Arts focus

The Barbican turns 25Lord Mayor's Show

Welcoming the new Lord Mayor

cityviewIssue no 58 N E W S A N D K E Y I S S U E S F O R T H E C I T Y O F L O N D O N Dec/Jan 2007

the City surveyed

C I T Y V I E W2

cityviewmagazineWelcome to cityviewmagazine

C O N T E N T S

C I T Y S T R A T E G Y

keeping planning streamlined 3

T H E I N T E R V I E W

recognising the City’s importance 4

T H E C I T Y S U R V E Y E D

feedback on the City 6

L O R D M A Y O R ’ S S H O W

the City on show 8

A R T S F O C U S

25th birthday for arts innovator 10

E N G A G I N G T H E S Q U A R E M I L E

City heart beats strongly 12

A R T S F O C U S

around the world in images 14

A R T S F O C U S

journey to a new world 15

...and finally 16

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C I T Y V I E W 3

C I T Y S T R A T E G Y

keeping planning streamlined

November

Young City

Young City workers got the

chance to visit Mansion House as

part of a networking reception

hosted by the Lord Mayor

Food for thought

Residents at Middlesex Street trial

a new food waste collection

service

Winners take it all

The Dragon Awards recognise

City businesses

October

Bridging the divide

Bridge House trust launches £1m

scheme promoting peace in

London

Bloomin’ marvellous

City Park and Gardens win

‘Champion of Champions’ awards

September

Going green

Report says City carbon market

vital to combat climate change

Park life

Public can air views on future of

Wanstead Park

August

Driving force in the City

City of London takes on

responsibility for certain vehicular

offences

Art attack

Economic benefits of arts shown

in new report

Indian Summer

Business leader to chair India City

of London Advisory Board

The Goldsmiths’ Company

held its annual exhibition of

contemporary designer jewellery

and silverware in October.

020 7367 5913

The.clerk@thegoldsmiths.co.uk

www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk

Arts relay heavily on marketing was

the message from Trevor Moross,

chairman of The Academy of

St. Martin in the Fields at the

Worshipful Company of

Marketors annual Bowden Dinner.

0208 202 7821

clerk@marketors.org

www.marketors.org

O N L I N E

cityviewonline O N L I N E

liverylivedigest

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cityview www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/liverylive

The City of London Corporation has responded

to Government proposals giving the Mayor of

London new powers.

Michael Snyder,the City’s Chairman of Policy &

Resources,believes these proposals will generally help

provide London with modern and efficient regional

government, in particular powers for waste, learning

and skills and housing.“However,while we recognise

the Mayor has a strategic role,the proposed new

planning powers may detract from our ability to adapt

quickly to the needs of businesses – and threaten the

City’s competitive position.”

The City commissioned an independent assessment

into the issues and based on this has recommended an

alternative approach.

■ It suggests increasing the height and floorspace

thresholds, that would trigger referral of City

developments to the Mayor, so that he would only

deal with strategic applications.

■ It proposes a different three-part test instead of

the one proposed by the Government,based

around whether a planning application raises real

strategic issues.

■ It believes the Mayor must abide by local guidance

on S.106 agreements.This is a key planning

provision which allows local authorities to

negotiate an agreement for a developer to provide

local benefits as part of the development. Under the

Government’s proposals, the Mayor would lead on

negotiations and so influence the benefits in

accordance with his own priorities.

“While we understand the wish to see the

supply of new housing maintained,the present

proposals could well have unintended

consequences – in the City and elsewhere,”

Michael Snyder continued.“It’s therefore

essential that the Mayor’s new powers are very

carefully considered and defined before any

changes are made.We will be discussing this

further with ministers and officials in the Department

for Communities and Local Government.”

The Queen’s speech in November included a Greater

London Authority Bill that would increase powers for

the Mayor.The Bill received its second reading in

December and the new powers are expected to start

sometime in 2008.

More information

020 7332 3099

pro@cityoflondon.gov.uk

C I T Y V I E W4

Ed Balls is the most active, and influential, City

minister in recent memory. Hardly a day

passes when he does not pop up with a speech

or initiative. In three days recently, he

undertook four events with the City of London

Corporation.

This is a big change for Mr Balls.For seven years in

the Treasury,he was Gordon Brown’s closest adviser,

focussing mainly on the big macro-economic

decisions such as Budgets and spending reviews.Mr

Brown has never been very involved in the details of

City issues.As Economic Secretary to the Treasury

since last May,Mr Balls is able,because of his

continued closeness to the Chancellor, to have both

influence and the freedom to carve out his own

niche and be active.

