Our heritage powered by charity

On this International Day of Charity (5 September 2024), we recognise and celebrate the lifeblood of the Greenwich Foundation for the Old Royal Naval College, the charity that powers the conservation and education work and helps to preserve these beautiful buildings and grounds for future generations.  

As an iconic UNESCO World Heritage site standing as a symbol of our collective history and culture, conserving our heritage is not just a job — it is a responsibility that belongs to all of us. 

As Chief Executive of the Greenwich Foundation I have boundless admiration for our dedicated team of staff, volunteers, partners and supporters who are passionate and deliver impressive work each year.  

To put this into numbers, we carry out over 10,000 hours of conservation work per year to maintain and protect some of the nation’s finest art and architecture. To conserve our buildings and grounds and keep them open to everyone, it costs £10,000 per day. We rely on donations to support this work, and every donation counts.  

Philanthropy is woven into the very fabric of the Old Royal Naval College. The site was born from an extraordinary act of charity when Queen Mary II and King William III established the Royal Hospital for Seamen at Greenwich in 1694, a refuge for retired and injured sailors who had served the nation.  

Over the centuries, countless individuals and organisations have recognised the importance of preserving this magnificent 17-acre site. We could not have delivered the Painted Hall conservation project, and many projects before or since, without acts of charity. The impact of philanthropy, and donations big and small help us to carry out our charitable mission. 

Today, now more than ever, we rely on the generosity of the public, individual donors, foundations, funding bodies and the government to help maintain and protect some of the nation’s finest art and architecture. Charity can help provide the necessary resources to restore historic buildings. This includes maintaining our iconic domes, colonnades and courtyards, sculptures and artworks alongside miles of stonework, railings, gates, windows and doors, lanterns and lightwells, and much more. 

Two important conservation projects started this week in our Chapel thanks to charitable support. Our 235-year-old Samuel Green organ will be restored to former glory in time to accompany the Chapel choir for this year’s Christmas services. The second project is the cleaning and conservation of The Four Graces statues, located in the vestibule of the Chapel which will restore the plinths to their original 18th century presentation and prevent further deterioration of the statues.  

Charity also plays a pivotal role in making history accessible to all through our learning and community engagement. It allows us to run free workshops for schools, young people and community groups including ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) groups, as well as BSL (British Sign Language) and Audio-Described tours. These initiatives, funded by generous gifts, help to inspire young people and foster a deep connection to this special place that they will carry into the future.  

The Clore Centre and the School Room are indispensable learning rooms that welcome people of all ages exploring everything from Tudor beehives and Georgian architecture to drunken sailors and Arctic explorers.   

We are especially proud of our Hospital School Outreach Programme, which was shortlisted for the 2023 Museum + Heritage Awards in the Learning Programme of the Year category. Our exceptional team designs and delivers engaging educational activities for children (and their families) in the Children’s Ward of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich – a ‘school trip’ taken to the hospital. Art and creativity offer hope, interaction, joy, and relaxation for children in hospital. 

At the very heart of it all is volunteering, giving up personal time to welcome, inform, teach, and create memorable moments for all our 800,000 annual visitors and guests. Donations also support volunteer training, resources, and opportunities, helping people to actively engage in heritage and creating a sense of ownership and pride in their community. 

I am hopeful in the shared commitment to safeguard our heritage. With continued charitable support, the Greenwich Foundation can meet the challenges we face, not only continuing to preserve the Old Royal Naval College but helping to shape its future.

Every donation, no matter the size will support our vision, to transform these buildings and grounds into an extraordinary cultural and eventful destination, acclaimed for its sustainable conservation, learning, and creativity for everyone to discover, learn from and delight in for all time. 

Support our work to conserve and share our historic site with all.