Double your donation and bring Greenwich’s heritage to more children in hospital

From 17–24 March 2026, the first £3,944 of donations* made in support of the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College will be match funded and worth double, thanks to the Big Give’s Central Match Fund and a small group of our dedicated supporters.

The fundraising campaign is a great way for our community to double their impact, at no extra cost to themselves – in simple terms, a donation of £10 will be doubled to £20. Every pound raised will help towards expanding the reach of our Hospital Schools Outreach Programme from 21 sessions in the 2025-2026 school year to 33 sessions in the 2026-2027 school year.

Children who are unwell or need regular hospital care can miss out on school trips and other shared learning opportunities with their classmates. The programme brings the stories of the Old Royal Naval College and the splendour of the beautiful Painted Hall directly to children in hospitals, turning wards into inspiring learning spaces.

To bring this programme to even more children, we need to raise funds for the creative facilitators, staff and art and craft materials that make each session possible. Here’s how your donation to our Big Give Arts for Impact 2026 appeal will help:

• A donation of £261.63 is doubled to £532.26. This will fully fund one of the twelve new Hospital School Outreach Programme sessions so we can expand for the 2026-2027 school year.
• A donation of £100 is doubled to £200. This will fund a trained creative practitioner to deliver an engaging workshop so that children can take their minds off their hospital treatment.
• A donation of £25 is doubled to £50. This will fund the arts, crafts and learning materials for two workshop sessions, as we inspire a love of local heritage in future generations.

Matthew Mees, Chief Executive of the Old Royal Naval College, said: “The Old Royal Naval College exists not just as a beautiful place, but as a living resource for communities across London and beyond. Our Hospital Schools Outreach Programme is one of the ways we make that real, bringing the history, art and wonder of this UNESCO World Heritage Site to children who can’t come to us. With the Big Give doubling donations, this March is a wonderful moment to be part of something that will make a real difference to children in hospital.”

To donate and double your support of the Hospital Schools Outreach Programme, visit ornc.org/thebiggive or the Old Royal Naval College page on the Big Give’s Arts for Impact website between 17-24 March 2026.

* All donations received beyond the first £3,944 are added to our fundraising total and will support our plans to deliver 12 extra Hospital School Outreach Programme sessions in the 2026-2027 school year.

About the Old Royal Naval College’s Hospital Schools Outreach Programme

Children who are unwell or need regular hospital care can miss out on school trips and other shared learning opportunities with their classmates.

Run in partnership with five London hospitals, our workshops are inspired by the art, architecture and historic collections of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Greenwich. Designed in close collaboration with hospital school staff, the sessions are inclusive, adaptable and sensitive to each child’s needs, abilities and medical circumstances. We currently welcome over 6,000 children from schools to our site each year and this programme ensures children in hospital are included too.

Some of our recent learning sessions have explored themes such as constellations and navigation; mask-making, linking superheroes to Ancient Greek mythology; Tudor diets, connecting history to healthy eating; and impossible creatures, inspired by the fantastical animals found on the Painted Hall ceiling.

About the Big Give

Big Give is a registered charity (1136547) that brings together larger donors, like philanthropists, foundations and businesses, with the giving public and the charities that need them. They match what the public gives and so double the difference the charity can make. It’s an idea that has already raised approximately £427 million for thousands of charities, supported by James Reed CBE, the driving force behind Big Give and Chair of the Trustees.

It’s a simple idea: if someone gives £50, Big Give will match it with £50 from a larger donor who cares about the same cause. Which makes everyone’s donation go much further.

Big Give runs many cause-focused match funding campaigns: The Women & Girls campaign, the Small Charity week campaign, the Arts for Impact campaign, and the Earth Raise campaign. Big Give has supported more than 20,343 charity projects and worked with some of the biggest names in UK philanthropy and charitable grant-making, which provide match funding, including DCMS, John Spiers (founder of Bestinvest and B Corp registered EQ Foundation), Garfield Weston Foundation, The Waterloo Foundation, The Hospital Saturday Fund, The Childhood Trust and many others.