However,his current role is “much more operational

than when doing the advisory job”.For instance,

decisions on stopping terrorist financing have to be

taken almost daily.He is keen to “knuckle down and

do the job well”.

The increased Treasury interest in the City predates

the arrival of Mr Balls as a minister.The Government

recognises the importance of the City and financial

services as Britain’s most successful sector on a

global scale – as “Europe’s wholesale financial

services gateway to the world”– and vice versa.This

is coupled with an awareness of the growing

challenges from new financial centres.Mr Balls

recently visited Dubai on his way back from a trip to

the Far East.And he points also to the role of

Bermuda in wholesale insurance and Luxembourg

and Dublin in asset management.

These factors led to the creation of the Chancellor’s

High Level Group on City competitiveness, involving

all the big players,which met for the first time in

October.Mr Balls notes that before the meeting there

was the instinctive cynical response that it was all

just a public relations event.But,now,he is being

asked about a second meeting, likely to be in the

next few months.Prior to that there will be follow-

up meetings on specific issues before the spring

Budget.

Mr Balls is keen to maintain a risk-based approach to

regulation for financial services, though he was

worried when,at a conference in Japan,his reference

to “light-touch”was translated as “soft-touch”.He

quickly interrupted to correct the false impression.

Mr Balls argues that the Government will remain

active in Brussels to ensure that new EU regulations

do not inhibit the expansion of financial services in

face of global competition.He stresses the need for

European regulators explicitly to consider the EU’s

competitive position in the wider international

system.He praises the three key commissioners on

competition, the single market and trade for their

attitudes.

Britain has fought and won arguments against over-

burdensome regulation from Brussels on the savings,

investment services,capital requirements and

transparency directives.The Government has argued

for a market based,not a legislation based approach,

in clearing and settlements and the single European

payments area.He acknowledges business concerns

about avoiding unnecessary gold plating.

As we talked,he was finalising the Investment

Exchanges and Clearing Houses Bill,which has been

rapidly pushed through Parliament to ensure that the

Financial Services Authority will remain the regulator

of the London Stock Exchange.The legislation covers

all UK recognised investment exchanges and

clearing houses and the markets they operate or

support.This is to avoid excessive regulation if, for

example, the LSE is taken over by a group from a

He regards the

City Corporation as

having a very important

role and being very

active in furthering the

City’s interests.

T H E I N T E R V I E W

Peter Riddell of The Times talks to Ed Balls, Economic Secretary to the Treasury

recognising the

City’s importance

C I T Y V I E W 5

foreign country with a heavier regulatory regime

than in Britain.Mr Balls argues that it matters less

who owns the LSE than that it remains regulated by

the FSA.And the bill is intended to clarify the

position.

Mr Balls stresses that what matters is not ownership

but the presence of activities and jobs in London.

“We judge the success of London as a financial

centre not by the market share of particular British

companies but by the scale and depth of the market

and the ability to attract the best talent”.Britain

wants to be part of the global revolution in financial

services and part of this is being blind to national

ownership.

He recalls Japanese bankers talking favourably about

the “Wimbledon approach”in Britain,by which they

meant the ability to host an international tournament

drawing in the world’s best players.That had been

underlined by what has happened in the City after

the “Big Bang”in the stock market 20 years ago.The

key is having jobs and investment located in Britain.

Among the other issues being followed up after the

meeting of the High Level Group are changes in the

regulatory and tax regime to permit the issue of

Islamic bonds,know as Sukuk bonds.

Mr Balls is very cautious about making commitments

on new infrastructure projects such as Crossrail.The

necessary legislation is going through Parliament,but

there are big issues on timing and resources in view

of existing commitments to the big Olympics

project.There are,he says,a number of things which

need to be sorted out on finance and the availability

of skilled workers to ensure the position is

sustainable.

Mr Balls has contacts with a wide variety of bodies in

the City.Since 1997, the Bank of England has

focussed on monetary policy, though retains

responsibility for the broader health of the financial

system and is “an important source of information on

markets”,while the FSA is naturally primarily

concerned with regulating companies.

UK Trade International will,he says,be taking on

more of a promotional role for the City within its

overall brief.This recognises that the City is “a very

important source of jobs, investment and export

earnings”,which has not been fully reflected in the

balance of its activities before now.He regards the

City Corporation as having a very important role and

being very active in furthering the City’s interests.

