The year marked a significant milestone for St John’s Foundation as we celebrated our 850th anniversary. As we come to the end of our incredible year, we wanted to reflect on this momentous occasion and some of the fantastic ways in which we marked it.
Our journey began in 1174, when Bishop Fitzjocelyn established St John’s to offer support to those facing poverty and chronic conditions. Over the centuries, our mission of helping the most vulnerable in our community has remained unwavering. However, despite our long history, the challenges of inequality and hardship persist, making our work as vital today as it was 850 years ago. Our anniversary has given us an opportunity to not only reflect on our past but to also celebrate our accomplishments and reaffirm our on-going commitment to building a fairer and more inclusive society.
Service of Celebration
On the 1st February, we held a Service of Celebration and were delighted to welcome Her Majesty The Queen to the city. The service was held in Bath Abbey, a fitting venue to honour our centuries-long legacy. Attendees included our beneficiaries, supporters, community members, all of the St John’s team, and our partners. Her Majesty’s attendance at the event made the occasion even more special, with children from local schools and members of the public lining the streets as Her Majesty approached the Abbey, after having enjoyed tea and cake with our almshouse residents.
With heart-warming performances from local children we support through our Best Start in Life Initiative, it was a wonderful opportunity to commemorate our legacy, bring together people from our community, and set the tone for a wonderful year of celebrations ahead.
Founders Day
In June, we proudly celebrated our 850th Founders Day, bringing together residents, trustees, and staff for a wonderful afternoon of entertainment, tea and fun. The day was filled with performances from our residents, and delicious catering provided by The Francis Hotel. The event is always a joyous occasion, but our 2024 celebration was particularly special. It allowed us to not only reflect on our history but also celebrate the vibrant community we have built over the years. We’re honoured to be a part of such a special occasion, where everyone could come together, share stories, and take time to reflect on what makes St John’s such a special place.
Historical Mice
In celebration of the anniversary, our almshouse resident, Joan Wilkinson, knitted 25 mice based on historical figures. The mice took 5 months to make, and feature notable figures throughout the 850 years of St John’s history, including the charity’s founder, Bishop Fitzjocelyn, Queen Victoria, and His Majesty King Charles and Her Majesty Queen Camilla. We were also pleased to offer Joan the opportunity to meet Her Majesty Queen Camilla, our charity Patron, over tea and cake before the Service of Celebration in February.
It’s truly an honour to learn about the hobbies of our residents, as well as the celebrate amazing talents of the people we support within the community. We look forward to sharing more of the incredible lives our residents live in the new year.
The Day the Alien Came
Another key highlight for us this celebration year was the creation of a children’s book, The Day the Alien Came. Alongside Bath-based children’s author Stewart Foster and illustrator Andrew Prescott, we worked with 192 pupils from seven local primary schools that we support in BaNES to create the one-of-a-kind book
The Day the Alien Came is a fun and heartwarming story that follows Jai, an alien whose spaceship crash lands in Bath. Emerging from the wreckage, Jai is greeted by local children who take him on an extraordinary adventure, discovering the wonders of Earth and the magic of friendship.
Catharine Brown, Interim CEO of St John’s, expressed how much this project means to us:
We are delighted to celebrate our 850th anniversary and mark this occasion by creating something that positively impacts our community and leaves a legacy for the future. Every child contributed something unique, turning this story into a whirlwind of imagination. We’re so proud to share their work with the world.”
The project was supported by generous sponsors including Almeda Facilities, The Curated Property Company, Evelyn Partners, and Thrings Solicitors, YTL Utilities UK, Cazenove Capital, Buro Happold, Carter Jonas and F&S Building Contractors. The book will also be archived in the British Library, celebrating the young authors’ work for generations.
The Day the Alien Came can be purchased for £8.99 from our website. All profits will provide books to the libraries of the schools we work with, to help nurture a love for reading, creativity and confidence in children for many generations to come.
SouthGate
We were pleased to make our mark on the city of Bath this year by becoming SouthGate shopping centre’s 2024 charity partner. Throughout the year, we’ve enjoyed a wonderful collaboration that has brought our community together and helped to raise awareness for St John’s.
In the summer, the team transformed SouthGate into a spectacular English garden, featuring tumbling floral arches on St Lawrence Street in a branded installation at the heart of the shopping centre. This winter, we showcased a giant Christmas themed penguin with a contactless donation point to raise funds for our Best Start in Life work.
Ray of Hope
Throughout the 850th year, we were proud to see our Ray of Hope campaign showcased in various locations around the city. We wanted to highlight to the people of Bath some of the deep-rooted inequalities present across Bath and North East Somerset. This initiative focused on the challenges some of our most under-served beneficiaries face and how St John’s is committed to supporting them and working towards a brighter future.
Throughout St John’s 850th anniversary year, we have taken the opportunity to celebrate our rich history and impact on the BaNES community. However, it has also served as a stark reminder of the challenges still faced by many in society and how much work remains to be done to keep changing lives for good. We look forward to embarking the next 850 years of positive change for our community.
