£1 million gift from Friends of Moorfields to new centre for advancing eye health
16 July 2024
Friends of Moorfields Eye Hospital (Friends of Moorfields), the charity providing volunteer support and patient experience services at Moorfields Eye Hospital, has pledged £1 million to Moorfields Eye Charity towards the new centre for advancing eye health, opening in 2027.
Oriel is the joint partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity that will move services from Islington to a new, integrated centre in St Pancras, Camden.
This generous gift is helping to fund the state-of-the-art centre creating an environment for innovation and collaboration. By bringing together the world leaders in ophthalmology under one roof, it will speed up the delivery of research and development of new treatments for patients in the UK and globally.
Friends of Moorfields handholder
Friends of Moorfields
Friends of Moorfields manage over 300 volunteers at Moorfields Eye Hospital, providing vital services including directions on arrival, guidance around the hospital and behind-the-scenes assistance in the pharmacy. Its much-valued handholding service gives emotional support to patients during procedures.
over 300 volunteers
managed by Friends of Moorfields
Friends also operate the Health Information Hub, where patients can access information about their eye conditions and discover how to access relevant services. They will continue to provide this practical and emotional support in the new centre.
Friends of Moorfields Health Information Hub
Role of philanthropy
Philanthropy is critical to achieving the new eye centre and Friends of Moorfields’ gift will help to make it a reality.
The new centre has been co-designed with patients, staff and partners to create the highest quality patient experience in an accessible environment. It will be an exemplar for patient care worldwide.
We’re delighted to support this pioneering eye centre of the future. Our gift is an important part of our vision and it emphasises the vital role Friends of Moorfields plays in ensuring the new centre delivers an outstanding experience for patients - a leading model in the NHS which will reach even more people around the world.
Angela Smith, chief executive, Friends of Moorfields
Architectural impression of interior of new eye health centre
Progress on site
Bouygues UK, the lead contractor, are progressing rapidly with construction. Foundations have been laid and the building is taking shape floor by floor.
Renewable energy is being used, part of the project’s ambition for lean, clean and green ways of working towards meeting NHS and UCL net zero targets and sustainability goals.
The fundraising campaign
Moorfields Eye Charity and UCL are working in partnership on a fundraising campaign to support Oriel, the joint partnership between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity.
We’re so very grateful to the Friends of Moorfields Eye Hospital for their donation. This gift is helping to make the new centre possible – with patients’ needs at its heart. It will enable the highest standards for patient care with the best clinicians, researchers and educators working together. It will help to save people’s sight and change lives.
Robert Dufton, chief executive, Moorfields Eye Charity
