Our impact in an extraordinary year

Like so many others, this has been a remarkable year for the Foundation. 2020 transformed the way we work and energised our long-term commitment to tackling health inequalities. We were especially privileged to support the care and wellbeing of NHS staff in these extraordinary times.  

Our mission has never been more important 

Our ambition to drive more equitable health underpins everything we do, from our work to improve health in cities through Impact on Urban Health, to our work as the charity for Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and our approach to managing our endowment.  

This past year we have seen first-hand the impact of COVID-19 on people living in our boroughs and those working tirelessly across our partner hospitals and community sites. The pandemic has accelerated important trends across our work and attracted many new partners to our mission to build the foundations of a healthier society. 

Driving impact through funding   

Over the year we contributed nearly £30 million in charitable expenditure towards building a healthier society. Of this total, over £6 million went towards addressing the impact of COVID-19 in our communities, and over £10 million went to benefit patients and staff at the Trust.  

In the year, we delivered over one million healthy breakfasts to families experiencing food insecurity, backed a project to support cleaner air around local schools, and raised nearly £10 million in generous donations and gifts in kind, showing overwhelming levels of public support for the NHS. 

However, what sits with me are the stories behind these numbers. The rest and recovery areas for Trust staff who had completed a gruelling shift. The virtual visits between patients and their loved ones. The shield to protect people’s health from financial insecurity. The community store to meet residents’ long-term need for accessible and affordable healthy food. And there are 300 other stories we backed too. 

Making our assets work harder for health 

Our assets continue to put us in an exceptionally strong position, with our endowment delivering a robust return over the year despite market fluctuations. We set our endowment dual objectives of financial returns and health impact. In 2020/21, we grew our impact investment portfolio to £31m, committing to new funds focused on life sciences and affordable housing. We also progressed key plans for our property developments with a strong health and wellbeing focus and took steps to become a more responsible and engaged investor.  

Building a healthier society is a collective endeavour. The dedication, drive, and creativity of our team, our board, and our partners give me confidence that better health for all is within our reach. 

We welcome you to download our Annual Report for 2020/21.