Royal Free Charity
LightNews LightNews
banner
royalfreecharity.org
Royal Free Charity
@royalfreecharity.org
320 followers 260 following 410 posts
NHS charity partner of Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Helping our hospitals to go further and faster thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

Website: www.royalfreecharity.org
Link in bio: https://linktr.ee/royalfreecharity
Posts Replies Media Videos
royalfreecharity.org
Breast cancer treatment left Margherita with painful lymphoedema and the fear she’d never dance again. Six charity-funded lymphatic drainage sessions got her back on the dance floor.
Read her story in our latest annual report: issuu.com/royalfreecha...
#NHS #NHSCharity #NorthLondon #London
Front cover of our annual report. Inside view of our annual report, with the text 'Caring today, changing tomorrow'.
February 17, 2026 at 3:24 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Each Friday, harp music drifts through the 10th floor of the Royal Free Hospital as Chweechen plays for elderly patients on the wards.

If you play an instrument and would like to volunteer a few hours a week in your local hospital: royalfreecharity.org/get-involved...

#Volunteer #DementiaCare #NHS
February 13, 2026 at 3:10 PM
royalfreecharity.org
We checked in with Matt from his uni halls. He started as a young volunteer at the Royal Free Hospital, and now he’s studying physiotherapy in Cardiff and running the London Landmarks Half Marathon for us. 🏃‍♂️💙

#LLHM2026 #CharityRunner #RunningCommunity #HalfMarathonGoals #VolunteeringJourney
February 12, 2026 at 4:21 PM
royalfreecharity.org
John's wife had a life-saving kidney transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in 2011.

His daughter was also born there in 2020.

#LondonMarathon2026 #RunForGood #NHS #MarathonRunning #LondonRunning
John and Nicola kneel on a sunny garden pathway, smiling with their daughter Millie standing between them; all three wear light summer outfits in front of palm trees and a cream-colored building.
February 10, 2026 at 2:01 PM
royalfreecharity.org
🏃‍♀️ Calling all runners!

The @royalparkshalf.bsky.social ballot closes today – good luck to everyone who’s entered!
A man running along others at the Royal Parks Half Marathon, he wears a Royal Free Charity running vest with his name 'Gareth' printed. He waves toward the crowd.
February 6, 2026 at 2:20 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Art in hospitals does more than decorate walls. We’ve written for @artsprofessional.co.uk about how our collection across the Royal Free London supports wellbeing for patients, staff and visitors.

Read the article here: www.artsprofessional.co.uk/magazine/fea...

#ArtInHospitals #NHS #Art #Creative
The therapeutic power of bringing art to patients - Arts Professional
Robin Meltzer, director of engagement and communications at the Royal Free Charity, discusses the invisible therapeutic power of the arts in hospitals.
www.artsprofessional.co.uk
February 5, 2026 at 4:06 PM
royalfreecharity.org
The national cancer plan promises a big expansion of precision robotic surgery across the NHS. Our community of supporters is already helping to turn that ambition into reality at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, funding robotic surgery and better support for people living with cancer.
Surgeon in blue scrubs standing in a hospital corridor with blue doors, with overlaid text reading “A day in the life of a surgeon…” and an arrow pointing toward the text. Surgeon in blue scrubs sitting in a hospital waiting area holding a takeaway coffee cup, with overlaid text reading “7am Grab an americano in the hospital.” Wide view of an operating theatre where a nurse and surgeon in blue scrubs and caps prepare the covered Da Vinci surgical robot, with overlaid text reading “9am The lead nurse preps the surgical robot and the anaesthesia team gets the patient ready.” Side view of a theatre staff member with braided hair in blue scrubs raising both hands, preparing for surgery, with overlaid text reading “10:30am Meet with the full surgical team.”
February 4, 2026 at 10:47 AM
royalfreecharity.org
Put your wellbeing first and make 2026 your year by signing up for membership at the Royal Free Charity Rec Club.

Click the link below for more information, with exclusive discounts for NHS staff.

www.royalfreerecclub.co.uk/membership/

#Fitness #Gym #Hampsteadheath #northlondon #NHS
A man wearing a vest performs a dumbbell chest press in a gym. A woman performs a deadlift exercise with a barbell in a gym. A man wearing goggles and a swimming cap leans on the edge of a swimming pool smiling.
January 29, 2026 at 4:30 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Twelve new staff-led projects have received Royal Free Charity funding to improve patient experience across the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.

#NHS #London #Healthcare #CharityFunding
📸 Image provided by Harriet Armstrong.
Brishna Mohammad, from North Mid’s radiotherapy department, successfully applied for funding for digital screens. She stands with a Halcyon radiotherapy machine.
January 28, 2026 at 1:46 PM
royalfreecharity.org
The @royalparkshalf.bsky.social ballot is now open 👟

If you’re throwing your name in today, run for us and support patients, families and NHS staff at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust hospitals.
A runner in a pink Royal Free Charity vest and black shorts with knee support, wearing a race bib that reads “Dion 7639,” runs along a busy road, raising one hand to wave as other runners and colourful charity tents appear in the background.
January 26, 2026 at 3:50 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Every Thursday, volunteer Mehmet brings calm to Barnet Hospital wards by playing the ney for patients and staff.

