The 2023 Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch report to the Livery

On 30th March, Michael Hockney, the Co-Chairman of the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch reported to the Livery.

He said –

“Members of the Livery Companies will recall that the 2022 Lord Mayor’s Platinum Jubilee Big Curry Lunch was a great success and raised the record sum of £314,000.

How could we top that in 2023?

The final figure raised has not yet been arrived at and won’t be announced until Thursday 11th May when the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress are hosting a Reception at the Mansion House.

What we can report are the following headlines:

Sixty-four Livery Companies in total supported the Lunch:

• as sponsors of veterans through the Pain Management Programme and on Lifeworks courses
• with generous donations
• providing prizes for the On Line and Silent Auction and the Draw
• running stalls at the Lunch
• providing musical entertainment
• designing and planting out the Veterans Garden in Guildhall Yard in February
• buying blocks of tickets so that twenty or thirty Livery members come meet together before having lunch

The Lord Mayor and I would like to thank you all for supporting the 2023 Lunch.

A record turn-out:

• it was so good to see a total of over 1,600 guests present.

Fantastic volunteer support:

• nearly 300 volunteers drawn from the Livery, uniformed organisations and City workers.

Amazing support in kind:

• all the curries & dessert, champagne,, wines, beer, mineral water, coffee, chocolates provided at no cost
• the generous provision of Guildhall without a charge by the Corporation.
• and volunteers having a wonderful time in Guildhall at the 2022 Lunch, after the two years when Covid 19 prevented us from gathering in that historic setting.

The 2023 Royal Guests

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were this year’s Royal guests and thoroughly enjoyed meeting so many of those involved including beneficiaries, Livery Masters and stall holders.

There will be a fuller report after the Lord Mayor’s Reception on 11th May.

In the meantime, thank you to everyone in the Livery who supported the 2023 Lunch.”

Michael Hockney
Co-Chairman and Founder, The Lord Mayor’s big Curry Lunch
Senior Warden, The Musicians Company