From Our Chairman
19th September, 2023
In his latest post, Tim Hutchings, Chairman of our Board of Trustees, reflects on this special anniversary year.
As we celebrate our 60th anniversary it is appropriate that we reflect on the original objective that was put in place by our first chair, Lady Hoare, and the treasurer at the time, her husband, Sir Frederick. It was:
“The raising of money to be spent on increasing the comfort of patients and the nursing staff, outside allocation provided by the Ministry of Health, and the recruitment of volunteers to help in the many ways which are of infinite importance to the happiness and general welfare of the patients, many of whom for shorter or longer periods are unable to see.”
Sir Frederick and Lady Hoare seem to have been remarkable people, being proactive in so many charitable endeavours, Sir Frederick as a former Lord Mayor of London and Lady Hoare in her work to support families affected by thalidomide amongst other things.
Initially there were 57 subscribing members and 103 donors. The Friends had £250 in their bank account in 1963 and a voluntary scheme was organised with the aim of having 30 regular volunteer helpers at each main site (High Holborn, Highgate and City Road). Today we have nearly 800 subscribing members, almost 300 volunteers and provide support at clinics in Bedford, Croydon, Stratford, Brent Cross, Northwick Park, Potters Bar and St George’s.
Though we remain true to the principles contained within the original objectives, we have significantly increased the range and scope of our offering, from guiding people around the venues to their appointments, supporting nervous patients during surgery, telephoning patients to remind them of appointments, supporting the pharmacy at City Road, maintaining a shop supplying a wide range of goods and, last but not least, our Health Information Hub providing information to patients and others on all matters pertaining to eye health.
Today the Friends of Moorfields has grown into a voluntary organisation of some substance, one which not only provides a wide range of services but one which, over the years, has provided a range of financial support to the hospital to help support it, and its staff, in maintaining its position as the world-leading institution it has become.
Our most important piece of financial support is yet to come, when we donate £1 million towards the development of Oriel, the new eye care, research and education centre which will be home to Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology in Camden.
We are extremely grateful to Sir Frederick and Lady Hoare for establishing the Friends of Moorfields. I hope they would be immensely proud of what our volunteers and staff have done to build on their efforts, I have a sneaky feeling they would be. I know that I and our current Board of Trustees are. Here’s to the next 60 years.