Gold medallists join BGC's 9/11 team

There was a tangible touch of Olympic fever on the trading floor of BGC Partners yesterday.

Always a star-studded occasion, the broker's annual charity event – in which it donates all of its global revenues for a day – this year saw gold medallists Mo Farah and Dani King turn into traders.

Joining the Olympians in London were a raft of other celebrities, including actors Sir Roger Moore and Richard E Grant, Lewis Hamilton, the Formula 1 driver, and Gary Lineker, the television presenter and former footballer. The singer Leona Lewis also joined in, as did Princess Beatrice and Joan Collins, the actress.

The day is held in BGC offices across the world in memory of 658 colleagues who died in the 9/11 attacks.

Last year roughly $12m (£7.5m) was raised, bringing the total amount raised - before yesterday to more than $77m since the event was first held in 2005.

Around 25 British charities are among those set to benefit from this year's event, including Barnardo's, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Great Ormond Street Hospital.