“What has stayed with me most over the years is not just the medical expertise — though that has been exceptional — but the sense of being known. The same faces. The same steady reassurance. The feeling that I am not navigating this alone.”

– Bill, St Mark’s Patient

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR OF TRUSTEES AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE

The St Mark’s National Bowel Hospital now sits within a larger network of Trusts within North West London which also includes Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. This will provide more opportunities for research and education collaborations among a larger number of hospitals.

We are very proud of the clinicians at St Mark’s as they continue to push the boundaries of research and innovation in patient care against a backdrop of increasing clinical demands in the NHS. There continue to be many examples of our charitably funded research projects positively impacting patients, clinical effectiveness and efficiency within the NHS.

Total income for the year was £2,160,175 while total expenditure was £2,676,969. Total income decreased by 18% when compared to the previous year. The differences can be attributed to lower value grants, and education, legacy and bank interest income. Total restricted income was £1,284,285, compared to last year’s income of £1,657,091.

Income generated by St Mark’s Academic Institute was £576,123, which was 19% lower than last year’s £709,628. The predominant reason for the decrease was the lower level of sponsorship support for our signature conferences.

Total expenditure was £2,676,969, 92% of which was spent on our charitable activities of research and education. The cost of raising funds as percentage of total expenditure was 8%, compared to 7% in the previous year.

Unrestricted reserves at the year-end were £434,453, equivalent to just over six months’ total unrestricted expenditure, which is within the unrestricted reserve level range set by the Trustees. In addition, the Foundation also holds a healthy balance of designated funds of £75,646 and restricted research funds of £2,637,038.

We were sorry to say farewell to Moni Mannings who stepped down from the Board in December after six years. Moni made a substantial contribution to the Foundation, including providing valuable insight on the structure of St Mark’s within the wider Trust. The Foundation and the Hospital are very grateful for her work.

Some of this year’s most significant research developments have been with domestic and international collaborations. An increase in bowel cancer in people under the age of 50 has led to a concerted effort in the research
community to find a cause. St Mark’s is at the forefront of this research, contributing its unique tissue bank resource of tumour specimens dating back to the 1950s as well as its clinical expertise in inherited cancer and genetics.

This is my last year as Chairman, and I am standing down in December 2026. James Wong has agreed to take over as Chairman and I wish him well. So much has happened in the last ten years but I am confident that I am leaving both the hospital and the Foundation in excellent shape. I would like to thank Board colleagues and clinicians for all their support over the years. St Mark’s is an incredible hospital, and I am proud to have contributed to its success and
future prosperity.

Sir Tom Troubridge

Jason Bacon