An Introduction to City Gateway

All of us are associated in raising funds for one charity or another. Indeed our livery has its own associated charities. To mark our 450th year we must do something very special - to be seen to be able to raise considerable funds will improve the ‘standing’ of the Livery within the ‘City’ community including our fellow Livery Companies and of course benefit the recipient of such funds.

It is felt that a raising initiative to raise funds alone for the Company’s associated charities may not quite pull the heart strings of any potential donor, and the event might not be so well supported.

The Court therefore decided to find a ‘target charity’ for which we would raise funds, and during the first 6 months of 2009 the Renter Warden set about finding such an organisation. It was not to be a national charity or a well known cause within the city where a donation would just ‘top up’ an already sophisticated fund raising apparatus – it had to be a small niche charity whereby any funds raised would have a significant impact upon the recipients.

The Renter Warden sought advice from Fidelity who drew up a list of likely targets and the search then began. Some 20 charities were visited and after some skilful nudging, the Rector of St Margaret’s Lothbury suggested with the support of Fidelity to visit Tower Hamlets.

A shortlist of 6 suitable charities were then presented to the Court to vote to choose the 450 charity. The charity by the name of City Gateway won the vote. You can read more about their challenges further down the webpage but the key aspects are as follows:

• The charity targets the young and under privileged
• The charity is situated at Tower Hamlets – a stone’s throw from the city of London
• The charity has no other Livery patronage

The Broderers are now beginning to forge links with City Gateway, and Past Master David Chaundler has agreed to act as the Chief Liaison Officer between the organisations. It is the hope of the Court that all the Livery will want to visit City Gateway to find out for themselves what they do, and more so to be able to speak with an understanding as to what City Gateway do when engaged in trying to raise funds for City Gateway.

Gordon Birdwood

450 Chairman