As a Yorkshire MP,Mr Balls argues that a strong

financial services industry matters not just for

London and the south but also for economic growth

and job creation throughout the country,helping, for

instance,Edinburgh,Leeds and Birmingham.A strong

financial services sector is important not just for the

City,but throughout Britain.

Peter Riddell is Chief Political Commentator of The Times

C I T Y V I E W6

It was good news for the City of London

Corporation from the latest survey of its

stakeholders.

A cross section of City residents, workers, senior

executives and businesses were quizzed by Ipsos

MORI to see how well they recognise the City

Corporation and how they view it.

The results show that recognition of the

organisation has increased significantly over the

past three years and that satisfaction with its work

is also up.There have been large increases in

number of residents, workers and business who feel

the City keeps them informed about its services.

Top rated services across the four audiences were

■ parks, gardens and open spaces

■ support for the arts

■ parks, gardens and opens spaces

■ and support for the arts.

Public transport information was also rated highly

and recycling services were second highest for

residents – representing a dramatic turnaround

from three years ago when figures were the worst

ever recorded by MORI.

Resident satisfaction was the highest score among

London local authorities seen by MORI over recent

years and similarly strong support was shown by all

audiences for the City of London Police.

Chairman of the City’s Policy & Resources

Committee,Michael Snyder,was pleased with

the results but warned against complacency.

“Overall these results are very positive and slightly

better than the corresponding surveys from 2003.

While very good news for us,as with any

performance-related feedback,we have to continue

to build on them.

“The MORI surveys are only one of several feedback

systems we have – from the CPA scores to the

residents meetings and from the City Workers Panel

to the Community Strategy groups.They all help

focus our efforts to directing resources where people

want them.”

One weakness identified was in value for money

which,while higher than scores for other local

authorities,was seen as only average.“This might be a

case of raising awareness of the range of services we

provide.We produced a user-friendly breakdown of

spending for our City Fund-related work this year but

T H E C I T Y S U R V E Y E D

feedback on the City

How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the City of London

as a place to live, work, run or do business?

Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the way the

City of London Corporation performs its functions?

Residents

City Workers

Businesses

Senior CityExecu

tives

Very satisfied:

55% of Residents

37% of Workers

40% of Businesses

55% of Senior City Executives

Very satisfied:

27% of Residents

18% of Workers

25% of Businesses

41% of Senior City Executives

Very dissatisfied

Fairly dissatisfied

Fairly satisfied

Very satisfied

Neither satisfied or

dissatisfied/don’t know

Residents

City Workers

Businesses

Senior CityExecu

tives

Very dissatisfied

Fairly dissatisfied

Fairly satisfied

Very satisfied

Neither satisfied or

dissatisfied/don’t know

we may need to highlight our additional work too,”

said Michael Snyder.

Other concerns relate to crime (personal theft

most worrying City workers and violent assault

concerning residents) and although not the

City’s direct responsibility, the underground was

singled out as the part of the transport system most

in need of improvement.

cityview remains a key source of information for

different groups but this has been joined by

additional channels of information – the website,

email newsletters,other publications (internal and

external) and cityresident magazine.

The survey was commissioned by the City and

carried out with almost 1,500 people,representing

a variety of City stakeholders. It was collected

through face to face or phone interviews.These

surveys are carried out every three years amd are an

informal gauge for the City Corporation on how it

is performing.

The MORI surveys differ from the Audit

Commission’s Continuous Performance Assessment

system which only questions residents and

concentrates on specific service performance in

certain areas.These results help to highlight any

overall or specific weaknesses which can be

addressed in the City’s strategic planning and

service delivery.The results have been given to

individual departments for them to act on locally

and feed into the development and review of

their services.

The full survey results are available from the City’s

website below and will also be on the agenda at

residents’ meetings in the new year.

C I T Y V I E W 7

More information

020 7332 1771

pro@cityoflondon.gov.uk

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Top-rated services Parks, gardens, open spaces Workers

Residents 73%

Workers 48%

Businesses 55%

Senior City Executives 74%

Support for arts

Residents 75%

Workers 43%

Businesses 71%

Senior City Executives 77%

Are you aware that the City of London Police

polices the Square Mile?

