The Whitechapel Mission signed up to the codes of practice of the Fundraising Regulator, and is accountable for our fundraising. We promise to always be honest, open and accountable in our fundraising, helping you to give with confidence. For more information, visit www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk.

The following Pledge of Accountability outlines the commitment of our Staff and Trustees to our supporters:

At The Whitechapel Mission, we rely upon our supporters to provide various resources we need to help the homeless, hungry and hurting of London. We are eternally grateful to those individuals who have acted on their desire to share their love for the needy by partnering financially in our work.

We are committed to:

• Using your contributions faithfully and wisely, in accordance with our mission statement to serve the men and women of London caught in the cycles of poverty, hopelessness and dependencies of many kinds, and to see lives transformed to hope, joy, lasting productivity.
• Not using your donation to pay for TV adverts.
• Not using your donation to cold mail people in the hope of getting more money in.
• We will be here every day of the year, and will make sure your donation is used to make a difference to those on our streets.
• Respecting your privacy, by refusing to make your name, address, or any other personal information available to any other entity.
• Contracting with an independent accounting firm to conduct an annual audit of our finances, and making our financial reports available to all who request them.

On occasion, we receive more contributions for a given project than needed. When this happens, we use funds to meet a similar pressing need.

If for any reason you feel that our Board of Trustees and Administrative staff have mismanaged your contribution to our organization, please contact us for a refund equal to the total amount of your gift.

The Whitechapel Mission is a registered UK charity. Registrations with the Charity Commissioners is your assurance that an organization adheres to the highest standards of Governance and ethical financial practices.

For more information please call 03000 111 400 or email [email protected]

We take your privacy very seriously and will not abuse the trust you have placed in us. To view our privacy policy click here.

In 1876 the forerunner of the Whitechapel Mission was inaugurated as `The Working Lads' Institute and Home' at a Public Meeting in the Mansion House, presided over by the Lord Mayor of London. Little is known of the founder, Mr. Henry Hill, but the work was conducted from rented premises at The Mount, Whitechapel Road, London until 1885 when a brand new building was constructed to house the work at 285 Whitechapel Road (famous as the building that housed the enquiry into the 'Jack the Ripper' case). This building was opened by Queen Alexandra and King Edward VII also attended. From 1896 the work was continued by a Methodist minister, Revd Thomas Jackson and the burgers of the City maintained their association with the work, with the Lord Mayor of London and the Sherriff attending the anniversary celebrations each year.

The Whitechapel Methodist Mission was a Primitive Methodist foundation, arising from the home mission activities of one of the Methodists' greatest ministers, the Revd Thomas Jackson who worked in the East End of London for 56 years. His work at Whitechapel built on his earlier work in Bethnal Green, Walthamstow and Clapton. The Whitechapel Mission combined social work with evangelical work. The station began in 1897 when Revd Thomas Jackson bought the Working Lads' Institute which was due to close owing to a shortage of funds. He used this as the basis for his work in Whitechapel. In 1901 the Mission acquired a property on Marine Parade, Southend, to continue the provision of holidays and convalescent stays for the poor from the area. In 1906 Brunswick Hall was purchased and this enabled a physical separation of the social work and evangelical work. The Mission's many activities included free breakfasts and penny dinners for local children; a Medical Mission; a free legal advice service; a night shelter for homeless men; distribution of food, coal and grocery tickets to the poor; prison gate rescue work especially amongst young lads, which developed into full probation work with the opening of Windyridge Hostel.

The objective of the Institute then was to keep its doors open for orphan and destitute lads. Food, clothing, lodgings, and friendship were provided for upwards of 3,200 needy homeless between the ages of fourteen and eighteen years. In its first year the Institute served over 11,000 breakfasts and was open each and every morning for the homeless of any age.

The work we do and the way we do it have both changed completely since 1876, but the point of it is exactly the same: to make a difference in the lives of people, wherever it is most needed.

The National Archives (Whitechapel Mission)
The National Archives (Working Lads' Institute)
The National Archives (Probation Hostel)
The National Archives (Homes of Rest)
Wikipedia: Wynne Edwin Baxter
Wikipedia: Martha Tabram
Wikipedia: Annie Chapman
Wikipedia: Mary Ann Nichols