Celebrating 175 Years - 1844-2019

1844

The Asylum for Fatherless Children was founded by philanthropist Rev. Dr. Andrew Reed, initially located in Richmond. The number of applicants grew very quickly and the Richmond house was soon outgrown.

1851

Queen Victoria purchased for HRH the Prince of Wales, then aged 10, a life nomination for the sum of £262, 10 shillings, enabling him to nominate an orphan child to the care of the orphanage. With this donation Queen Victoria became patron of the institution; the first of a line of successive monarchs to be patron of Reedham up to the present day.

1858

A new purpose-built orphanage providing care and education was opened by the Lord Mayor of London, in the Surrey Hills (now Purley); the children were moved from the London to “the Home on the Hill” – Reedham Orphanage.

1911

Reedham Station was opened by South Eastern and Chatham Railway (previously a private siding of the Asylum, adjacent to Caterham Junction) enabling transportation to the orphanage.  The area became known as Reedham.

1939

During World War II, the school provided refuge for evacuated children from London.

1940

Festival days at Reedham Orphanage.

1950

The home was again renamed in 1950, becoming known as Reedham School.  The Reedham Old Scholars Association helps old scholars to keep in touch with one another and to keep abreast of Reedham news and events.

1979-1980

Reedham school closed due to changes in social care and education.  The money raised from sale of the land was used to establish a new charity – Reedham Children’s Trust. This new charity offered grant funded assisted boarding school places to vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people.

2015

Reedham embarked on a new approach to assisted boarding, adopting professional monitoring of young people in their school placements. Greater understanding of need led to a support and intervention service beyond school.

2016

The Queen’s 90^th birthday celebrations and the Patron’s Lunch was the catalyst for a small national charity which had become less well- known over the preceding decades, to raise its profile and secure support to help even more children and young people.

2017

Implementation of a new fundraising strategy with success in charity of year and corporate partnerships and our dedicated Reedham Guardians.

2019

Reedham continues to perpetuate the vision of our founder, Andrew Reed, in attending to the care, education and recreational needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people. The next chapter in our 175 year history will see the charity expand its services as we collaborate with grassroots organisations and schools to offer practical, emotional and inspirational support to help raise aspirations and transform the lives of vulnerable children.