THE QUEEN WILL CELEBRATE THE 850th ANNIVERSARY OF ST. JOHN’S FOUNDATION IN BATH
Thursday 1st February 2024
Her Majesty The Queen will celebrate the 850th anniversary of St John’s Foundation by meeting residents of St John’s Foundation almshouses at the Chapel of St Michael Within, 4-5 Chapel Court, Bath, BA1 1SQ, before attending a Service of Celebration at Bath Abbey, Bath.
St John’s Foundation, originally founded as a medieval refuge, provides shelter and support for older adults, as well as working with children to make sure they have the best start in life.
Her Majesty will arrive at St John’s Foundation almshouses to be greeted by the Lord Lieutenant; the charity’s chair, Ben Fletcher; and CEO, David Hobdey. Her Majesty will then make her way into the 16th-century Chapel of St Michael Within, which sits inside St John’s courtyard and is home to 40 of the 94 almshouses that the charity has for older adults. In the chapel, Her Majesty will join nine of the charity’s residents over a cup of tea. The Service of Celebration will later be relayed to the Chapel from Bath Abbey.
Her Majesty will then move to Bath Abbey, where she will be greeted outside by nearly 900 schoolchildren from seven primary schools, which have been supported by St John’s since it launched its Foundation Fund in 2020.
In the Abbey, Her Majesty will be welcomed by St John’s Reverend, Jacky Wise; the Rector of Bath Abbey, Reverend Canon Guy Bridgewater; and the Right Reverend Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells.
During the service, the Voices for Life choir, comprising 90 Year 4 pupils, will perform ‘A Million Dreams’ and ‘Sing’. The choir was formed for the occasion, bringing together children from six local schools that St John’s supports. One of St John’s almshouse residents will also undertake a reading.
During the service, Her Majesty will unveil a commemorative plaque, which will subsequently be placed in the courtyard of the Chapel Court almshouses.
On departure from Bath Abbey, Her Majesty will be introduced to the head teachers from the seven schools that St John’s works with and representatives from a number of St John’s supporting partners.
