13th May, 2016

London City Lunch 2016

The Ireland Fund of Great Britain London City Lunch Friday 13 May 2016

Today The Ireland Fund of Great Britain hosted The London City Lunch at the magnificent One Whitehall Place. The lunch brought together more than 200 leading business figures and dignitaries to support the work of the IFGB.

Mark Carrigan, Managing Director of The Ireland Fund of Great Britain opened proceedings by introducing business man and The London City Lunch Committee Chair, Mr Elgin Loane, as ‘a true champion of the Irish community here in Britain and whose strong leadership ensured the success of the lunch’.

Taking to the stage Mr. Loane spoke about why he accepted the invitation to Chair the occasion. ‘A vibrant and noted Irish Community here In Great Britain is a must and I am always supportive of endeavours which promote that. I want to support the community through financial support and raising awareness as well as providing guidance and energy.’ Mr Loane went on to spoke about The Ireland Fund of Great Britain and its importance to him.

The guest of honour at the event was Mr Paul Drechsler CBE. who is Chairman of the conglomerate Bibby Line Group and President of the Confederation of British Industry as well as being a trustee of Business in the Community and Chairman of charity Teach First which works to end education inequality. Mr Drechsler spoke passionately about the importance of business playing its role in the community saying “As business men we all have a responsibility to play our part, to give back to the community and ensure business is a positive force in society. As business leaders it is our privilege to do so.’

After lunch, guests were treated to a performance from world renowned flautist Sir James Galway. A household name for decades,  Sir James is regarded as the foremost interpreter of the classical flute repertoireand has sold over 30 million recordings worldwide.

Sir James is an Ambassador for Music Generation, a U2 and Ireland Funds backed programme bringing music education to young Irish people. Sir James is also ‘Prince Consort Professor’ at the Royal College of Music in London and was recently awarded an honorary doctorate from Birmingham City University for his services to music.

The Ireland Fund of Great Britain is part of a global philanthropic network dedicated to supporting programmes of peace and reconciliation, arts and culture, education and community development in Ireland and across the Irish diaspora.Founded in 1976, The Worldwide Ireland Funds operate across 12 countries and have raised over $500 million for causes around the world.