord and Lady Mayoress at the Grand Finale Dinner on Tuesday 5^th November 2019 to celebrate the end of Alderman Peter Estlin’s mayoral year. Themed ‘Going Out with a Bang’ this very special event is bound to keep you entertained from start to finish! The evening will include a Champagne reception in the Old Library followed by dinner in the Great Hall.To express an interest in attending please contact  Pauliina.lyttinen@thelordmayorsappeal.org or 0207 332 3464.