What began as a lockdown hobby, learned alone through YouTube tutorials, has grown into a passion that now brings comfort to others.
January 21, 2026 at 4:01 PM
royalfreecharity.org
CW: baby loss and bereavement

Early pregnancy loss is devastating, and too many people receive little or no aftercare. At the Royal Free Hospital, bereavement midwife Gemma is working to change that.

Watch her interview on our YouTube channel, via the link below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFqn...
January 20, 2026 at 11:36 AM
royalfreecharity.org
Introducing our brand-new book trolley at Barnet Hospital!

Our dedicated volunteers are already putting the trolley to great use, visiting wards every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

A good book and a friendly face can make all the difference during a hospital stay 📖

#BooksForWellbeing
A woman wearing a purple Royal Free Charity shirt, with brown hair and glasses, stands in a hospital corridor leaning on a trolley full of books.
January 15, 2026 at 1:21 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Want to make a new running habit stick? A clear goal can make all the difference.

Join our Big Half marathon team to stay motivated this new year and raise money for a great cause.

Register now while spots are available, with the link in our bio.

#TheBigHalf #Fundraising #NHS
Two women, wearing Royal Free Charity running vests raise their hands and cheer as they run.
January 14, 2026 at 3:02 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Meet Engin, our incredible ward support volunteer, going the extra mile for patients by not only volunteering but fundraising too.

Last year alone she raised over £800 for our charity, selling her hand-crafted goods.

Thank you Engin for your dedication and support.

#NHS #Volunteering
A woman with brown hair, wearing a purple Royal Free Charity polo smiles on a hospital ward. In the background there is hospital equipment.
January 13, 2026 at 11:17 AM
royalfreecharity.org
Breaking news: our chair Judy Dewinter has been awarded an MBE for services to the NHS.

Read more: royalfreecharity.org/news/royal-f...

#NHS #MBE #NewYearsHonours #Healthcare #NorthLondon
Royal Free Charity chair awarded MBE for services to the NHS
royalfreecharity.org
January 9, 2026 at 2:27 PM
royalfreecharity.org
“I would say volunteering is a way to grow as a person and one of the most meaningful ways to help others.”

Following in the footsteps of her husband Adam, Mooneerah volunteers a few hours a week supporting patients and staff on the hospital wards.
January 9, 2026 at 2:22 PM
royalfreecharity.org
“At that time of year, it’s important to have human contact with someone who’s not a nurse or doctor,” says Flo, one of our volunteer hairdressers. “After I’ve cut their hair or shaved their beard, they feel like themselves again.”

#NHS #London #Hampstead #Barnet #ChaseFarm #Enfield
A Royal Free Charity hairdresser wearing glasses and a green top stands in a hospital corridor beside a computer workstation, looking calmly at the camera. She has a staff lanyard and ID badge, and clinical rooms and equipment are visible along the hallway behind her.
January 7, 2026 at 2:22 PM
royalfreecharity.org
This summer:

Take a breath.
Trust the rope.
Lean back.

More soon...

#BraveNewHeights #LondonEvents
January 5, 2026 at 2:19 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Did you catch David Attenborough’s Wild London?

It reminded us of our Pondcam on Hampstead Heath, a live webcam to ease the wait in the oncology clinic.

Watch Pondcam live as nature wakes up to 2026:
royalfreecharity.org/how-we-help/...

#NatureForHealth #WildLondon #HampsteadHeath #MentalHealth
January 2, 2026 at 1:16 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Christmas morning at 10am, Royal Free Radio will broadcast a special carol concert recorded at Chase Farm Hospital. The Rowantree Choir performs seasonal favorites for patients who can't be home for Christmas.

Listen live at royalfreeradio.co.uk 🎄

#Barnet #Hampstead #ChaseFarm #NorthMid #London
Presenters of the Royal Free Radio in the studio.
December 23, 2025 at 3:38 PM
royalfreecharity.org
This winter, we have focused on patients who face long stays in hospital and the loneliness that can follow. Support from our volunteers, support hub and complementary therapists has helped many people feel less isolated and more able to cope.

#Wellbeing #Loneliness #London #Wellbeing #Donate
A woman in a blue patterned dress sits on an massage bed in a softly lit massage therapy room, reaching out her hand as she talks to a complementary therapist wearing a branded black Royal Free Charity T-shirt. A woman in a blue patterned dress and denim shirt sits in a clinical room, talking with a healthcare professional in blue scrubs, with medical equipment and a yellow clinical waste bin in the background.
December 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM
royalfreecharity.org
We want to wish everyone celebrating a merry Christmas, a happy Hanukkah and a joyful new year. Thank you all for your incredible support throughout the year.

Offices will close at 12pm on 24 December 2025. We will return to work on 2 January and our offices will reopen on 5 January 2026.

📸 by 一 徐
Shallow focus photography of yellow star lights
December 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM
royalfreecharity.org
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack has raised £25,500 for the Helping Hands fund in aid of the Royal Free Charity to support children’s cancer care at Barnet Hospital. On a visit to the ward he met Mya, an 11-year-old football fan who has just finished treatment for a rare brain tumour.
#Charity
December 17, 2025 at 12:50 PM
royalfreecharity.org
During a five‑week hospital stay, complementary therapists helped Bhavisha manage pain, relax and feel more like herself again.

#ComplementaryTherapy #NHS #Healthcare #London
December 16, 2025 at 1:59 PM