2025: How Imperial Health Charity made a difference this year
2025: How Imperial Health Charity made a difference this year
11 December 2025
From fundraising appeals to life-changing grants, dedicated volunteers and beautiful art installations – there’s a lot to celebrate. In September, we welcomed our new Chief Executive, Gail Scott-Spicer, and she and our Chair of Trustees, Andreas Raffel, are leading the way as we drive towards a new strategy for our charity next year.
January
Photo: Douglas Atfield
Two stained glass artworks by British artist Keith Grant were restored following a major conservation effort by our arts team. One of these is Millenium New World One (pictured), first installed in 1999 as part of a refurbishment of the Charing Cross Hospital lobby. You will find the stained glass in the lobby behind the escalators. It is 12 metres tall and 7 metres wide. At the time of its production, it was one of the biggest stained glass windows in Europe, and took five people seven weeks to complete. Discover how our arts team is making an impact.
February
We celebrated our volunteers with a special thank you event in February. Volunteers received awards recognising length of service and the difference they’ve made across our hospitals, with speeches from Trust CEO Tim Orchard and our former CEO Ian Lush. Between April 2024 - 2025, we had 1,097 volunteers give over 35,000 hours, interacting with 184,681 patients and visitors. Our volunteers also had a great time doing it, giving an average 4.6/5 rating for their shifts. Interested in volunteering? Find out more.
March
Photo: Sara Choudhrey, Sky High, 2025. Acrylic on wood panel. Installation shot at Wembley Community Diagnostics Centre.
We commissioned a series of artworks by artist Sara Choudhrey for Wembley Community Diagnostic Centre, helping to improve the space for patients who visit the centre for MRI or CT scans. Sara’s work explores themes of space, place, heritage and belonging. Her use of pattern and repeat motifs, often found in Islamic architecture, has been employed to create moments of quiet contemplation and pause throughout the centre. Browse our recent commissions and installations.
April
Six runners took on the London Marathon for Imperial Health Charity, raising over £22,100 for projects to support patients, staff and departments across our hospitals. Pictured is Sean, who ran to raise money for St Mary’s Hospital. Sean and his two siblings were born at St Mary's, and his mother received treatment there for breast cancer in the 1990s. Recently, his father was admitted to the hospital’s Acute Respiratory Unit, and the family were overwhelmed by the attentive care he received from staff. Sean shared: “All the staff went above and beyond! To see it first-hand was quite powerful, really, and we were all very grateful.” Read more of our runners' inspiring stories.
May
We launched our Rainbow Clinic Appeal, raising £48,000 for Poppy’s Fund. The appeal has funded a private space where families will receive specialist care during a new pregnancy following baby loss. Pictured is mother Shannon and her son Eziah with the two members of staff who supported her through her rainbow pregnancy after experiencing the loss of her first baby. Learn more about the appeal.
June
A group of 35 cyclists completed the gruelling Fireflies Tour through the Alps, raising over £100,000 for our Blood Fund. The Fund supports life-saving research into the causes and treatment of leukaemia and blood cancers. The group said: “We were inspired by the courage it takes to fight cancer. We ride for those who cannot; it’s tough, but nowhere near as tough as the fight with cancer.” Find out more about our Blood Fund and the research we’re funding.
July
Through our Summer Youth Volunteering Programme, 151 young people aged 16-21 joined our hospitals to volunteer in July and August. The volunteers supported patients and staff in wards and departments across our hospitals, while learning skills to help them take their next steps after school or university, and into their careers.
August
Robert, the first patient to receive treatment from a charity-funded ECMO machine – a device that temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs — returned to Hammersmith Hospital to meet the team that saved his life. The ECMO device was funded through our 2024 ICU Appeal. Read more about this powerful reunion.
September
Gail Scott-Spicer started as Chief Executive Officer at Imperial Health Charity, taking over from Ian Lush, who retired in July following almost 11 years at the charity. Gail joined us from King’s College Hospital Charity, where she was Chief Executive since 2018. She previously also held the position of Chief Executive at both the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust and the Carers Trust, and has over 25 years of experience working in the charity and not-for-profit sector. Hear more from Gail on her LinkedIn.
October
A new mural, ‘A Train Through Time’, created by artist Nina Cosford and funded by GWR, was unveiled at the entrance to St Mary's A&E department. Nina Cosford said: “I've loved working with Imperial Health Charity and Great Western Railway to help bring some new life to this wall outside St Mary's Hospital. It's amazing to think how many different people can cross paths each day - I wanted to show this and the passing of time as you move from one end of the mural to the other.” Learn more about this impressive mural.
November
We launched our Winter Appeal for the Chemotherapy Day Unit at Charing Cross Hospital. Through the appeal, we hope to transform the unit into a more comfortable space and provide entertainment and distraction for patients receiving treatment like Steve, pictured. Find out more and donate to the appeal today.
December
We welcomed our corporate partners, Virgin Media O2, to St Mary's Hospital's ICU and major trauma wards to deliver donated care packs. The packs will support people experiencing homelessness who are admitted to the hospital this winter. Interested in becoming a corporate partner? Find out more.
