Following the success of the first fundraising push for the Sancho Memorial Appeal, we’re inviting the university community of alumni and supporters to help us reach the fundraising target of £15,000 by 14 December, the anniversary of Charles Ignatius Sancho’s death. The £15,000 target will mean that we’ll be over halfway to securing the necessary funding for the memorial to go ahead.
Why we’re raising money
Celebrating Black excellence inspires us all to address continuing racial injustice and disadvantage in society today.
Charles Ignatius Sancho represents an important chapter in British history. Born on a ship carrying enslaved Africans across the Atlantic in around 1729, Sancho came to work for three sisters in a house near Dartmouth Row, Greenwich.
After securing his freedom he became a celebrated man of letters, a composer, and a social commentator. A leading abolitionist, Sancho was the first documented person of Afro-British heritage to vote in a parliamentary election in this country.
Sancho was celebrated in his lifetime, and you can ensure a new generation remembers him today. Based on Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Sancho, the memorial will be a relief sculpture in colour on the wall of Greenwich Park.
Thank you
Thank you to all who have already supported the appeal, launched at the beginning of Black History Month 2022. The initial £6,000 raised during Black History Month has enabled us to secure the sculptor, Christy Symington, to design the relief sculpture. You can find Christy’s work, a sculpture of Olaudah Equiano, nearby at the Queen’s House, Greenwich.
This support gets us closer to ensuring a new generation learns about Ignatius Sancho – a man who was celebrated in his lifetime and who existed within, and not outside, society's margins.
How you can help
The donations will help to cover the cost of the memorial, installation, and up-keep. With your help we hope to reach over half-way to this target by the anniversary of Sancho’s death on 14th December. Please support us by either:
- Donating – All gifts, no matter their size, help us to reach our goal.
- Becoming a Giving Champion – support our fundraising efforts by raising awareness of the campaign with your community and encouraging others to give. Register your interest.
- Spread the word – share your support of the campaign via social media using #GreenwichGives #IgnatiusSancho
Upcoming event
After the launch of his debut novel The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho in October, Paterson Joseph will be reading extracts from his book at an event at Blackheath Halls on 31 January 2023. If you are interested in attending, tickets and further information can be found here.
