At a fundraising feast for the armed forces last night, a roster of high-profile individuals, among them the Mayor of London Boris Johnson and the former chief of general staff Sir Michael Jackson, exhorted their City of London guests to spend their bonuses on a worthy cause.

And those present at the historic Guildhall responded by putting their hands deep into their pockets - the Square Mile Salute raised more than £250,000 for Help for Heroes, The Royal British Legion and ABF The Soldiers' Charity.