73%

85%

72%

82%

Residents

City Workers

Businesses

Senior CityExecu

tives

% satisfaction with the

City of London Police

Residents 79%

Businesses 88%

Senior City Executives 90%

■ Senior executives identify

regulation as the single

biggest threat to the City’s

long term status as a leading

global financial centre.

■ Resident satisfaction was the

highest score among London

local authorities seen by

MORI over recent years.

■ The majority of senior executives

and City businesses feel that the

City Corporation’s role in

promoting the Square Mile and

representing its interests at home

and abroad should be increased.

■ Satisfaction with recycling

services was 80% for

residents – a dramatic

increase from 3 years ago.

C I T Y V I E W8

L O R D M A Y O R ’ S S H O W

A giant mechanical tiger, Kazakh horsemen,

a bun tower and Dick Whttington’s cat come

to life – it can only have been the Lord

Mayor’s Show.

Alderman John Stuttard’s first full day in the role of

Lord Mayor got off to the best start possible with a

huge crowd to cheer him on and enjoy all the

different elements that make the City of London so

unique.

A flypast of helicopters and aircraft topped and

tailed a two minutes’silence in remembrance of

those fallen,before the Show proper got underway.

The formal and military aspects of the show were as

polished as ever but one regular entry had a

makeover this year – a new Gog and Magog woven

in Somerset willow made their debut in Show.

The City’s links with its surrounding communities

were again celebrated,this year represented by

Kinetika Art Links International,Ujamaa Arts,Arts for

All,Praxis,Albion Kids Show and Mandinga Arts all

showing a flair for creativity and performance.

As with any Show,many of the floats reflected the Lord

Mayor’s own links with the City.Alderman Stuttard’s

ward of Lime Street was represented as was the

company he works for – PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

His chosen charities (see separate box) were on

display and so too were the Finnish British Chamber of

Commerce and the China-Britain Business Council.

The Lord Mayor formally took office on the Friday,

following the Silent Ceremony,but it is the Saturday

when he ‘shows’himself to the crowd.BBC cameras

were there to record the event as the procession

travelled from Mansion House to St Paul’s Cathedral

where the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress received a

blessing before they continued to the Royal Courts of

Justice to swear the Oath of Allegiance.A brief break

for lunch and then the Show continued back to

Mansion House.

The high profile nature of the events continued on

the Monday evening with the Lord Mayor’s Banquet,

held to thank the former Lord Mayor for his work

and which featured a keynote speech by Prime

Minister Tony Blair (top right).

More information, including a

biography of the Lord Mayor,

020 7332 3099

pro@cityoflondon.gov.uk

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/

lordmayor

the City on show

Scholarship Scheme, the Guild

of Educators and King

Edward’s School, Whitley.

The Lord Mayor is the head

of the City of London

Corporation and the main

part of his job is to act as

ambassador for the City –

promoting it as the world’s

leading international financial

and business centre.

is the 679th Lord Mayor of the

City of London.

He served as Sheriff of the City

2005-2006, is an eminent

accountant and City

businessman who advised

government in the 1980s, and

has spent most of his career

helping businesses access

global markets.

He is married to Lesley and they

have two sons, Tom and Jamie.

The Lord Mayor’s Appeal for

2007 is based around the theme of

‘Sharing Skills, Changing Lives’

and is dedicated to raising funds

for cross-border learning.

The main beneficiary is the

Voluntary Service Overseas but

other organisation set to benefit

include the Mansion House

Alderman John Stuttard

9C I T Y V I E W

10 C I T Y V I E W10

A R T S F O C U S

Reaching 25 years of age is

always a milestone and cause for

celebration, but the Barbican

won’t be resting on its laurels.

To mark its 25th birthday, the

Barbican has programmed a

diverse year-long programme –

including 25 very special

landmark events – which reflect

its reputation today as a world

class centre for the arts.

Groundwork for the celebrations has

already been laid with the recent

completion of a major £14m

redevelopment of the centre’s

foyers and open spaces, which

has taken place over three years.

Fully funded by the City of London

Corporation, which built and owns

the Barbican, the work has stripped

out additions to the Centre made

during the mid-1990s, refocusing

the entrances and public spaces and

dramatically improving navigation

for audiences and visitors.

Ever since the Barbican first

opened, it has been the subject of

discussion about the apparent lack

of a clear front door. “This lack of

single front door stemmed from the

philosophy that informed the design

overall” explained Artistic Director,

Graham Sheffield. “The idea at the

time was that people didn’t want or

need imposing front entrances, and

that having several entrances on

different levels was more

egalitarian. It was part of a whole

philosophy about how social

change could be created through

architecture, and that’s part of what

makes the Barbican such a

fascinating place.”

