When the City unites: Why this year’s City Giving Day matters more than ever
At CityAM, I spend my days steeped in the news of the Square Mile. All too often, those headlines are dominated by difficult themes – economic uncertainty, geopolitics, shifting regulatory landscapes and market volatility. It can sometimes feel as though division and unpredictability are the only stories we tackle. However, I also know firsthand that the City is at its strongest and its most inspiring, when it comes together for a common purpose.
That is why City Giving Day is one of the most important dates in our calendar. It is a rare moment when fierce competitors become willing collaborators, when businesses of every size unite around a shared vision, and when the Square Mile demonstrates exactly what it stands for beyond the metrics of financial success.
CityAM has been a proud media partner of City Giving Day since its early days in 2015. Over the past decade, we have watched with immense pride as it has grown into one of the defining annual moments for London’s charitable community. We have also not been content to simply report on the generosity of others from the sidelines and instead, join in the efforts of The City, in our own way across the years.
In 2016, our newsroom was transformed into a Wii gaming competition and a highly competitive round of (non-alcoholic) beer pong. The following year, we pushed ourselves a bit further with a gruelling 12-hour static bike challenge. By 2018, we had found our true fundraising calling: a now-famous morning of coffee, cake and Bloody Mary breakfast organised by our City Giving Day champion Nzima Ndangana, a much-loved tradition we proudly revived in 2023.
Throughout our enduring partnership with The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, we have supported Maggie’s, a charity incredibly close to our hearts, while continuously using our platform to encourage our readers and fellow City firms to back the causes that matter to them. Much of this has been led by our co-founder, Lawson Muncaster, who has been a vocal and passionate advocate, taking to the stage at numerous City Giving Day breakfasts to rally businesses across the Square Mile and urge them to get involved – as well as overcoming his fear of heights twice, to abseil down various Square Mile buildings.
This year, participation matters more than ever. The 2026 campaign arrives as The Lord Mayor’s Appeal embarks on a vital new strategic chapter: tackling London’s growing NEET (young people not in education, employment, or training) challenge. The stark reality is that too many young Londoners find themselves disconnected from the prosperity on their doorstep. The Appeal is calling on The City to do more than simply raise money; it is asking us to invest directly in the next generation of London’s talent and our future workforce.
By connecting these young people with the unique network of businesses, mentors and professionals that define the Square Mile, we can offer tangible pathways to opportunity. City Giving Day provides an antidote to the prevailing gloom. It produces thousands of stories centred on volunteering, fundraising, innovation and community collaboration. It serves as a powerful reminder that businesses are not just faceless entities; they are made up of people who genuinely want to make a tangible difference.
Those stories deserve telling and this year The City has an opportunity to create thousands more of them, which we will happily report on. Whether you represent a global financial institution or a small independent firm, you have a crucial part to play. This is our opportunity to generate the genuinely positive news that London needs and make a tangible impact on the NEET crisis. I’d urge you to get involved and help make this City Giving Day our most impactful yet.