The RCP will use a generous £2,500 gift from The Patron’s Fund to support a special public lecture on ageing in 2018.
The Patron’s Fund is the charitable fund set up to acknowledge the work of the charitable organisations for which Her Majesty the Queen acts as a patron (or in the case of the RCP, a visitor), on the occasion of her 90th birthday.
The Royal College of Physicians was founded by King Henry VIII in 1518, and the royal connection has been maintained across the centuries. The RCP will celebrate its 500th anniversary in 2018 and fittingly will use the gift to endow a special public lecture on optimal ageing in tribute to Her Majesty the Queen.
Everything that we do at the RCP aims to improve patient care and reduce illness. We are patient centred and clinically led, and drive improvement in the diagnosis of disease, the care of individual patients and the health of the whole population, both in the UK and across the globe.
Through the development of our public events programme the RCP is increasing its reach to a wide range of audiences including charities, community groups, carers and the general public. In addition to celebrating ageing well, the lecture will also showcase our wider work in improving care for patients.
RCP Harveian librarian Professor Simon Bowman, who is responsible for the RCP public lecture series, said:
‘We’re delighted that this generous gift from The Patron’s Fund will enable us to endow this public lecture on ageing well as part of our RCP500 celebrations. Public appetite for understanding medicine and science is ever-growing, so it’s great for the RCP as a leading health organisation to be able to use the funds for the benefit of the public.’
Sir Stuart Etherington, chair of the board of trustees for The Patron’s Fund, said:
‘The Patron’s Fund is very pleased to be able to support the Royal College of Physicians with its valuable work. The RCP is among hundreds of organisations for which the Queen acts as a patron, which between them make a difference to causes and communities in the UK and throughout the Commonwealth.’
For further information on The Patron’s Fund (Registered Charity No. 1164171), email info@thepatronsfund.org.uk or visit www.thepatronsfund.org.uk
