A real privilege to be at Mansion House today when Forty “remarkable” individuals were awarded Freedom of the City of London in a group ceremony.

Leading figures from the science, medicine, business, academia, education, and arts sectors have been awarded the Freedom of the City of London during a group ceremony, hosted by Lord Mayor Professor Michael Mainelli.

The second ceremony of its kind to be held this year, today’s event brought together the 40 recipients to be honoured at the Lord Mayor’s official residence, The Mansion House, for outstanding achievements in their respective fields.

The awards were given as part of the Lord Mayor’s ‘Connect to Prosper’ theme, which focuses on the City’s expertise in areas including finance, law, art, and engineering, and brings together experts from diverse backgrounds to work on critical global challenges, such as climate change and AI.

Some of the recipients include Professor of Warnings and Science Communication at UCL’s Department of Science & Technology Studies, Professor Carina Fearnley; historian, Professor David Edgerton; actress and director, Josette Bushell-Mingo OBE; Deputy Chief Executive Officer, JN Bank, and Deputy Chair of the Windrush Commemoration Committee, Paulette Simpson CBE; autism and race advocacy campaigner, Reena Anand; and restaurateur, Søren Jessen.

They were nominated for the City’s award by the Lord Mayor and elected City of London Corporation Member, Alderman Alastair King.