Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity
Nigel Cox · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity
Founded	1992
Type	Charity
Location	London
Key people	Lord Mayor of London, King Charles III, Theresa May, Boris Johnson
Area served	United Kingdom
Focus	Children's health

Contents

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity supports a major children's hospital in London and funds clinical care, research, facilities and family support. The charity raises money through public appeals, corporate partnerships, legacy giving and community fundraising linked to institutions such as Royal Opera House, Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and cultural events including the Chelsea Flower Show, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Notting Hill Carnival and Glastonbury Festival. It works alongside medical organisations and universities such as University College London, King's College London, Imperial College London, University of Oxford and University of Cambridge.

History

The charity was established in the early 1990s amid a climate shaped by policy debates involving figures like Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and institutions including the National Health Service, the House of Commons and the Department of Health and Social Care. Early supporters included cultural institutions such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Shakespeare Company and British Film Institute, and philanthropists connected to houses like Claridge's and estates associated with families such as the Windsor family. High-profile endorsements and legal precedents from cases heard in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and appeals in the Privy Council shaped fundraising and charitable law frameworks affecting the charity. The charity's evolution parallels developments at hospitals like Great Ormond Street Hospital and peer institutions such as Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Evelina London Children's Hospital and Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

The trustees and executive team draw governance best practice from bodies including the Charity Commission for England and Wales, the National Audit Office and standards set by the Institute of Fundraising. Board members have included alumni of organisations such as Barclays, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company and public servants with links to Downing Street and the Cabinet Office. Major funding streams come from corporate partners like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis Partnership and Virgin Group, philanthropic foundations such as the Wellcome Trust, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and private family foundations tied to names like Evelyn de Rothschild, Sir Paul McCartney and patrons from the House of Lords. The charity's financial reporting aligns with standards used by organisations including The National Lottery Community Fund and grant panels that evaluate proposals against metrics championed by NHS England and research councils such as the Medical Research Council.

High-profile campaigns have featured celebrity ambassadors drawn from The Beatles alumni, actors associated with the Royal National Theatre, presenters from the BBC and athletes from teams like Manchester United, Chelsea F.C., Arsenal F.C. and competitors from the London Marathon. Annual appeals have included collaborations with arts institutions such as Sadler's Wells Theatre, Tate Modern, National Gallery (London), Victoria and Albert Museum, and pop culture tie-ins with franchises like Harry Potter, Star Wars, Doctor Who and the James Bond series. Fundraising events range from charity galas at venues like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace to endurance events allied with organisations such as Sport Relief, Comic Relief and the Royal British Legion.

The charity funds clinical fellowships, capital projects and translational research in partnership with academic centres at Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Oxford Children's Hospital and research funders like the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council. Supported programmes have contributed to advances in paediatric cardiology, oncology, neurosurgery, immunology and genetics alongside trials registered with networks such as the European Medicines Agency, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and collaborative consortia including Cancer Research UK and the European Society for Paediatric Research. Grants have enabled facility upgrades reminiscent of projects at Royal Brompton Hospital and partnerships with specialist centres like Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust and international institutions such as Boston Children's Hospital, SickKids and Hopital Necker-Enfants Malades.

The charity has strategic collaborations with corporations including Apple Inc., Google, Microsoft, Amazon (company) and media partners like the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and publishers such as Penguin Random House and HarperCollins. Academic partnerships extend to Harvard University, Columbia University, Stanford University, Karolinska Institutet and European partners in networks like European Union health initiatives and projects funded under programmes akin to Horizon 2020. Clinical collaborations mirror joint programmes with centres such as Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Free London, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust.

Public engagement leverages cultural and sporting events including the London Marathon, Royal Ascot, Wimbledon Championships, FA Cup Final and seasonal activities at landmarks such as Covent Garden, Westminster Abbey, Somerset House and Hyde Park. Outreach campaigns have used media platforms including BBC Radio 4, The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent and broadcasters like Sky News and Channel 5 to reach donors, advocates and policymakers. Educational collaborations draw on museum partners such as the Natural History Museum, London and the Science Museum, London and engage volunteers through national networks like National Citizen Service and youth organisations such as Girlguiding and The Scout Association.

Category:Charities based in London