Ever since it was founded, philanthropy has played a pivotal role in making the Royal Hospital a centre of excellence for former soldiers.
From Mary Astell, who founded and funded a school for the daughters of Chelsea Pensioners in 1709, to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II who donated the parade chair and ceremonial mace on display in our museum, past benefactors have shaped today’s Royal Hospital. Today’s philanthropists take their place in this proud history.
Making a philanthropic donation to the Royal Hospital Chelsea offers a unique opportunity to help us continue our centuries-old tradition of providing the very best care for veterans of the Armed Forces.
The generosity of past benefactors is still delivering benefits today. With the help of like-minded supporters and philanthropists today, we can continue our commitment to serve future generations of Chelsea Pensioners and safeguard their heritage home. In the centuries to come, I’d like to think the same beautiful buildings will still provide a home to Chelsea Pensioners with the same ideals. With the help of those who share our values, I believe we can achieve this.
The lasting impact of philanthropy
From supporting a culture of comradeship that helps to address social isolation among older people, to providing the activities that boost mental and physical health and the exceptional care that contributes to the longevity of our veterans, philanthropic donations make a lasting, positive impact.
The commitment of generous donors in our recent history, both as personal supporters and as ambassadors for the Royal Hospital, has made a tremendous difference to our community. Together they have helped us to:
- Build our Infirmary with registered care wards, a specialist dementia ward, end-of-life facilities and a dedicated medical centre. The Infirmary and its courtyard garden are named for Baroness Margaret Thatcher and Lord Salisbury respectively – in honour of their key contributions. Further donations ensure the Infirmary can continue to offer the very best environment for the most vulnerable Pensioners.
- Transform the daily lives of Chelsea Pensioners with a fully accessible Activities Centre, offering a wide range of life-enhancing activities for veterans of all abilities in a state-of-the-art building.
- Invest in the historic ‘long wards’ accommodation designed by Christopher Wren. The iconic, oak-panelled wards retain their character but have been enlarged and modernised to meet the needs of today’s Chelsea Pensioners. Benefactors include singer-songwriter Bryan Adams who donated in honour of the many members of his family who served in the Army – a berth is named for him in acknowledgement of his generosity.
- Support the Chelsea Pensioners to represent the military community with the best equipment such as lightweight Scarlet uniforms for warmer weather, and transport so they can attend key national military events and represent veterans nationally.
- Safeguard our heritage buildings, art and artefacts for future generations.
- Care for our grounds. The tranquil Salisbury Court garden was designed for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and donated by the Army Medical Corps, while a beautiful garden next to the Soane Pavilion was made possible thanks to a donation from Princess Astrid of Belgium.
Without philanthropy, we couldn’t preserve our historic site or continue our proud tradition of ensuring the Chelsea Pensioners have the exceptional care and support they deserve. With the help of our benefactors, we will continue to honour the contribution of Army veterans for generations to come – just as we have done for over 300 years.
To find out more about making a philanthropic gift to the Royal Hospital, please contact Tricia Monro on 020 7881 5284 or at tricia.monro@chelsea-pensioners.org.uk.
Benefactors
The honorary title of Benefactor is given in acknowledgement of a major contribution of £25,000 and over to the Royal Hospital (cumulatively or through a single gift), helping us become a centre of excellence in veteran care. It is our way of recognising an outstanding gift, or long-term commitment, to the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
All Benefactor names will be added to a custom-made book - The Benefactors of The Royal Hospital Chelsea – a faithful recreation of the original which is held in our archives and bears handwritten inscriptions from historical Benefactors. The book will be kept on public display on site in honour of the exceptional contribution of these key supporters.
In addition, all Benefactors will receive regular updates on projects they have supported, a copy of the Royal Hospital’s exclusive magazine, invitations to bespoke events linked to the work they have supported, as well as inclusion in the annual calendar of Patron events.
Major Benefactors
In addition to the benefits above, gifts of £100,000 or over to key projects will be acknowledged on bespoke commemorative boards displayed in key buildings or areas of the site, in discussion with donors.
Higher levels of giving will not only be accorded all the benefits of Benefactors, but will also be granted special privileges. These will be discussed on a case-by-case basis with the Governor of the Royal Hospital.