Institute of Couriers for the first time ever joined the Lord Mayor's Show. Remembrance Saturday featuring 100 walkers from ten Express brands - from Absolutely to Yodel, Citysprint to Evri, a host of zero emission final mile vehicles showcased onboard a CNG gas truck and a secret surprise, a pageant special saw a Puffin bird delivered to Mansion House. The Puffin bird added pageantry to the parade and adorns the coat of arms of both the Lord Mayor and the Institute of Couriers brollies, sparkling in sunshine from the stormy days of Autumn. The delivery done, by breakfast the Puffin glove saw its first sunrise in the Mansion House.
A message from the Lord Mayor
Carl and the team, a most wonderful and touching gift! Already on display in my new office, the Venetian Parlour. Thank you all!
Browse the Lord Mayor's Show gallery
The new Lord Mayor, Michael Mainelli has a background in courier logistics, from Royal Mail to ICS couriers, he invited the Institute of Couriers to the carnival-style pageant to engage his Express transport background in the show parade as it celebrates his arrival as Lord Mayor of the City of London. He adores Puffin birds and also likes the bagpipes. The IOC rose to the occasion and chose a Puffin Bird walker to make a final mile delivery, delivering a special Puffin hand puppet to the Lord Mayor in front of the BBC crew at Mansion House.
Celebrating final mile on this special occasion aligns with this month’s presentation of chartership application to the Privy Council for the Institute of Couriers.
A sector-wide delivery of express logistics. The Puffin delivery was joined by all ten brands of final mile in a showcase of the face of express logistics.
Doubling up the celebrations of pageantry, the Lord Mayor's coat of arms also carries a bagpiper. IOC fellows rose to the occasion to add a real bagpiper for the occasion. Bagpipes played by James Reid stamped the carnival atmosphere.
Each brand dressed in dedicated togs covered in Lord Mayor's Show logos, Whistl orange, FedEx purple, Yodel green. Continuity of brand then joined by a uniform set of brollies for the sector. Yes, the brollies had the logo pf pageantry celebration, the Puffin, and the bagpipes on the graphic of the Institute of Couriers.
The rainbow of brand colours added sound beyond the bagpipes, rattle your clappers, tradition of the National Courier Awards was in hand as fellows and brand team members went wild with sound as the clappers rattled for the golden coach of the new Lord Mayor, Michael Mainelli.
The float. – A brand-new, registered for the event, Evri gas tractor driven by their driver of the year, Vasile Udubasa hauled a forty-foot trailer on a two inch pin with a 1250 ride height organised by the City of London Corporation courtesy of Murphy Plant in NW5. On the trailer was a zero emission showcase of last mile cargo vehicles. Two, three and four wheel from on the job at the door, to prototype Yamaha EV scooter with 100 litre storage. Amongst the zero emission vehicles two giant graphic towers with IOC logos supporting the Lord Mayor's Show fresh from the National Courier Awards.
At the heart of it – A puffin surprise makes a final mile delivery for the Lord Mayor.
The Inst of Couriers float, float 96 turned from Princess Street into Bank Junction for the Mansion House, new home for a year for the Lord Mayor.
The Puffin bird walker jumped out of the Express brands at Bank Junction to make the secret surprise delivery to the new Lord Mayor, the delivery itself was a Puffin puppet glove, a glove for the Lord Mayor to wave from the Golden Carriage in the City of London as he headed for a blessing at St Pauls and swearing of oath to the King at the Royal Courts of Justice.
Blessing the Institute of Couriers fellows for the special day of City of London Pageantry was Vicar Jen Midgely-Adam who joined the VIP walkers of the Institute.
The Rev’d Jen Midgley-Adam from All Hallows by the Tower church, City of London, walking with the IOC VIP group.
Jen is the curate at the oldest church in the City of London, All Hallows by the Tower. The church was founded in 675AD by St Ethelburga on land that was a part of Barking Abbey, given to her by her brother Erkenwald who was the 4th Bishop of London.
All Hallows by the Tower is open all week and seeks to serve all who visit Tower Hill. There is Morning Prayer on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 8:30, and a Eucharist Service at 8:30 on Thursdays. The Sunday service is at 11am, and there is a service of Taizé prayer at 6pm on Wednesdays.
The church is linked to transport as it carries the glass window of the George Henry Lloyd, Twice Master of the Worshipful Company of Carmen.
