Royal Papworth Hospital Charity

What Royal Papworth Hospital Charity does

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1049224), established in 1995 and operating with a small team of 9 employees from the main atrium of Royal Papworth Hospital on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Its sole Corporate Trustee is Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UK's leading heart and lung hospital which treats approximately 50,000 patients annually and performs more heart and lung transplants than any other UK centre. The charity exists to bridge the gap between NHS provision and the additional funding required for pioneering research, state-of-the-art equipment, staff education, and enhanced patient care at the hospital.

The charity's product portfolio spans donation processing (one-time and recurring gifts via JustGiving, Stripe, and PayPal), a regulated weekly lottery operated on the Unity platform (£1 per number, prizes to £25,000), LEGO prize draws via Brick Prize Draws (over £38,000 raised cumulatively), regular giving through the Duck Club programme, tribute products (Giving Tree brass dedications, Page of Love digital wall, Memory Wall for in-memory giving), merchandise sales, and event-based challenges including the 30for30 campaign, skydives, and British Transplant Games participation. The technology backbone is a standard e-commerce website hosted by Synapture, with no proprietary platform disclosed. Major funded programmes include the Heart and Lung Research Institute (joint venture with the University of Cambridge, £5M+ contributed), the DCD heart transplant programme (145 procedures performed, 25% of UK adult heart transplants), Project Breathe (cystic fibrosis home monitoring), and the £3M Clinical Research Facility investment.

Revenue is diversified across individual donations, gifts in wills (representing nearly half of annual income), community fundraising, lottery, prize draws, merchandise, and partnerships including NHS Charities Together (£235,000+ since 2020) and Octopus Legacy. Distribution occurs through the hospital atrium office, a volunteer ambassador and community volunteer network across the region, collection tins, and digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Mailchimp newsletters). The charity celebrated its 30th anniversary in July 2025 alongside the launch of the 30th Anniversary Fund, and received its largest ever individual gift of £453,611 from Wendy J. Tomlin-Hess via DAFgiving36 in the same year.

Name

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity

Legal name

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity

Website

https://royalpapworthcharity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity is a UK registered charity that raises funds for Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UK's leading heart and lung hospital. It supports pioneering research, equipment, staff education, and patient welfare through donations, lottery, legacy giving, prize draws, and community fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospital Charity Fundraising

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAE

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPADAOAE

Trust Funds & Multi-Donor Pooled Funds

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Donor Coordination, Grantmaking & Development Finance Programs

SECONDARYFSAAANAI

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services

Financial & Insurance/Asset & Wealth Management/Trust & Fiduciary Services (Trust Companies, Estate & Custody Trusts)

SECONDARYHLAJALAF

Community Health & Prevention Program Funding

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Funding, Grants & Program Administration

Keywords

• Hospital fundraising
• Healthcare charity
• Heart lung research
• Donation management
• Legacy giving

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and regular donations from individuals supporting the hospital. Regular givers join the Duck Club with milestone awards. The charity also offers a 'Page of Love' for messages of appreciation.
2. Lottery Programme: Royal Papworth Hospital Lottery operated through Unity. Each six-digit number costs £1 per week. Weekly draws offer prizes up to £25,000. Last year raised £11,000 with 50% going to hospital projects, 18.4% to prizes, and 31.6% to running costs.
3. Gifts in Wills: Legacy giving represents nearly half of the charity's income. The charity partners with Octopus Legacy to offer free Will writing service. Wills support projects including DCD transplant research and Heart and Lung Research Institute.
4. LEGO Prize Draws: Partnership with Brick Prize Draws offering LEGO prize competitions. Over £38,000 raised to date. 50% of net profit goes to the charity.
5. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling charity merchandise. Revenue supports general charity activities.
6. The Giving Tree: Tribute programme offering personalised brass maple leaf dedications and engraved bird plaques. All proceeds support cardiothoracic patient care.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity raises funds to support the UK's leading heart and lung hospital. It collects donations, runs a weekly lottery and LEGO prize draws, sells charity merchandise and tribute products, operates regular giving and legacy giving programmes, and channels proceeds into pioneering research, state-of-the-art equipment, staff education, and patient welfare projects at Royal Papworth Hospital.

Product overview

Royal Papworth Hospital Charity operates a unified digital platform combining multiple fundraising and donation products. The core online donation system processes one-time and recurring gifts via Stripe, PayPal, and JustGiving. The product portfolio includes the weekly Royal Papworth Hospital Lottery (via Unity), LEGO Prize Draws (via Brick Prize Draws), and the Duck Club regular giving programme with milestone awards. Tribute products include the Giving Tree (brass leaf dedications), Page of Love (#ShareTheLove), and Memory Wall for in-memory fundraising. Additional products include an online shop, 30for30 challenge events, skydiving challenges, and legacy giving via Gifts in Wills. The charity funds major medical programmes including Project Breathe (cystic fibrosis home monitoring), the DCD Heart Transplant Programme, and the Heart and Lung Research Institute (HLRI) in partnership with the University of Cambridge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Duck Club: Regular giving programme recognising donors with duck-themed awards including Mallard Duck plushies and black swan awards for long-term supporters.
• 30th Anniversary Fund
• The Giving Tree
• Page of Love
• Memory Wall

