Picture caption: Mayor of Barking and Dagenham Elizabeth Kangethe with Sasha Wairimu and Lemuel Mbugua 

Around 500 children from across London Boroughs took part in a spectacular fancy dress party in the City’s glitzy Mansion House on Saturday (10^th January 2015 ) – hosted by the modern day Dick Whittington Lord Mayor of the

City of London Alan Yarrow.The children were able to enjoy the splendid surroundings of the 18th-century State Rooms and palatial Egyptian Hall, where the City of London Lord Mayor normally welcomes politicians, statesmen and financiers. Adult representatives including councillors and mayors from boroughs around London took part too. The party was a fun event to welcome the new year and share the rich history of The Mansion House and the City of London with young people from across the capital.

The usual formality of The Mansion House was replaced with the excited noises of children, clowns, traditional party games and a live band. The Lord Mayor even led a Conga line featuring all children and other guests. They were all served afternoon tea in the Old Ballroom, while the party concluding with hundreds of balloons being dropped from the roof the Egyptian Hall.

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Media enquires

Rachel Mortell, media officer at the City of London Corporation 020 332 1528 Rachel.mortell@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Notes to editors

About the Lord Mayor of the City of LondonThe Lord Mayor is elected for one year and the position is unpaid and apolitical. The Lord Mayor spends some 90 days abroad leading delegations to key fast-growing markets and addresses some 10,000 people face-to-face each month (making around 800 speeches a year). The Lord Mayor listens to City and UK businesses and helps the City Corporation advise the Government of the day on what is needed to help the UK-based financial, professional, and business services sector to function well.

The Lord Mayor frequently travels to represent the City and UK businesses; and travels overseas with the status of a Cabinet Minister. On average, the Lord Mayor will meet one head of state a month and will meet a prime minister or finance minister each week to discuss City and UK business, often in conjunction with senior City business representatives. The Lord Mayor, who is unpaid, lives in the Mansion House, for the Mayoral year.

About the City of London CorporationIn addition to providing local authority services across the Square Mile, the City of London Corporation has three roles: (1) we support London’s communities by working in partnership with neighbouring boroughs on economic regeneration and skills projects. In addition, the City of London Corporation’s charity City Bridge Trust makes grants of more than £15 million annually to charitable projects across London and we also support education, with three independent schools and three City Academies – plus a primary school and the world-renown Guildhall School of Music and Drama. (2) We also help look after key London heritage and green spaces including Tower Bridge, Museum of London, Barbican Arts Centre, City gardens, Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, Burnham Beeches, and important ‘commons’ in south London. (3) And we also support and promote the ‘City’ as a world-leading financial and business hub, with outward and inward business delegations, high-profile civic events, research-driven policies and a long-term approach. See www.cityoflondon.gov.uk for much more on our uniquely diverse role, including the City of London Police, etc.