Whispering Gallery project donors
Whispering Gallery project donors
We are grateful for the support of the following donors:
David Pearlman Charitable Foundation
David Pearl (born David Pearlman - pictured) is the founder and CEO of Pearl & Coutts, a property development company. He has been a supporter of St Paul’s for many years. This project marks the biggest donation he has made to the Cathedral, personally underwriting nearly half of the entire cost of the project through his charitable foundation.
The Friends of St Paul's Cathedral
Through membership fees, additional donations and legacy gifts, the Friends of St Paul’s are able to give grants to a variety of different projects in the Cathedral. The Friends Council (the Trustees of the Friends) approved a number of grants to the Whispering Gallery bringing their total contribution to £246,000. This project is a great example of the impact of the Friends, what they are able to achieve through their support, and why the Friends are so important to the Cathedral.
CBRE
CBRE are a global commercial real estate firm. Their CEO in the UK is Ciaran Bird, who was David Pearl’s apprentice when he first started out in business. Relationships are key in fundraising, and often major donors are able to unlock funding from other people in their networks, as in this case.
Iguzzini Illuminazione UK
The lighting manufacturer for the project agreed to supply materials at a significant discount from the market rate and are credited in recognition of this. This is a great example of one of the many different ways that organisations can support St Paul’s.
Garfield Weston Trust for St Paul's
The Garfield Weston Trust for St Paul’s was created in 1972 through the gifting of a significant portfolio of investments from the Weston family. The income from these funds is used to support the conservation of the fabric of St Paul’s. Since its inception, the Trust has donated a total of over £5.4m to St Paul’s Cathedral including the Whispering Gallery and the Equal Access Project.
Kirby Laing Foundation
The Kirby Laing Foundation is a grant giving body that we applied to for funds, with grants decided by a board of Trustees – we received the offer of a grant contingent upon us raising the remaining balance, which we were successfully able to do.
David Barnett
David is a former Senior Partner at an investment bank and has been a Music Patron and supporter of the Cathedral for many years. He currently sits on the Board of COLET (the City of London Endowment Trust for St Paul’s), another grant giving body set up to manage investments and support St Paul’s, similar to the Garfield Weston Trust for St Paul’s. In addition to this position, David also supports the Cathedral in a personal capacity.
Ramon and Penny Walsh
Ramon and Penny have been Friends of St Paul’s since 2012 and, following two smaller donations to St Paul’s during lockdown and Covid, this marks the first significant gift that they have made. Ramon works in Finance in an office close to St Paul’s and aims to pop in as often as he can on his lunchbreaks!
Alongside these major donors, a number of other supporters also contributed to the project and each and every donation has been crucial in reopening the Whispering Gallery.
