13 July

250 Abseilers Take on The Abseil Challenge!

This year's Lloyd’s of London and The Lady Mayor’s Abseil Challenge saw 250 fearless participants step over the edge and descend the famous Lloyd's building across two unforgettable days. Together, participants have already raised an incredible £120,000 for their chosen charities including The Appeal.

Leading by example on Thursday morning, The Lady Mayoress Dame Susan Langley descended at around 10.30am alongside her husband Gary. They were joined by the Shrieval Consorts, Elspeth Hughes-Penney and Kevin Bradford who described the experience as ‘leg trembling’ but one they ‘all loved’.

One participant who deserves special recognition is Alan Wells, who completed the challenge just one week before celebrating his 86th birthday. Alan first took on The Abseil Challenge in 2017 and returned once again to prove that courage has no age limit. His determination inspired everyone watching from the ground below.

The event also welcomed teams from across the City who embraced the opportunity to challenge themselves while supporting causes close to their hearts. The Lord Mayor’s Appeal Corporate Partners Payden & Rygel created an impressive team of 17 made up of colleagues and clients - all of whom completed their Wednesday evening descent.

It was great to see organisations from right across the City represented. Among them was Dr David Jefferys, Master Apothecary, who swapped ‘solid ground for the side of the iconic Lloyd's building’ to complete the 289-foot descent in support of the Society of Apothecaries' Master's Fund. As he put it, it was certainly ‘not your average morning commute!’

Behind every successful descent was the fantastic team at MTS Abseil, whose professionalism and encouragement helped participants of all experience levels feel confident before stepping over the edge. Their expertise, combined with the enthusiasm and dedication of our kind volunteers, created a brilliant atmosphere throughout both days despite the summer heat.

To everyone who took part, donated, volunteered or cheered from below – thank you. Every descent helped raise vital funds for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal and demonstrated what can be achieved when the City comes together.

Elizabeth Richards from Asta Capital Limited summed up the unique event perfectly, saying: "It's not every day that you get to abseil down the iconic Lloyd's building!"

There's still time to make a difference. If you'd like to support The Lloyd’s of London and Lady Mayoress' Abseil Challenge, you can still donate via The Lady Mayoress' JustGiving page here