Any lack of clarity has now been

remedied with the creation of a

major new entrance and reception

at Silk Street. The entrances at the

Lakeside Terrace have also been

refurbished and there is new

illuminated signage throughout the

centre. But the redevelopment

goes much further. There are new

bars, cafes, cloakrooms, furniture

and 48 plasma screens which have

all helped transform the venue and

bring it up to the very best

international standards.

The centrepiece of the

redevelopment is a dramatic 22m

light wall, commissioned by the

Barbican in partnership with global

legal firm and Barbican neighbour,

Linklaters. This now illuminates the

Silk Street entrance and welcomes

visitors into the arts centre. Entitled

Passage 2006, it was created by

contemporary artist Alex Hartley

and now creates a true sense of

arrival at the Barbican.

The newly refurbished Barbican was

officially opened in September by

the late Lord Mayor, David Brewer

in front of an audience including City

Policy & Resources Chairman

Michael Snyder, Barbican

Committee Chairman John Barker

and Managing Director Sir John

Tusa. It also saw the announcement

by the Barbican of plans to celebrate

its 25th birthday in 2007. The

celebrations begin in January with

the first of 25 events that represent

the full scope and diversity of the

Barbican’s arts programme. The

landmark events feature many

25th birthday for arts inno

More information

artists who are new to the venue

and other festivals and series which

build on successful programme

strands developed over the years.

The events include

■ the London Symphony Orchestra,

the Barbican’s resident orchestra,

with Valery Gergiev, performing

the work of Stravinsky, Debussy

and Prokofiev

■ the modernist architecture of

Alvar Aalto, seen through the

eyes of Japanese architect

Shigeru Ban

■ a Do Something Different

weekend for families

■ the 13th London Australian

Film Festival

■ Panic Attack! Art in the

Punk Years

■ Ramadan Nights – music from

across the Islamic world

The events bring together long-

standing partners and artistic

associates, including the LSO, BBC

Symphony Orchestra and Guildhall

School and reflect the Barbican’s

ongoing mix of classical and

contemporary music, theatre and

dance, visual arts, cinema and

education.

The 25th birthday programme

connects with the overall aim of the

celebrations and refurbishment

work – that of engaging new

audiences, deepening awareness of

its arts programme and increasing

its links with the City of London.

During February and March a

birthday fortnight (from 25 February

to 10 March) includes a special

birthday concert on Saturday

3 March (the birthday itself) by the

LSO, a new Icelandic production of

the classic play Peer Gynt and a

screening of six of the top films

from Halliwell’s Best 100 Movies list

as voted by Barbican audiences.

While the anniversary programme

definitely looks forward, reflection on

the past won’t be entirely absent. A

birthday publication will be published

in March, looking back at the history

of the Barbican, its social context and

how the organisation evolved. With

commissioned articles from different

authors, the book will explore how

the Barbican has evolved. It will trace

how it has changed from being

primarily a home to the LSO and

Royal Shakespeare Company to

become a centre which creates and

commissions its own material and

brings the arts under one roof and

one management.

This can be seen through the Great

Performers and Mostly Mozart

seasons, and the creation of BITE

which showcases new international

work in dance, theatre and music.

The success of the Barbican over

the years has been demonstrated

in a number of different ways –

not just the increase in audiences

for all its art forms. It has been

identified as one of Britain’s

‘coolest’ brands alongside

companies like Aston Martin.

A survey by Oxford Economic

Forecasting recently showed the

ripple effect of the arts. For every

£10 spent on arts in the City,

another £6.50 is channelled back

into the general economy from

spending on food and services.

More than 10.5 million people

visited festivals or institutions within

the City arts cluster, almost a

quarter of all visitors to London

attractions, and the Barbican is

looking forward to future

developments to further enhance its

links with the City.

The City’s Chairman of Policy &

Resources Michael Snyder believes

the next 25 years will be just as

successful. “The City benefits

enormously from the Barbican both

in its role as an internationally

acknowledged arts centre and as a

focal point for the local community

and the wider City of London.

We look forward to its birthday

celebrations and to it continuing at

the cutting edge of arts provision in

the future.”

