As a charity with deep local roots, community drives everything we do – from the direction we take to the impact we achieve. Our work is only possible because of a rich network of supporters: individuals, organisations and businesses, all united by a shared belief that every child deserves a place to play and belong.
Over the next few weeks, we will be focusing on some of the individuals and teams that make up this community, and who have been essential in our mission to create a new Junior Play Zone at Coram’s Fields.
Coram’s Fields, as many people will know, exists on the site of the Foundling Hospital, established by philanthropist Thomas Coram in 1739. However, the Hospital was not founded on singular effort. Coram recognised that aristocratic women, connected to some of the most influential figures in the country, would be key to gaining support.
Known as the ‘21 Ladies of Quality and Distinction’, Thomas Coram targeted these women with a petition to garner support for the Foundling Hospital. The idea would be for the 21 women to persuade their fathers or husbands to spread the word among their circle and to King George II. The women were restricted in terms of the assets they could provide to help but channelled the influence they had into something good for their community regardless. In the face of restriction, these women found a way to help form the Foundling Hospital and made legacies.
A legacy of connection
Nearly 300 years later, that same model of influence and advocacy is still shaping Bloomsbury today. The hard work and empathy of women in the community continues, which has contributed significantly to our success as a charity. Two of these women are Emma Brophy and Candida Walton, who represent The Bedford Estates and Imperial London Hotels, respectively. Through conversations, introductions and shared ambition, they brought together a network of local businesses to reignite Bloomsbury and put it back on the map.
Emma is the Head of Marketing and Public Relations at The Bedford Estates – the largest private landowner in Bloomsbury. Candida is one of the Directors of Imperial London Hotels, a company who own a collection of hotels in Bloomsbury. Both businesses have provided essential support to our Junior Play Zone campaign, as well as advocating our wider charitable efforts.
The businesses’ support for the Play Zone began through early conversations between colleagues at the Imperial Hotel Group and The Bedford Estates, with Emma and Candida at the heart of those discussions. A shared awareness of the impact the COVID‑19 pandemic was having on Bloomsbury led them to reflect on the loss of cohesion and energy in the neighbourhood, and on a collective responsibility to respond. From this starting point, further conversations and introductions followed, bringing together local businesses who shared the same values and a common aim to generate positive change. Over time, this grew into what became The Bloomsbury Partnership.
Together, they sought to create a Bloomsbury that sat firmly on the map as an area to visit and enjoy fully. Being on the doorstep, Coram’s Fields quickly became part of the conversation, noticing the positive impact that can be produced from supporting a local charity. This is what we mean by networking for good: using connections, influence and collaboration to create lasting community change.
“A local charity clear with their directives,” Emma says of Coram’s Fields.
The network in action
It is evident that the legacy of those 21 women remains strong within the neighbourhood. Women such as Candida and Emma continue to drive community change through their networks of local businesses. Rhian Gohil, from SCS JV, ignited the chain of events that led to Coram’s Fields receiving project equipment entirely pro bono, while Gemma Cooper, from Boxxed, further raised our public profile by featuring Coram’s Fields on the official Bloomsbury website. Local resident Melanie Jensen, alongside her husband Gauthier Leclere, also played a key role in driving donations towards the Play Zone. Stay tuned as we explore these stories in the coming weeks.
Through the efforts of each of these women, Coram’s Fields has formed new connections central to the campaign, demonstrating a shared willingness to use networks to turn ambition into reality.
Their approach to leadership is rooted not in visibility, but in building relationships and bringing people together.
“Connecting people is what makes my job,” Emma says.
However, positive change is often a joint effort and is inspired by a myriad of people and experiences. For Candida, the foundations of her leadership qualities come from her father, who served as a mentor and has been highly influential in her career. Likewise, both women have found inspiration from the different people and perspectives they encounter every day. The Bloomsbury Partnership has brought a variety of people around the leadership table, exposing Emma, Candida and the wider group to more diverse perspectives. This has enabled more dynamic decision-making. Like our Play Zone, collaboration has been central to driving meaningful change.
What comes next?
The opening of the new Junior Play Zone is an example of what can be possible when businesses, communities and individuals collaborate with the collective goal to create positive change. It sets a precedent for future possibilities in Bloomsbury and for Coram’s Fields, the possibility of providing generations of children and young people with the opportunities to play and expand their horizons.
On an individual level, Candida, Emma, Gemma, Rhian, and Melanie all represent how women are actively leading their neighbourhoods to aspire for a more united and supportive community – the same way the 21 Ladies of Distinction once did. In looking back at the stories of those who have inspired change across the years, community cohesion and leadership have been at the core of Bloomsbury’s growth. And now, with the help of our community, Coram’s Fields once again joins this history.
“By working together we can create a more connected, resilient and supportive community,” Candida says.
As we look ahead, the Junior Play Zone is not just a new space – it’s a reminder of what’s possible when a community comes together. It is an invitation for all of us to play a part in what comes next.