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Royal Free Charity

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Royal Free Charity

We're the NHS charity partner of Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We help our hospitals go further and faster than the NHS could do alone.

We support patients, staff and research across Barnet, Chase Farm, North Mid and the Royal Free hospitals. The Royal Free Charity is here to support patients, staff and research across all our hospitals, all year round. Our vision is for everyone served by our partners the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) to have access to world-leading healthcare, delivered by a thriving workforce and driven by medical research that has a global impact. We support NHS staff and their patients across Barnet, Chase Farm, North Mid and the Royal Free hospitals. Through our volunteers, support hub and complementary therapy services, we make a profound difference to people's experience of their care while addressing some of the wider determinants of health. Our support for the RFL workforce spans individual professional development and training through to organisation-wide interventions to bolster employee resilience and mental health. We support ground-breaking research with potential to change people's lives, whether it's through our small grants programme or delivering major capital funding appeals.

06/10/2026

“It’s nice to give something back to the community. That’s what I love doing.”

Dodie supports the Barnet A&E department offering comfort and reassurance to patients during what is often a stressful, uncertain experience.

Patients visiting A&E find themselves in an unfamiliar environment often in discomfort.

Having a volunteer there like Dodie to bring a glass of water or offer a friendly conversation can make all the difference.

“It’s amazing how many patients come up to you and say thank you, you put a smile on our faces. And I have helped some patients who have had quite a crisis.”

Dodie is one of many volunteers helping patients and staff across our hospitals every day.

Could you support your local hospital? Find out how you can volunteer with us via the link in the comments below.

&E

05/10/2026

Free Wills Month is here.

If writing a will has been sitting on your to-do list, October could be the time to take that important step.

You can write or update your will at no cost, helping give you peace of mind that your wishes are clear and the people you care about are provided for.

Once you have taken care of those closest to you, you may also choose to include a charitable gift.

A gift of any size could help fund:
🏥 advanced equipment that can make treatment gentler and more effective
🧪 pioneering research that brings tomorrow’s treatments closer
👪 extra support for patients and families during some of their most difficult days

Your legacy could help our hospitals go further than NHS funding alone allows, now and for generations to come.

Click the link in the comments to find out more.

02/10/2026

💜 For Rute, volunteering is about learning, helping patients and working towards her dream of becoming a nurse.

Rute is studying health and social care and volunteers at Barnet Hospital to gain more knowledge and experience.

“I have a passion to help patients.”

She believes kindness, passion and respect can help patients feel more at home while they are in hospital.

“We are all family. We need to help each other.”

Volunteers like Rute bring care and kindness to patients in hospital.

Could you volunteer a couple hours a week to support your local hospital community? Find out more and reach out to us via the link below.

https://royalfreecharity.org/get-involved/volunteer

29/09/2026

🏃‍♂️ 496 miles. 31 days. One incredible challenge.

Starting with 1 mile on 1 October, Jake Portner will add another mile every day until he reaches 31 miles on 31 October. That's a staggering 496 miles in just one month!

Jake is taking on this challenge to thank the team at Royal Free Hospital who cared for his dad during his kidney transplant journey. After living with chronic kidney disease, Jonathan received a kidney transplant in July 2025, with Jake's mum, Sharon, donating her kidney to make it possible.

The care and support they received inspired Jake to give something back, helping us continue supporting patients, staff and research across the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

Join us in wishing Jake the very best of luck as he embarks on this remarkable challenge. 💙

👇 Donate via the link in the comments.

28/09/2026

The future of healthcare is built through research, innovation and the human moments that help people feel cared for.

A gift in your will could help fund pioneering research, advanced equipment and extra support for patients, families, staff and volunteers across Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust hospitals.

It could help make treatment gentler. Bring new breakthroughs closer. Or make a difficult day feel a little less overwhelming.

Free Wills Month starts in October. Click the link in the comments and find out how a lasting gift could help shape the future of care.

25/09/2026

Over the last week, three people who represent different parts of the Royal Free Charity story appeared together on one of Leicester Square's iconic giant digital screens.

Nirmala gives her time as a volunteer, Kris delivers massage therapy in our hospitals, and George has helped advance our understanding of a medical condition through research supported by charitable funding.

Thanks to a generous donation of advertising space from Ocean Outdoor, their stories are helping us reach new audiences across London and shine a light on the many ways our supporters, staff and researchers make a difference.

Our huge thanks to Nick and the team at Ocean Outdoor for their support, and to Nirmala, Kris and George for being such fantastic ambassadors for our work. 💙

23/09/2026

Claim your free will this October and put your wishes in writing - at no cost.

It is a chance to write your will at no cost, giving you peace of mind that your wishes are clear and the people you care about are provided for.

After taking care of those closest to you, you may also choose to leave a gift in your will.

A gift of any size could help fund pioneering research, advanced equipment and extra support for patients and families across your local hospitals.

These are the things NHS funding alone cannot always provide and can make a lasting difference for generations to come.

Click the link in the comments to find out more about your free will.

21/09/2026

🏔️ What would inspire you to climb Africa's highest mountain?

For Keziah, every step up Mount Kilimanjaro was for liver transplant patients and their families.

Keziah, a lead clinical scientist in organ preservation at the Royal Free Hospital, took on the challenge to raise funds for families who travel long distances to be close to loved ones during treatment and recovery.

After battling freezing temperatures, exhaustion and high altitude, she reached the summit thinking of the patients, transplant teams, organ donors and donor families who make transplantation possible.

As Keziah says: "Organ donation is not just a clinical process; it is a human story."

💜 The climb may be over, but there's still time to support her fundraiser and help families stay close to loved ones when they need it most. Click the link in the comments to make a donation.

16/09/2026

At Chase Farm Hospital’s endoscopy unit, volunteers are helping to make what can be an anxious experience feel a little less daunting. ⭐

An endoscopy is an examination to look inside the body using a thin flexible camera. Supporting patients means being alongside people at a particularly vulnerable moment.

As they wait for a procedure or recover afterwards, many patients welcome the chance to talk to someone.

Anne who volunteers in the department shared: “Waiting for the procedure in particular is often a very worrying time for patients and distraction or someone to sit and listen to them is of great benefit.”

Following a career in the NHS as a medical secretary, Anne knows how to talk to patients who are going through difficult moments.

One encounter from her volunteering has stayed with her. She listened as a young woman experiencing mental health difficulties opened up about the challenges she was facing beyond her treatment.

“I was literally a shoulder to cry on,” Anne shared.

While clinical staff focus on delivering excellent care, volunteers like Anne offer time, reassurance and a friendly face.

Could you help support patients in our hospitals? Find out about volunteering via the link below.

https://royalfreecharity.org/get-involved/volunteer

15/09/2026

Could the key to understanding Parkinson’s disease be found in our gut?

New research has identified distinct changes in gut bacteria linked to Parkinson’s disease, including in people at higher genetic risk before symptoms fully appear. The findings could help researchers identify who is most at risk and open new avenues for future treatments.

Thanks to charity funding, three PhD students were able to contribute to this important international study, with Professor Tony Schapira describing Royal Free Charity's support as playing "a significant role".

Click the link in the comments to read the full story, along with many more inspiring stories from across our hospitals, in the latest edition of Further, Faster, For All.

Address

The Pears Building
London
NW32PP

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+442074726677

Website

https://royalfreecharity.org/

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