More information

www.barbican.org.uk/25

vator

11C I T Y V I E W

C I T Y V I E W12

E N G A G I N G T H E S Q U A R E M I L E

Business has always been the heart of the City

of London but over recent years business has

been looking for ways to put something back

into their local communities – and that’s where

Heart of the City comes in.

Heart of the City is a free service from the City of

London Corporation,providing support to companies

looking to get involved in the community. It was

launched in 2000 by the then governor of the Bank of

England,Lord Eddie George,with the slogan “Helping

the City make a difference”.

It was set up in recognition of the fact that a growing

number of companies either already had or were

developing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

programmes.CSR stemmed from a realisation by

industry that companies don’t exist in a vacuum but

have a duty to improve their surrounding areas –

socially,economically and environmentally. In terms

of community involvement, this can mean financial

donations but more often involves creating a

framework in which staff themselves can take part –

such as allowing employees time off work to help in

community-related projects.

This philosophy is now being built into companies’

business planning process to gain competitive

advantage and is also seen as an additional way of

attracting and retaining employees if they are

given the chance to broaden their horizons beyond

simply work.

Heart of the City has taken this idea further and

started a unique model of collaboration that passes

on the experience of companies already involved in

their communities to others looking to do the same.

Its Newcomers’Programme was launched in 2005 as

targeted support for companies new to corporate

community involvement,using best practice from

experienced City businesses.

Around 40 City businesses are taking part this year,

with an equal number of experienced businesses

contributing their expertise – including

PriceWaterhouseCoopers,Reuters,British Land and

Goldman Sachs,who have integrated community

involvement into their operations.

The Newcomers’Programme consists of a series of

core workshops, facilitated by a range of

City heart beats strongly

C I T Y V I E W 13

contributors.These workshops focus on the

practicalities of rolling out a corporate community

involvement programme,such as

■ the business benefits of community involvement

■ choosing community partners,building

relationships and engaging staff

■ measuring and communicating a programme’s

success.

It also offers optional mentoring from a more

“seasoned”business,visits and signposting to

community partners and a range of materials to

support companies starting up their own community

programme.“We were mentored by Julia Fuller at

Reuters,”explained Anna King,Marketing Manager for

BDGworkfutures.“It was great to have such an

experienced person at the other end of the

telephone,and our expectations and targets for our

programme were much more realistic as a result of

her great advice and guidance".

From the mentors’ point of view it can also be

rewarding: "It was an intelligent challenge about

how we develop our strategy to engage with our

communities and a very useful time to reflect on

what works best for us within the business and

why," said Mike Kelly, Director, Corporate Social

Responsibility, for KPMG.

The programme has already proved to be a success

with three companies (iMPOWER, Buzzacott and

BDGworkfutures) from 2005 making so much

progress that they were short listed for this year’s

Lord Mayor’s Dragon Awards.These prestigious

awards celebrate the contribution made by London

companies towards the social and economic

regeneration of their local communities.

The programme has also helped generate an extra

£1.39m of cash, in-kind and volunteering support

for communities from the newcomers in 2005

alone and has gained recognition from the

Government as a model of good practice.

April sees the start of each year’s programme and

the 2007 programme will be launched by Lord

George at an evening reception at Mansion House

in February, which will showcase some of the

partnerships created from the 2006 Programme. More information on Heart of the City

020 7332 3643 / 3848

info_heartofthecity@cityoflondon.gov.uk

www.theheartofthecity.com

Case study

iMPOWER is a management

consultancy with fewer than 30

staff. It chooses an annual charity to

support, and also supports

employees wanting to get involved

in the community individually

through payroll giving, volunteering

and employee sponsorship.

iMPOWER’s Ashleigh Nel believes

that “The Newcomers' Programme

was instrumental to the successful

launch of our community

involvement programme. Starting

with a blank sheet of paper is

difficult and the workshops and

case studies gave us a basic

framework which we developed to

suit our business.” They were

mentored by the Community Affairs

team from Lloyd's in 2005 and

joined with Kidscape, a national

charity focused on the prevention of

bullying among children.

Staff have been involved in a variety

of activities including assertiveness

training for children who are victims

of bullying. In November 2005,

during National Anti-Bullying Week,

iMPOWER and Kidscape staff spent

the day at Stockwell Primary School

working with teachers to educate

children (ages 5-11) about bullying.

"We have come to know nearly

every member of iMPOWER staff.

We really benefit from the energy

and dedication shown by them as

well as more practical help they are

able to offer", said Michele Elliot,

Director Kidscape.

