The Reflections of The Lord Mayor

The Reflections of The Lord Mayor event was founded by Christopher Seow. The main goal is to celebrate the achievements of past Lord Mayors of the City of London. The event also raises funds for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal charities.

About the Reflections of The Lord Mayor

The Reflections of The Lord Mayor event was founded by Christopher Seow. The main goal is to celebrate the achievements of past Lord Mayors of the City of London. The event also raises funds for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal charities.

Christopher is a Freeman of the City of London, Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of World Traders and Fellow of the RSA and RSS.

The Reflections of The Lord Mayor event was founded in 2014. The inaugural Reflections was delivered by Sir David Wootton, Lord Mayor of the City of London 2011-12. Dame Fiona Woolf (2013-14) delivered the 2nd Annual Reflections, and Sir Alan Yarrow (2014-15) delivered the 3rd Annual Reflections in 2016.

The fourth Reflections of The Lord Mayor event was held in 2017, in honour of Sir Roger Gifford, the 685th Lord Mayor and Chairman of the Green Finance Initiative (GFI) of the City of London Corporation.

The event brings a great opportunity to celebrate the vital role of the Lord Mayor of London. It is one of the oldest continuously elected civic offices in the world. The Lord Mayor plays a vital part in the life of the City and in supporting UK plc.

The Reflections of the Lord Mayor event is partnered with the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Charity. Each year the funds raised on the event are donated to the organizations chosen by the past Lord Mayor.

About Lord Mountevans, the 688th Lord Mayor of London

Lord Mountevans was Lord Mayor of London from November 2015 to November 2016. He is the 688th person, and the first hereditary Peer ever, to hold that office.

His Lord Mayor’s Show on Saturday 14th November 2015 represented a landmark for the City and the Mayoralty. It celebrated 800 years since the first Lord Mayor’s Show. Also, it celebrated the right granted by King John in Magna Carta for the citizens of London to elect their own Lord Mayor, an office which had originated in 1189.

The role of Lord Mayor is a specific mix of pageantry and ceremonial; history and modernity; business and civic; charity and community.

A great strength of the one year tenure of the Lord Mayor, as Lord Mountevans said, is the vitality and freshness it brings to the office each year. Also, driving the pace and ambition of the mayoralty and affording the opportunity to ‘showcase’ different strengths in the wide and remarkable offer of the Square Mile. 

This year, at the fifth Reflections of The Lord Mayor event, Lord Mountevans discussed the constantly evolving role of the City of London Corporation. He included its growing involvement in education and contribution to social mobility. He also mentioned the enhanced capability of supporting and promoting City business.

Lord Mounteveans also reflected on the ambitious programme of the building of the additional homes in London. He discussed the plans to furtherly develop the City’s major contribution to the cultural offer of United Kingdom. He also considered the City’s place in modern Britain.

Lord Mountevans also shared his vision for the City post-Brexit, highlighting the opportunities the new landscape may provide.

About the Trinity House

This years event was held at the Trinity House, a remarkable venue overlooking the Thames and the Tower of London. The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond has a long and storied history in service of the mariner, and it was incorporated by Henry VIII on 20 May 1514.

These days, Trinity House is a charity and it is dedicated to providing education, support, and welfare to the seafaring community, and safeguarding shipping and seafarers. It has a statutory duty as a General Lighthouse.

The charities supported

While Lord Mayor, Lord Mountevans supported JDRF and the Sea Cadets.

JDRF is the Type-1 diabetes charity that funds the research to improve lives and one day eradicate the condition for good.

The Sea Cadets is a national youth charity, working with 14,000 young people between 10 and 18 years old across the UK. It has 400 units across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Bermuda all run by 9,000 volunteers.

The funds raised at the event are donated to these two charities.