Chelsea Pensioners Open Doors for the First Time with Hard Hat Restoration Tours

THE MUCH-LOVED, scarlet-clad former British soldiers, the Chelsea Pensioners, are to open their historic home to hard hat tours at the Royal Hospital Chelsea for the first time, during restoration works.

Since the Royal Hospital Chelsea was built in 1692, there has never been a chance to see behind the scenes of the Sir John Soane Stable Block – until now.

A restoration project has been announced, thanks to a £3.2 million grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The three-year project will bring the remarkable story of the Royal Hospital Chelsea and the Chelsea Pensioners to life as the Grade II* listed Stables designed by Sir John Soane are restored.

Chelsea Pensioners Hard Hat Tours

Led by Chelsea Pensioners, a programme of activity will run throughout the restoration works, including hard hat tours and specialist events open to the public.

The restoration will also create an Outreach, Heritage and Visitor Centre for the whole site – uniting visitor, volunteering and outreach services for the first time. The Centre will be open daily and includes:

• • Outreach space for learning, wellbeing activities and new volunteering programmes
  • A permanent free exhibition, including audio-visuals and unseen artefacts from the Royal Hospital Chelsea’s collection
  • Opportunities to meet Chelsea Pensioners
  • New public facilities including a shop, community post office and cafe with courtyard.

Ongoing activities throughout the project will give everyone a chance to learn about the amazing heritage of the Chelsea Pensioners and Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Today, the Royal Hospital Chelsea is home to some 300 Army veterans, including those who have served in Korea, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus and World War II. The site itself is situated on 66 acres in the centre of London and includes a unique architectural legacy – with Grade I and II* listed buildings designed by Charles II and Sir Christopher Wren over 300 years ago.

Heritage Fund

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder of the UK’s heritage. Thanks to National Lottery players, this project will create a lasting and positive impact helping better understand the unique heritage and history of the Chelsea Pensioners.”

Gary Lashko, CEO of Royal Hospital Chelsea, said: “We are immensely grateful to the Heritage Fund for this grant, which will enable the Hospital to open up the Stable Block to visitors for the first time. The site has been in urgent need of restoration for some years, and we are now closer to realising its full potential as a hub for visitors; including other military veterans in the community and as a site for sharing our unique, centuries-old history.”

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the UK’s largest funder of heritage projects, with almost £8.3billion awarded to over 49,000 projects since 1994. They support a wide range of projects including historic buildings and monuments; community and cultural heritage; and landscape and nature.

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