Janet Mulholland, Head Teacher

added “The day was a very useful

opportunity for the children to

interact with adults and people from

different professions which can be

extremely powerful in terms of

increasing their awareness of

the potential opportunities available

to them.“

“Heart of the City...

is matching business

support with charities

that need help... to

translate the

widespread social

concern that exists

among employers and

employees alike into

effective action for the

common good.”

Rt Hon Gordon Brown,

MP, Chancellor of

the Exchequer

C I T Y V I E W14

A R T S F O C U S

From Accra to Zanzibar, streets

scenes in Shanghai and Puerto

Rico, the Grand Bazaar in

Constantinople and elephants in

Burma – an exhibition of early

overseas photographs taken from

its business collections is now on

display at Guildhall Library Print

Room until 29 December.

The six companies whose

photographs have been selected

for display had their head office in

the Square Mile but were active in

all parts of the world. They had a

wide variety of business interests

including gold mining, rubber

tapping and teak extraction.

Although many of the images were

taken to demonstrate business

activities, they show a wide range

of people and places.

This is an exciting and unique

opportunity to see these

around the world in images

William Powell Frith: Painting the

Victorian Age is on display until

4 March 2007.

More information

www.guildhall-art-gallery.org.uk

A long overdue exhibition devoted

to William Powell Frith, one of the

greatest British painters of the

social scene since Hogarth, is

also now on display at Guildhall

Art Gallery.

It is more than 50 years since his

work was highlighted and this

exhibition contains more than

60 paintings, prints and drawings,

many from private collections,

alongside most of Frith’s major

works, with loans from national and

fascinating photographs from

around the world and admission is

free. An illustrated catalogue is on

sale in Guildhall Library Bookshop.

More information

www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/

guildhalllibrary

regional galleries around the

country.

Frith (1819-1909) was a

quintessential yet radical and

innovative Victorian painter who

enjoyed huge success and

popularity - on six separate

occasions rails had to be put up in

front of his pictures in the

Royal Academy to hold back the

admiring crowds.

This major exhibition includes

works borrowed from galleries

across Britain and features his

great ‘modern life’ panoramas

including Derby Day, from Tate

Britain and The Railway Station,

from Royal Holloway College,

University of London, without an

illustration of which no book on

Victorian art is complete. These

paintings are populated by

numerous figures, based on his

friends, family, professional models

and characters that he met in the

street, and remain icons of their age.

East River (Brooklyn) Bridge under

construction. New York, USA c. 1880

Below right, Indian shop in Bazaar

Street, Nairobi, Kenya, 1908

Left, Many Happy

Returns of the

Day, William

Powell Frith (1856)

Annie Gambart,

William Powell Frith (1851)

C I T Y V I E W 15

A R T S F O C U S

journey to a new world

Emigrants and immigrants are the

subjects of two separate

exhibitions at the Museum of

London and Museum in

Docklands.

Belonging: voices of London’s

refugees is now on show at the

Museum of London and reveals the

experiences and contributions of

refuges in the capital. It presents

powerful interviews, photographs,

objects, art, and film to tell the

personal stories of why refugees

come to London, the challenges of

their new lives, the barriers they face,

and the immeasurable contributions

they make to the City. People from

more than 15 communities are

included – representing such regions

as Africa, the Middle East, Europe,

Asia and Latin America.

The focus of the exhibition is on the

voices of refugees themselves and

on questions such as ‘What is it like

to be forced to leave your country?

How do you build a new life in exile?

And how on earth do you get a grip

on London?’ It also looks at the

importance of family, the role of

community and culture, perceptions

of London itself, challenges and

achievements, and ideas about home

and belonging.

Some of the evocative items which,

along with the personal stories, bring

home experiences of loss and

struggle, and of finding one’s feet and

making a difference in London

include

■ a blanket from Ethiopia that

provided comfort for its owner

when he had to sleep at Heathrow

on his first night in London

■ paintings by an artist from Ecuador

who was transfixed by red

telephone boxes;

■ an award won by a Tamil local

councillor for combating anti-social

behaviour;

■ stunning images of refugees that

have found work – a hairdresser, a

restaurateur, a scientist, among

others.

At the other end of the migrant

experience, Journey to the New

World: London 1606 to Virginia 1607

marks the 400th anniversary of the

first permanent English settlement in

America at Jamestown, Virginia.

