London’s biggest independent grant maker has brought together three leading arts organisations to celebrate the capital’s diverse communities, creating a float for the Lord Mayor’s Show which will combine music, dance and singing.

The City of London Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust, will have a float in this year’s show featuring: a diverse group of musicians from Core Arts, many of whom are disabled people; dancers from Ballet Rambert’s programmes for older people; and singers from one of London Symphony Orchestra’s Discovery youth choirs.

Some 7,000 people, 200 horses and 70 decorated floats will take part in the City’s Lord Mayor’s Show, during which Charles Bowman, who will take office as the 690^th Lord Mayor of the City of London on 10 November, will ride in the State Coach. The Lord Mayor’s Show, the noisiest and most colourful event in the City’s calendar, dates back to the 13th century and allows the Lord Mayor to ‘show’ himself or herself to the people of the Square Mile, as well as to swear an oath of allegiance to the sovereign.

Cheered on by hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets and millions more watching the live TV coverage, the Show celebrates the City’s ancient past and its modern outlook – with livery companies and the Pikemen & Musketeers joining community groups, charities and overseas trade organisations.

This is the sixth time the Trust has taken part in the Lord Mayor’s Show, having entered most recently in 2015. Previous entries have been in partnership with organisations including Heart n Soul, Drake Music and Building Exploratory. City Bridge Trust’s float is being designed by Emergency Exit Arts.

The Trust’s entry is in partnership with:

• Core Arts, an organisation based in Hackney which promotes positive mental health and wellbeing through creative learning. It provides quality education, training, employment and social enterprise initiatives that enable people who experience mental health issues to overcome barriers, fulfil their potential and participate fully in their community.
• Rambert is Britain’s oldest dance company. As well as producing world-class classical and contemporary dance performances, it also runs classes for children and adults of all ages, and works in partnership with schools and colleges, providing a range of opportunities that support learning and inspire both students and teachers.
• London Symphony Orchestra is a world-class Orchestra and music education organisation, based at the Barbican Centre. It has a pioneering education and community programme and attracts highly skilled musicians from around the world.

Alison Gowman, Chairman of the City of London Corporation’s City Bridge Trust Committee, commented:

 “We’ve brought together three fantastic, inspirational charities to showcase the diversity of the City at this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show.

“We must promote and recognise diversity in the capital and the wealth of benefits to society when we work together to build stronger communities and tackle inequality.

“City Bridge Trust is committed to making London a fairer and better place to live.”

Lord Mayor Elect Charles Bowman said:

“The Lord Mayor’s Show celebrates the historic and thriving City of London - the very centre of our strong and diverse capital – which, in turn, supports a globally successful country.

“It is a joyous occasion, full of colour, fun and ceremony, and it is wonderful that so many people come along and enjoy the carnival atmosphere.

“It is entirely right that the Show brings together so many diverse groups and communities from London and the UK, including hundreds of young people who love taking part.”

City Bridge Trust makes grants totalling around £20 million per year towards charitable activity benefitting Greater London. The charitable funder has awarded more than 7,700 grants totalling over £370 million since it first began in 1995. It helps achieve the City Corporation’s aim of changing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Londoners

For more information about the Lord Mayor’s Show, visit www.lordmayorsshow.london; call 020 7332 3456 or download the official Show App. People are encouraged to post their photographs of the Lord Mayor’s Show on Twitter using #LordMayorsShow

ENDS

Media Enquiries

Kristina Drake

Media Officer, City of London Corporation

Kristina.Drake@cityoflondon.gov.uk

07710860884 / 020 7332 1125

Notes to Editors:

The day starts and ends on the River Thames - the Lord Mayor arrives in the City in a flotilla, travelling in the Queen’s Row Barge, Gloriana, and rides in the State Coach from Guildhall to The Mansion House at 10.45am. The procession leaves The Mansion House shortly after the National two-minute silence at 11.00am for Remembrance Day, and the Show ends with a free-to-view fireworks display at 5.15pm, which attracts huge crowds along Victoria Embankment and on Southbank.

There are two landmark anniversaries to note in this year’s Lord Mayor’s Show. The Royal Air Force, which will form a Guard of Honour during the Show and perform a flypast, celebrates its centenary; and in November 1937 – 80 years ago - the BBC began televising live coverage of the Show, making it the longest running television programme on the planet.