St George’s Church, Queen Square, London WC1N
Over 150 guests joined us for our annual concert of carols featuring the wonderful choral talents of the Mary Ward Singers, The Julius Singers and The National Hospital Choir along with festive readings by celebrity supporters Joanna David, Edward Fox and Freddie Fox.
100% of profits from these cards will support projects at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery.
Thank you and congratulations to all who took part in the Virgin London Marathon on behalf of The National Brain Appeal on Sunday 17 April 2011 and raised over £35,000.
Heartfelt thanks to John Armstrong, Dominic Brown, Stephen Cronin, David Field, Andrew Howard, Chris Jones, Robert Lawson, James O’Driscoll, Mayumi Okamoto, Lisa Radjenovic, Paul Robins and Nigel Stiles. It was great to meet so many of our runners and their families after the race.
Celebrity quiz masters Julian Rhind-Tutt and Stephen Mangan put supporters of The National Brain Appeal through their paces with a series of challenging – and not so challenging – questions at this event to raise money for the Neuro Imaging Analysis Centre appeal. The winning team celebrated with champagne while the losing team also went home happy with wooden spoons signed by Julian and Stephen.
Our thanks go to Julian and Stephen for hosting the event and entertaining our guests in their inimitable style. Thank you also to everyone who attended and helped us to raise over £2,500 on the night.
If you would like to organise your own quiz night to benefit The National Brain Appeal please email glen.pickard@uclh.nhs.uk
Thank you to this year’s our fantastic BUPA 10,000 runners who together raised over £15,000 for The National Brain Appeal. Sammy Anwuzia, Mike Hanna, Rob Pitceathly, Gita Ramdharry and Trish Turner – you are all amazing.
Professor Mike Hanna and his team of runners from The Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases at The National Hospital successfully completed the BUPA London 10000 race. It was perfect conditions for the event and they followed close on the heels of Mo Farrar and Paula Radcliffe!
This is the 3rd year in a row that Mike and his team have donned their running vests to raise funds for The National Brain Appeal to support research into serious muscle wasting neurological diseases.
Beautiful Royal Windsor Racecourse played host to The National Brain Appeal’s Race Evening on Monday 18 July 2011 and over £25,000 was raised. With its fabulous island setting on the banks of the Thames and a wonderfully warm welcome from the jazz sounds of Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, it was a fabulous and memorable evening.
“There is no better way to start your week than a Monday evening at Royal Windsor,” said Herchel Maclear Jordan, Trustee and Chair of the Race Committee. “The Riverbank Pavilion provided a perfect backdrop and view of the course – and all the while we raised funds for the wonderful work at Queen Square.”
We marked The National’s150th anniversary this year with a host of special events, reflecting on past successes as well as looking forward to the future. Hundreds of people – including London’s Mayor Boris Johnson – streamed through our doors as part of an anniversary open day which showcased the range of services and treatments we offer. During his visit, the Mayor unveiled a plaque to commemorate the start of works in the new Molly Lane Fox Unit, the dedicated ward and assessment centre for Brain Tumour patients which will be complete and in use early in 2011.
Then on Saturday 26th June more than 2,500 visitors joined us for live music, dancing, side-stalls and games and a Victorian Hospital Tent at Fayre on the Square, a community event held on Brunswick Square. Our enormous thanks go to all 186 volunteers, including staff, patients and friends, who helped out withthe Fayre. The event would not have been possible without their help – and we particularly appreciated the efforts of those who dressed in Victorian costume!
Many thanks to all our participants at this year’s London Bridgathon. Supporters of all ages began their journey at Jubilee Gardens on London’s South Bank, passing many of the capital’s greatest landmarks along the way. We also want to say a big thank you to ASOS, Mars and Starbucks for their support.
Over 30 National Hospital supporters pounded the pavements of south east London on Sunday 26 September as they ran the Sony Ericsson Run to the Beat on behalf of
the National Hospital. This was a half marathon like no other, with16 DJs and live music stages along the route playing motivational tunes to stimulate and encourage the 9,000 participants. Our magnificent team look set to raise over £12,000 towards our vital projects.
A big thank you to all our BUPA10,000 runners who together raised over £25,000 on 31 May 2010. Professor Mike Hanna and his team at the Centre for Neuromuscular Diseases raised over £15,000. Lee Barnes and his brother Paul both ran for us, with a closely fought battle between the two of them ending in a two-minute advantage to Lee, “It was a great day out with our families and fortunately quite cool and good running conditions.” Together, the brothers raised an amazing £6,682, inspired by Lee’s wife Anja, who underwent emergency surgery at The National Hospital following a brain haemorrhage in 2007. Anja has recovered well and gave birth to a healthy baby girl.
Thank you and congratulations to Charlotte Baldwin, Richard Coates, Patrick Collins, Stacey Evans, Jonathan Hart, Pete Johnstone, Raymond Khoo, Neil Kitchen, Melody McLaren, Kerri Anne O'Dwyer, Aaron Powell, Jane Randall, Samantha Ryan, Shirley Todd, Ria Vavakis, Trudie Walker, Beverley Watts. They all ran for us in the first
ever Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 25 April and have already raised over £50,000.
Each of our runners had a very personal reason for taking part. Some ran in memory of friends or family, whilst others were patients being treated at the National Hospital. Shirley Todd will be undergoing surgery in Edinburgh to remove a brain tumour in May and summed up the collective feeling after the race ‘‘I can’t believe it – I’ve just run the London Marathon!!! A huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me to exceed my fundraising target. You have done something wonderful!” A sentiment we all echo. It was great to meet so many of the runners and their families after the race – thank you all.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in the charming setting of St. John’s, Smith Square for a one-off performance of ‘Beloved Clara’ in aid of Molly’s Fund. ‘Beloved Clara’ tells the story of the passionate and heartbreaking relationship between composers Clara Schumann, her husband Robert Schumann and the young Johannes Brahms. Award-winning pianist Lucy Parham had the audience thoroughly captivated as she brought their tragic story to life, and the music was beautifully interspersed with readings from their intimate diaries and letters performed by actors Gabrielle Drake and Edward Fox. The event raised £2,700 for Molly’s Fund and we are indebted to Lucy, Gabrielle and Edward for giving up their time to make it possible. Sincere thanks and gratitude also go to Molly’s father Oliver Lane Fox, who welcomed guests with a moving tribute to five-year-old Molly and her love of music and drama.
On 2 November 2008 a group of our most intrepid supporters, including three members of National Hospital staff, began their challenge in Ecuador on behalf of the Development Foundation. Their goal was the Padre Jose F. Ribas Refuge, located 4,800m above sea level high upon the icy slopes of Mount Cotopaxi. “The weather was very trying and the days were extremely long but by the end of the trek we were a tight bunch – with memories to treasure,” reports Ian Calder, consultant anaesthetist at the National Hospital. A fantastic £55,000 has been raised from the Ecuador Trek and our thanks go to Parveen Akhtar, Ann Calder, Ian Calder, Ron Gainsford,
Gina Gillan, Steve Mackenzie, Orla McKee, Rinaldo Mollura, Michael Powell, James Sheward, Jenny Shields and Andrew Usiskin for taking part on our behalf.