Logistics Skills Alliance & West Thames College joined transport employer operators and the Inst of Couriers to showcase clean air final mile transport delivery.

Multiple brands of final mile with LSA represent whole sector of Express logistics.

Secret surprise, Puffin makes final mile delivery at Mansion House during 90 mins TV coverage by the BBC.

Amazing enthusiasm as Logistics Skills alliance, LSA and West Thames College, Principal Tracy Aust joined Institute of Couriers to deliver memorable on a grand scale.

For the first time ever, LSA joined IOC in the transport magic of Lord Mayor's Show. Remembrance Saturday featuring 100 walkers in 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 the Lord Mayor alongside a bagpiper. 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.

Message from the Lord Mayor, “Carl and the LSA WTC team, a most wonderful and touching gift! Already on display in my new office, the Venetian Parlour. Thank you all!"

The new Lord Mayor, Michael Mainelli has a background in courier logistics, from Royal Mail to ICS couriers, he invited the Institute of Couriers, WTC and the LSA to the carnival-style pageant to engage his Express transport background to the show parade that celebrates his arrival as Lord Mayor of the City of London. He adores Puffin birds and 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. 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 employer transport 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 float

A brand new, registered on Friday for the Saturday of the event, Evri Iveco gas tractor driven by their driver of the year, Vasile Udubasa and headed with a Carmen Livery City number board, 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.

In the heart of it – A puffin surprise makes a final mile delivery for the Lord Mayor

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, brand leaders formed an arc, stood tall and proud to deliver. 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 LSA members 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, walked with the IOC VIP group.

The multiple brands of express logistics employers supporting the Lord Mayor's charity included, Absolutely, CitySprint, Evri, FedEx, HBC, Rico TVS, Santis Global, Smiths News, Whistl and Yodel.

City of London Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli

LSA and West Thames College engaged strongly with the pageant transport employers, the float was one of the largest groups in this year's Lord Mayor's Show. (Float 96). Marshalled by Carmen Court Member Caitland, security headed by Andy Magromallis from Huboo. LSA Chair Carl Lomas was with the new Lord Mayor Michael Mainelli at Mansion House to talk express logistic. Talking Lord Mayor's Show in the wake of the gas truck and clean air zero emission 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)

Despite challenge of weather, national issues and security, the pageant took 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.

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. 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.

The Puffin glove delivered to the Lord Mayor for 2023 - Michael Mainelli

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