History of the Charity

The Charity has a history going back to 1889 when “The Little Hospital by the River” – officially the Cheyne Hospital – opened, providing care for disabled children needing specialist nursing care and treatment. The hospital continued to operate through two world wars, funded primarily by private, business, and charity benefactors, with patients’ families paying when affordable.

Post-war, the focus was directed to those suffering cerebral palsy, where there was no provision for those under five years of age and the benefit of treatment at an early age overlooked by the new National Health Service. The Cheyne Centre provided residential and day care, with specialised medical, therapeutic, and educational provision specifically designed for severely disabled children. Many of these innovative treatments continue in use today. We provided support and respite care to the children attending the Centre from our premises next door at 63 Cheyne Walk.

In 1992 the Health Authority concluded that these specialist services should be integrated into a “Special Needs/Child Development” service. As a result, In 1995, a move to Doughty House - adjacent to the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital - was made, with our Charity helping to provide specialised care facilities. In addition the Charity provided funding for a new Cheyne Centre at The Children’s Trust, Tadworth.

The dedicated and specialised staff at Doughty House continued to provide a vital service for the children, their families, and carers, until 2008, when the authorities closed the Centre on financial grounds.

As a result the Trustees undertook a fundamental re-appraisal of the activities of the Charity.