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.
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"
Clare 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
Thank you to all the friends of LSS who, along with La Fromagerie and Coca-Cola, provided some incredible food, soft drinks and wine for the Summer Concert. It was a very special evening.
Coming up later in the year:
Cake Sale
Silent Auction
Handmade Cards
Save the Date!
Summer Concert 2026
Friday 26th June
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.
Fundraising Activities
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 is really popular - the chapel this year 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 both the neurologists, other NHS 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.
Fantastic jazz - Adolfo Bronstein and his group
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
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Conduit Coffee House
Lambs Conduit Street
Coffee and Cake
for Three
ladiessamaritansqs@gmail.com
Location
London, UK
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