The Global Party, a series of high-end fundraising events headed by entrepreneur David Johnstone and philanthropist Lord Stanley Fink, is hoping to double the amount it raises for charity in 2014, its third year.

Last year the Global Party in London held at the Savoy, raised £200,000 for the Mayor’s Fund for London and globally the event brought in just over £1m for various charities. Co-founder David Johnstone told civilsociety.co.uk that this year the organisation aims to double that amount.

The Global Party - lauded by The Telegraph as the “social event of the decade" - consists of exclusive events hosted at venues in 360 luxury venues around the world. Each venue donates its services to host an event to a charity, which can then use it to fundraise from VIPs it and the venue has invited to attend.

While last year the event was held simultaneously over three nights across venues across the globe, this year’s Global Party will include events across September. The organisation is hoping to host an event in at least one venue in each of the 360 target cities.

This year the Global Party will also launch ‘The Movement’ a campaign which will see all the participating venues include a year-round fundraising offer, such as adding a £1 donation from the sale of a specific cocktail to their charity of choice. Johnstone said the organisation hopes this will raise yet more money for beneficiary charities.

Global Party structure

The Global Party is part of the Free Holdings group of companies, co-founded by Lord Fink and Johnstone, which cater to the luxury market. The Global Charity Trust is set up by the Free Holdings co-founders. It is not a registered charity, but rather an account with the Charities Aid Foundation.

Johnstone said the Global Party series is about philanthropy, but also the opportunity to promote luxury services provided by other Free Holdings companies. Free Holdings, Johnstone was clear, does not make any profit from the Global Party.

“I love philanthropy. I’ve learned a lot about philanthropy from my business partner. But I can’t afford to be a complete philanthropist, I make my money through my businesses,” he said. “The Global Party is a vehicle to promote those businesses across the world.

“It has benefits for everybody. Everybody does it for philanthropy, and some organisations also do it for the promotion of their products.”

The money raised for charities, he said, is done so at no cost to those organisations given that the venues donate their services and the Global Party provides the PR.

Johnstone told civilsociety.co.uk the Global Charity Trust does not hold or raise funds for the charities supported by the Global Party events, but rather the funds raised at those events goes directly to the beneficiary charity. “We’re not a charity, we’re a trust. We’re registered under CAF and we’re audited and approved by CAF,” he said. “They’re accountable to the Ombudsman and we can’t do anything unless it’s agreed by them.”

The Global Charity Trust features a wide range of charities, but Johnstone said that many of these have been funded directly by Lord Fink, rather than the Trust.