Hospital of God at Greatham

Charity Details

History and Activities

The Hospital of God at Greatham, near Hartlepool, is one of the regions oldest philanthropic institutions. It was established by Robert de Stichell, Bishop of Durham, in 1273. The hospital was built on and funded by lands confiscated from the rebellious Simon de Montfort (1208-1265). Originally providing care for 5 priests and 40 laymen, the charity has been through many incarnations in its 745-year history. In 1610 it was re-founded by King James I and the assets of the charity were vested in a corporation. These assets continue to exist to this day, despite a number of programmes of rebuilding over the years.

Today, the charity runs 114 almshouses in Greatham, Norton and Stockton-on-Tees. These range from brand-new purpose-built units, to older properties which include several listed buildings. Alongside the almshouses, the Hospital of God also operates two care homes, four-day centres and ‘The Bridge’ (a centre providing support for 191 individuals and families living with dementia). In 2017, the Hospital’s care homes and day centres delivered 26,280 days of residential and nursing care.

In addition to providing care for the elderly, the charity also makes grants of up to £5000 to good causes in the region. In 2017, £108,380 worth of grants were distributed mainly to small grassroots organisations which operate in or around Greatham. The Hospital’s funding policy is to allocate up to 10% of its annual grant-making budget to multi-year grants in order to foster a long-term view amongst beneficiaries.

What differentiates The Hospital of God from many other beneficiaries of philanthropy in the region is not only its long history but its large endowment, which in 2017 was valued at £38,526,017, yielding an income of £827,278. The charity is an example of how gifts made a long time ago, continue to yield significant benefits in the present. The charity’s assets are split between its properties (£9,668,606) and its investments (£30,435,587). The largest proportion of its £4,847,967 income was derived from the residential care service (£2,362,204). In 2023 the charity will celebrate an incredible 750 years of caring for the poor and elderly in the North East.

Vital Statistics (year to 31/04/2017)

Website

http://www.hospitalofgod.org.uk/

References