The exhibition at the Museum in

Docklands tells the story of how The

Virginia Company of London

established the colony in 1607 and

shows how ordinary and

extraordinary men, women and

children helped to create an

emerging nation - a New World for

the English and the American

Indians.

The Jamestown settlement holds a

central place in early American and

British colonial history. It provided

the springboard for the development

of the English North American

colonies and helped to form English

colonial policy. It was the first

important transfer of English people

to a foreign shore, and the

contributions and experiences of

its early settlers provided the

foundations for many of the enduring

social, economic and political ideals

of the American nation.

A whole series of exhibitions and

celebratory events will take place in

the Commonwealth of Virginia and

throughout the United States, but

this will be the only exhibition in the

UK to use material from the

unrivalled collections of the Museum

in Docklands alongside recently

excavated 17th century finds from

Jamestown which have never been

exhibited before.

Journey to the New World: London

1606 to Virginia 1607 is at the

Museum in Docklands until

13 May 2007.

More information

www.museumindocklands.org.uk

Belonging: voices of London’s

refugees is at the Museum of

London until 25 February 2007.

More information

www.museumoflondon.org.uk

C I T Y V I E W16

N E W S I N B R I E F

...and finally

While ongoing Cheapside

renovation work may have reduced

the number of shops available in

2006, Christmas 2007 looks to be a

bumper one for City shoppers.

As part of the work, there are 12

new building sites made up of 167

new retail units – an increase in

retail space of almost 50% – with

the aim of making Cheapside the

City’s major shopping street linking

Paternoster to the Royal Exchange.

The first two developments to be

completed will be One Wood Street

in summer 2007 followed in the

autumn by Bow Bells House in

Bread Street. The largest new

‘mixed use’ development will be

One New Change, opposite

St Paul’s Cathedral, with more than

221,000sq ft of retail space. The

scheme will contain a mixture of

shops on three levels, office space,

and a large public roof terrace

providing views of the Cathedral.

The City Property Advisory Team is

heading a group to attract new

retailers including department stores

to the City as well as informing the

public on progress and working with

other City of London departments to

improve the street scene and

vibrancy of the area.

It’s also hoped the new shops will

trade at week-ends and encourage

more people to enjoy a visit to the

Square Mile. During the week the

City is frenetic with activity yet on

Saturdays and Sundays the area falls

largely silent because it is not seen

as a leisure destination as shoppers

head to the West End.

“There are plenty of shoppers in

the City with large disposable

incomes”, said the City’s Chairman

of Policy & Resources Michael

Snyder. “We need to convince

retailers that people will also shop at

weekends. We have a team of

people working to improve the City’s

Street Scene – planting trees, paving

and putting in benches.”

Better choice for City Christmas shoppers in 2007

Mail of the species

The City Information Centre by

St Paul’s Cathedral closed on

29 September this year, having

provided a dedicated face-to-face

service to visitors and London alike,

uninterrupted for 50 years. Since

1956 things have moved on a bit and

this valued service needs a new

building from which to operate. And it

will get it in style next year when a

distinctively contemporary presence

will be introduced into one of

London's most exceptional areas of

visitor interest. The new building is

due to open next autumn and is being

built by the City of London

Corporation with support from the

private sector. Until then the service

will be operated from two temporary

sites, the Shop in the Crypts of St

Paul’s Cathedral and the Museum of

London foyer area. The contact

number remains 020 7332 1456.

More info on the new building

infocentre@cityoflondon.gov.uk

A brand new

building for

the City’s

information

service

The City Property Advisory

Team has met with Post Office

representatives to encourage them

to re-introduce a branch on or close

to Cheapside to replace the Wood

Street branch which closed last year.

Whilst the Post Office has ruled out

a direct investment for cost reasons,

it will look again at Cheapside,

particularly as the planned new

offices and retail units are

developed, and encourage their

partners (eg Ryman the Stationer or

WH Smith) to consider opening a

new store incorporating a Post

Office branch.

In the meantime there are eight

branches in and around the City –

■ 12 Eastcheap EC3M 1AJ

■ 35 Broadgate Circle EC2M 2BY

■ 53 Moorgate EC2R 6BH

■ 16-18 New Bridge Street EC4V 6HX

■ 81-89 Farringdon Road EC1M 3LL

■ 151 Goswell Road EC1V 7ET

■ Mount Pleasant, Rosebery Avenue

EC1R 4SQ

■ 205 Old Street; EC1V 9QN

More information at

www.postoffice.co.uk

or on 08457 223344.