Empowering patient recovery
one grant at a time
The Ladies' Samaritan Society - LSS - is a charity which gives support to patients at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, London.
Clinical staff request specific equipment and other aid, not funded by the NHS, to assist patients’ recovery in hospital and at home.
The LSS needs your help through donations and fundraising.
Spring Cake Sale at the NHNN - Tuesday 19th May
Patient and Staff Testimonials
"It's much easier and I can use the frame to walk more and to not worry about falling"
"It's great - I can walk fast and it feels good"
Comments from patients of Sarah Holmes, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist Neuro-Muscular Diseases, UCLH
The support from The Ladies' Samaritan Society truly transforms the lives of our
patients through providing vital assistance that might otherwise be impossible due to financial constraints. Their generosity makes a meaningful difference every day"
Claire Hoey, Occupational Therapist, NHNN
"The Ladies' Samaritan Society has been an essential and invaluable support for our
patients at Queen Square. Often patients are on a low income and are unable to
purchase essential items that improve their health and wellbeing, without the
support of the LSS"
Lisa Klautke, Senior Social Work Practicioner, NHNN
News and Fundraising Events
Read below about Catherine "Kitty" Penfold - one of the early members of the Ladies' Samaritan Society
Spring Cake Sale
Tuesday 19 May
10.00 in the Foyer
Save the Date!
Summer Concert 2026
Friday 26 June
Fundraising Activities
Our History
The Ladies' Samaritan Society started in 1861, two years after the founding of the NHNN in Queen Square - formerly known as the National Hospital for Epilepsy and Paralysis.
It soon recognised the extreme poverty and deplorable state of health of many patients and relatives who attended the hospital seriously impeded their treatment. As a result, a group of influential ladies from the area, headed by the sisters Johanna and Louisa Chandler, set up a Samaritan Society to raise public awareness.
The Society met regularly and raised money by contributing 5 shillings each annually, together with legacies, donations and proceeds from sales and concerts.
A concert in 1864 donated £200 to the charity. This was used to provide cups of tea to outpatients, a practice which survived for 85 years!
They also provided food, clothing, books, as well as funding convalescent stays for needy patients.
Our aims today remain the same: providing help to patients and their families.
The story of early LSS member, Catherine "Kitty" Penfold
We were recently contacted by Andrew Moberly, the great great nephew of Catherine “Kitty” Penfold. In 1899 Aunt Kitty was clerk and secretary to the Ladies’ Samaritan Society.
The following is an article prepared by Andrew about his Aunt Kitty who perished on the SS Stella, also known as the Titanic of the Channel Islands.
Kitty was born in Ruardean, Gloucestershire in the Forest of Dean in 1869. Her father was rector of St John the Baptist Church in Ruardean. After her father died in 1881 she moved to Gloucester with her mother Ellen and unmarried older sister Fanny and she later moved to Bedford Square in London. She has been described as a red-haired joyful little soul, clever and bright, 5 foot 4 inches in height, with pale blue eyes and short golden hair. Kitty’s brother - Rev John Penfold was vicar of St James’ in St Peter Port, Guernsey.
On the morning of 30 March 1899 Kitty boarded the SS Stella at Southampton intending to spend Easter in Guernsey with her brother and his family. But she did not arrive as the SS Stella had been wrecked sailing at speed and in thick fog on the Casquet Rocks near Alderney and there had been much loss of life.
There was huge news coverage of the Stella disaster, which was, prior to the sinking of the Titanic, one of the UK’s worst civilian maritime disasters - 58 of the 147 passengers, including Kitty, and 19 of the 43 crew were lost. Several bodies were recovered over the next few days but Kitty was not among them. Queen Victoria sent a message of condolence to the bereaved.
A public enquiry into the disaster was convened and while it was still in session Kitty’s body was washed ashore at Paluel near Fecamp in Normandy on 9th May. It may have been recognized by the large signet ring she wore. The verdict of an inquest into her death was recorded as accidental.
Her body was returned to Ruardean and she was buried in the family grave. The inscription on her grave ends with a quotation from Tennyson - “Farewell whose living like I shall not find”. There is a brass memorial tablet in St John’s “erected to her memory by loving friends”.
Reports in the Taunton Courier and the Western Gazette of April 1899 state:
“Miss Penfold, who perished in the Stella, was clerk and secretary to the Ladies’ Samaritan Society of the National Hospital for Paralysis and Epilepsy, Bloomsbury.”
How We Help
- Purchase of equipment for individual patients' use, e.g. specialised wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps and rollators
- Microwave for safe food preparation, feeding and kitchen aids
- Accommodation and travel costs for relatives while patients are in hospital
- Apps and software to aid speech and language therapy
- Respite care
- Contribution towards holidays for vulnerable patients and families
- Activity resources for stroke unit
Summer Concert 2025
The Summer Concert has been going since 1864 and this year the chapel was filled with a happy audience of both young and old.
It is not only fundraising and benefiting from generous sponsorship support from the local community, but is also an important social event among the hospital staff, patients and the families and friends who participate.
The concert this year was celebrating the enormous contribution made by John Scadding, who has been co-ordinating the concerts since the 1980s, raising funds for the Ladies' Samaritan Society.
He has handed over this role to Natalie Ryan and Anna Sadnicka who have been performing in the concerts since starting at the NHNN.
John Scadding
Preparations underway- the Coca-Cola delivery
Continuing a tradition from the 1860's
Silent Auction
Many thanks to all the local businesses who have generously supported our Silent Auctions
Ciao Bella
Lambs Conduit Street
Dinner for Two
Aēsop
Lambs Conduit Street
Cosmo China
11 Cosmo Place
Hand-painted mugs
Kimpton
Fitroy
London
Russell Square
Overnight stay for Two, Queen Premium Park View
Tutti
Lambs Conduit Street
Lunch for Two
*****************
Conduit Coffee House
Lambs Conduit Street
Coffee and Cake
for Three
Christmas Raffle 2005
Prize Draw: Thursday, 4 December 2025, at 1.30 pm, NHNN Foyer
Lot 1: Cut & blow-dry from a top London stylist, Tracy Chester – worth £120
Lot 2: Luxury Christmas breakfast hamper - including Josie Firmin designer mugs, Jemina's award winning artisan granolas, Prosecco and Baletti Italian ground coffee, limited edition 'Dolce and Gabbana' design
Lot 3: Drinks/lunch at The Queens Larder – worth £50
Lot 4: Lunch for 2, including soft drinks, at the October Gallery, Old Gloucester Street
Lot 5: Josie Firmin designer mugs, coffee voucher from Bloomsbury Coffee Co and dessert biscuits
Lot 6: Lunch for 2 at Tutti’s, Lamb’s Conduit Street – worth £30
Lot 7: Signed copy of Chasing Smoke: Cooking over Fire Around the Levant (Honey & Co)
Thank you to all who have generously donated prizes for the raffle
ladiessamaritansqs@gmail.com
Location
Queen Square, London, UK
© 2025 All rights reserved LSS Ladies’ Samaritan Society