Jen has seen the Lord Mayor's Show before, but this is the first time she has walked with the pageant and is looking forward to the walking around St Pauls where the Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli will be blessed by The Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, The Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett.
Take a tour of the highlights of the Lord Mayor's Show pageant
The ten brands of express logistics supporting the Lord Mayor's charity included, Absolutely, CitySprint, Evri, FedEx, HBC, Rico TVS, Santis Global, Smiths News, Whistl and Yodel.
Browse the special brand photo gallery here
City of London Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli
former express logistics sector welcomed the 100 IOC walkers across ten brands showcasing zero emission vehicles.
IOC engaged strongly in the pageant and was one of the largest groups in this year's Lord Mayor's Show. (Float 96).
IOC Chair Carl Lomas met with the new Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli at Mansion House to talk express logistics
Talking Lord Mayor's Show in the wake of the gas truck and clean air zero emmiison final mile delivery vehicles, talk was about the show in a mixture of carnival, commercial and military pageant celebrating the annual election of the Lord Mayor with a history all the way back to Dick Whittington. Entry is by invitation only and linked to the background of the Lord Mayor. This year's Lord Mayor-elect, Michael Mainelli has a transport courier background, he was a policy advisor to the Post Office 1987-93 and from 1993 he helped build up courier company ICS (Insurance Courier Services)
Michael Mainelli invited the IOC to showcase final mile. This comes in a year when the IOC is submitting its chartership application to Privy Council. The IOC will place clean air final mile at centre stage of the City of London Square Mile.
The largest carnival-type parade in London enjoys 90 mins of live BBC coverage, the pageant takes place in front of tens of thousands of people lining the route from Mansion House to St Paul's, travelling down the Strand for a picnic lunch provided by the Girl Guides below the Aldwych before returning back via Queen Victoria Street to the London Wall.
Route: from The Mansion House via Cheapside and St Paul’s Cathedral to the Royal Courts of Justice
Show time for the 695th Lord Mayor!
City of London Corporation explains. The noisiest, largest, and most colourful event in the City of London’s calendar rolls into town on Saturday 11 November, bringing together over 7,000 people, 250 horses, and over 50 decorated floats for a major spectacle that dates back to the 13th century – The Lord Mayor’s Show.
Joining the parade and riding in the golden State Coach, which has been used in every Lord Mayor’s Show since 1757, will be the Seattle-born economist, accountant, express logistician and scientist, Michael Mainelli, who has been elected as the 695th Lord Mayor of the City of London. The express sector will be cheered on by an estimated 250,000 people lining the City’s streets and millions watching the live BBC One coverage and online streaming, commentary will be provided by former BBC Radio 1 presenter, Scott Mills. Shortly after observing the national two-minute silence for Armistice Day at 11am, the procession will leave the Lord Mayor’s official residence, The Mansion House.
Joining the Lord Mayor in the three-mile-long parade will be the Institute of Couriers final mile float and entries representing City charities, schools, community groups, musicians, performers, financial institutions, military bands, and Livery companies. A Ukraine-themed float, created by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will send a clear message that London stands proudly with Ukraine and its people. The actor and comedian, Jim Moir, best known as Vic Reeves, has designed the artwork for the Show’s official poster and commemorative programme and will be one of the passengers in the ‘Art Bus’, which makes a welcome return this year.
Michael Mainelli is succeeding Nicholas Lyons as the head of the governing body of the Square Mile, the City of London Corporation, and will serve for one year, living and working at The Mansion House. During his mayoralty, the Lord Mayor will act as an international spokesperson for the City, leading business delegations overseas to key international markets, on behalf of the UK’s financial and professional services industry.
Lord Mayor Elect Michael Mainelli said: ‘I am looking forward to the Inst of Couriers surprise delivery at Mansion House.’ “In terms of size, noise, and colour, there is nothing quite like The Lord Mayor’s Show and it will be a joy to be part of it, waving to the crowds on the streets and people watching at home, and soaking up the carnival atmosphere. “It is an unashamedly enjoyable day out for everyone and a tremendous celebration of our great City’s community and diversity. “My mayoral theme, ‘Connect to Prosper’, will put the spotlight on the City's expertise in areas including finance, law, art, and engineering, and bring together leading experts from diverse backgrounds to work on critical global challenges, such as climate change and artificial intelligence. ”As ever, the safety and security of all of those participating and visiting this year’s Show is of vital importance, and the City of London Police will carry out highly visible and undercover patrols before, during, and after the event.
