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A letter from Hannah Rothschild
Chair of the Rothschild Foundation
As the third Chair in the Rothschild Foundation’s history, I am incredibly proud to continue and build on the legacy and extraordinary achievements of both my father Jacob, and our cousin Dorothy, and to guide the Foundation as it looks to maintain its relevance in a challenging world. Our mission is simple… To deliver positive change and meaningful impact for the benefit of the next generation.
The seeds of our family’s philanthropy started in an eighteenth-century ghetto in Frankfurt. My forebears were determined to create a better life for themselves, their neighbours, and their communities. Underpinning all their activities were three principles – harmony, integrity, and hard work (Concordia, Integritas, Industria).
Since then, nine generations of the Rothschild family have used their resources, influence – what we now call network – and a belief in the power and moral responsibility of philanthropy to seek solutions for tomorrow’s problems with a focus on culture, the environment and equality of opportunity.
The Foundation’s greatest assets are the people who have powered our work: colleagues, other organizations, grantees and associates who inspire and ensure we deliver on our promise whilst staying true to our principles, and it is with their help and their dedication that we will future proof an extraordinary legacy.
We are planning many exciting initiatives. At Waddesdon Manor we’ll be expanding activities for the benefit of our 400,000 annual visitors, our cohort of international scholars, our pathway students and for many hundreds of thousands of online followers. I am indebted to the people who work and volunteer at Waddesdon to make it one of the most visited and beloved houses in the country. I look forward to strengthening ties with the National Trust.
Our belief in and support of causes and charities in the Buckinghamshire radius will continue. We will develop our environmental strategy including a project with the Natural History Museum and an even deeper focus on regenerative farming and sustainability. In education, we’re learning from and partnering with inspirational teacher leaders, schools, and academic institutions. We will continue to support the arts through specific local, community and national initiatives and museums.
I’d like to thank my fellow trustees, associated family members and colleagues for helping to deliver our promise of delivering positive change and meaningful impact for the benefit of future generations.
Hannah Rothschild
Chair, Rothschild Foundation