“It became really evident how important it is to be connected to the community”

What Steven asked Natalie Tegg, Deputy CEO of The French Hospital in Rochester

The French Hospital is a significant and yet often overlooked part of Rochester High Street. Steven met their Head of Engagement, Natalie Tegg, in their main office, to find out more about the almshouses. They talked about whether it is actually a hospital, how Natalie came to work there and the challenges of the non-profit sector.

Natalie Tegg, following a triathalon.

What is your official occupation?
I'm Deputy Clerk. Clerk is obviously a tradition going back to when the charity was first set up. I suppose Deputy CEO now. A big part of my role is also engagement, I've got quite a long job title, Head of Engagement and Deputy CEO. The engagement means working with stakeholders, both internally, in terms of the residents, trustees, staff, but externally with agencies like the Cathedral, and the Sheds Project, Age UK Kent Rivers, building those partnerships externally as well.

What is the French Hospital?
The French Hospital was set up in 1718 with a legacy £1,000 to support Huguenots in need. Obviously, when Huguenots came over to this country after the revocation of the edict of Nantes, Louis XIV sent everybody here. The French Hospital were set up in London to support those Huguenots basically in need and actually worked very empathetically at the time to support people with mental health issues. The charity was set up, and it's been run in probably quite a similar way ever since, with a board of trustees, board of governors, primarily all of Huguenot descent who govern the charity.

Do you have a Huguenot connection yourself?
I'm going through the process of finding out, actually. The word Wood on my mother's side, Woods du Boire. We're going through the whole process now to try and find out. I think I should really. One in six of us are of Huguenot descent. The charity has changed, and it was changed. It's a Royal Charter Charity. It was changed in 1985 to support older adults in need. The role here isn't just about providing almshouse accommodation. It's about providing activities and events that decrease loneliness and improve social inclusion.

It's called the French Hospital, but it isn't what we think a hospital is?
No, hospital was a word that was used for a charitable organisation in the early days, places like St George's. The French Hospital was set up there and we are French obviously, but not a hospital in that point, but as a charity, very much about providing accommodation to people in need.

To clarify this point, the people who live here, they have to demonstrate a Huguenot connection?
As I say, our charter was changed in 1985, but they have to be in need, primarily financial need. I think with the situation with housing at the moment, particularly for older people, we've seen a huge increase in people applying to come here, because those living in private accommodation where the rent has gone up dramatically, there's a number of people coming here who aren't in position to be able to afford that anymore. It's the need for the charity, as with other almshouses, because we've got a big concentration across Medway of almshouses. Charities have increased dramatically.

With the Hospital first being set up in London, when did it come to Rochester?Opened here in 1959. The great benefit of being here is, for the residents, you're in an urban environment, you've got the access to the high street. I think that became particularly relevant during covid, where the high street was able to adapt. For people here, not able to get shopping, deliveries were made, a call was made to the grocers on the high street and food parcels were delivered, crochet kits were delivered, that sort of thing. That's when I think it became really evident how important it is to be connected to the community here.