Products and services

• Online Donation Platform Website-based donation system for one-time and recurring donations via credit/debit card, PayPal, and JustGiving; supports Gift Aid declarations for UK taxpayers.
• Royal Papworth Hospital Lottery Weekly lottery game with six-digit numbers at £1 per week; prizes range from £25 (3 digits) to £25,000 (all 6 digits). Operated via Unity platform. Raised £11,000 last year with 50% going to hospital projects.
• LEGO Prize Draws LEGO prize draw competitions in partnership with Brick Prize Draws. Supporters purchase entries for chances to win LEGO sets including rare and retired items. Over £38,000 raised to date.
• Duck Club (Regular Giving) Regular monthly giving programme where donors receive milestone certificates, duck badges, and a Mallard Duck plushie after five years. Part of the 'lap of the pond' tradition. Text-to-donate available via keyword POND.
• Giving Tree Tribute programme offering solid brass maple leaf dedications and Giving Bird Plaques to celebrate lives, give thanks, or memorialise loved ones. Located beside the Chaplaincy at the hospital.
• Page of Love (#ShareTheLove) Digital tribute wall where supporters place hearts with personal messages to recognise key workers, partners, friends, family, or colleagues at Royal Papworth Hospital.
• Memory Wall In-memory fundraising platform allowing supporters to create memorial pages for loved ones, collect donations, and share memories. Proceeds support the charity's appeals.
• Online Shop E-commerce section selling merchandise including charity pin badges, t-shirts, and other items. Checkout processes via Stripe and PayPal.
• 30for30 Challenge Fundraising challenge initiative for the 30th anniversary. Supporters pledge to raise at least £30 through activities such as baking 30 items, hosting quizzes, walking 30 miles, or triathlons.
• Skydive Challenge Tandem skydiving challenge at 13,000ft offered at UK Parachuting Sibson or Beccles Airfield on various 2026 dates.
• Gifts in Wills Legacy giving programme. Nearly half of charity income comes from bequests. Free Will writing service offered in partnership with Octopus Legacy. Supports DCD transplant research and Project Breathe.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000 patients treated annually at Royal Papworth Hospital
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Brick Prize DrawscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBrick Prize Draws is a fundraising platform offering LEGO prize draws in aid of Royal Papworth Charity. Over £38,000 raised to date with 450+ winners winning over £122,000 worth of LEGO prizes. 50% of net profit goes to the charity.
• Octopus LegacycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOctopus Legacy offers a free Will writing service for patients and supporters of Royal Papworth Charity. There is no obligation to leave a gift to the hospital. Also offers telephone and face-to-face Will writing services.
• Leftover CurrencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Leftover Currency to help supporters donate their old foreign currency to Royal Papworth Hospital. Provides an easy way to clear out old currency and support the charity.
• JustGivingcoreTechnology or IntegrationJustGiving is the primary online fundraising platform for Royal Papworth Charity. Processes regular donations, event fundraising pages, and one-time donations. The charity uses JustGiving checkout for regular giving.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationThird-party card processor for the charity's website. Processes card details securely while the charity receives only payment notifications with donor details. Compliant with data protection standards.
• PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing option for donors using PayPal to donate or purchase items online or over the phone. PayPal processes card details and the charity receives name and address information.
• UnitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnity is the lottery provider for Royal Papworth Hospital Charity. Common brand lottery jointly promoted by Sterling Management Centre Limited. Licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission under account number 3137.
• Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with GOSH to develop DCD heart transplant technique for eligible children. Led to six paediatric heart transplants in 2020. Currently working together to develop a new machine for DCD heart donation from smaller infants.
• University of CambridgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture partner for the Heart and Lung Research Institute (HLRI). HLRI research teams aim to develop 10 new drugs or diagnoses in heart and lung disease over five years. Partnership with Cambridge Institute of Metabolic Science for TEST Study.
• Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation TrustcoreOthersThe charity's parent NHS trust. Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the Corporate Trustee of Royal Papworth Charity. The trust is the UK's leading centre of excellence for cardiothoracic diseases.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• King's College Hospital Charity: UK NHS hospital charity supporting a major London teaching hospital. Similar fundraising channels — lottery, legacies, community fundraising, regular giving — and similar NHS trust beneficiary structure.
• UCLH Charity (University College London Hospitals): Charity arm of another large London NHS hospital trust. Directly comparable fundraising model, scale, and beneficiary hospital structure.
• Imperial Health Charity: Charity supporting Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London. Directly comparable as an NHS hospital charity running grants, arts/wellbeing, and capital fundraising programmes.
• Barts Health NHS Trust Charity: Charity supporting Barts Health NHS Trust. Comparable as an NHS hospital charity focused on equipment, research, and patient welfare funding via similar revenue streams.
• Newcastle Hospitals Charity: Regional NHS hospital charity covering Newcastle's major teaching hospitals. Comparable fundraising model and NHS trust beneficiary structure, with regional rather than specialist focus.
• Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity: Charity supporting the UK's other leading heart and lung specialist hospitals. Closely comparable peer — same clinical focus (cardiorespiratory), same NHS trust beneficiary model, and same lottery/legacy/donation mix.
• Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity: UK NHS hospital charity raising funds for a single specialist hospital. Directly comparable as a peer NHS hospital charity with a major-gifts, lottery, legacy, and community fundraising model supporting clinical research and patient welfare.
• Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT): Charity for Cambridge's main teaching hospital, Addenbrooke's. Direct regional peer co-located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and serving the same regional donor and NHS supporter base.
• Guy's & St Thomas' Charity: Major London NHS hospital charity with broad fundraising, major-gift, and grant programmes. Comparable as a large NHS-affiliated hospital charity with active research-funding arm.

Broad incumbents

• NHS Charities Together: Umbrella charity representing 230+ NHS charities in the UK and a major donor to Royal Papworth (over £235k since 2020). Comparable as a grantmaking/aggregator body in the NHS charity sector, but operates at collective scale rather than a single-hospital model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PapworthHospitalCharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/royalpapworthcharity
• Instagraminstagram.com/royalpapworthcharity

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Royal Papworth Hospital Charity