The Saving Sight Banquet at Mansion House

On Wednesday 5 February 2025, in the presence of HRH The Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO GCStJ, St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group hosted the Saving Sight Banquet at London’s Mansion House.

Presented by The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Alastair King KStJ DL and Sir Andrew Cash OBE KStJ, Chair of SJEHG, the banquet was in aid of the hospital’s crucial sight-saving work in the Holy Land.

At one of London’s most iconic venues, we were honoured to welcome esteemed guests including HRH Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein of Jordan to share the work of the Eye Hospital with our supporters.

Prior to the main reception and banquet, we held a very special Freedom of the City of London ceremony for our CEO, Dr Ahmad Ma’ali KStJ, in recognition of his exceptional contribution to SJEHG and its historic links to the City of London.

Attended by a selection of our valued supporters, former and current trustees and royalty, the ceremony was the perfect event to start the evening. We were also thrilled to hear that Dr Ma’ali now has the right to drive sheep and cattle over London Bridge, if he so desires!

The drinks reception in the Salon, held before dinner, gave our guests the chance to connect with fellow supporters and soak in the magnificent surroundings.

The magnificent Egyptian Hall of Mansion House was filled with 25 tables, each named after an Eye Hospital department, building, or clinic (you can explore the stories behind the table names here). After welcome remarks from our chair, Sir Andrew Cash OBE KStJ and Grace by Rt Rev Tim Stevens CBE GCStJ, Prelate of the Order of St John, the evening was well underway.

We were treated to some fantastic speeches throughout the night, with our CEO Dr Ahmad Ma’ali KStJ receiving a standing ovation for his moving speech about his deeply personal connection with the Eye Hospital. Along with Order Hospitaller, Prof David Verity KStJ, the pair shared important updates about the hospital’s work, and looked to the future.

It was an honour to have the Grand Prior of the Order of St John, HRH the Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO GCStJ speak about the Order’s enduring history with the Eye Hospital, and HRH Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein DStJ share her story about the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s long-standing association with the Group and the Order.

The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London, Alderman Alastair King KStJ DL also spoke about the links between the City of London and the Eye Hospital, a cause that is deeply important to him.

Our chair Sir Andrew Cash OBE KStJ rounded off the evening’s speeches by sharing the provisional total raised by the Banquet (soon to be announced!) and making a special thanks to the head chef and his team at Social Pantry for creating the fantastic St John themed savoury course served at the end of the meal.

An undoubted highlight of the evening was our Live Auction, where our celebrity auctioneer, Alexandra Aguilar, took bids for essential equipment and services for the Eye Hospital, alongside some beautiful artworks generously donated by our supporters.

A particularly moving moment was when artist Arabella Dorman shared the story behind her painting What Now?, an oil portrait based on a sketch created by Arabella during her time visiting SJEHG’s Gaza Hospital in 2019. Arabella’s beautiful painting sold for £10,000 on the night, and the Live Auction raised over £140,000 in total.

We would like to thank all our wonderful supporters, volunteers and staff for making the evening such a success, helping us to raise funding and awareness for the Eye Hospital’s crucial mission of saving sight and changing lives in the Holy Land.

In the words of our CEO, Dr Ahmad Ma’ali KStJ: “On behalf of our staff, patients, and communities, thank you for joining us tonight. For Faith, For Service to Humanity. Thank you.”