A charity with roots dating back almost five centuries has changed its name in a move it says will help people better understand its mission and values.
The charity formerly known as Saint John of God Hospitaller Services was named after Saint John of God, or João Cidade as he was known in his native Portugal. Cidade was born in 1495 and had a varied life as a shepherd, soldier and bookseller.
In 1539 Cidade established a hospital in Granada after experiencing the treatment of those with mental illness. His new hospital aimed to put love, compassion, dignity and hospitality at the centre of all of its works.
Eventually an entire religious order emerged from Cidade’s vision, a group known in Italian as the Fatebenefratelli - the “Do Good Brothers”.
The English incarnation of the charitable work of Saint John goes back to 1880.
Now, rather than being known as Saint John of God Hospitaller Services, the group has changed its trading name to The Do Good Charity.
The group sought to allay fears that the name change indicated a move away from its religious roots, and insisted it was motivated by a desire for the charity to expand its ability to help those who need it.
Chief executive Paul Bott said, “It’s a new name, but the same heart since 1880. The 500-year-old philosophy of hospitality is still the bedrock of our work. It’s still mission-led, and underpinned by Catholic social teaching. Doing good has been at the heart of this organisation for generations.”
He added, “SJOG was familiar to the people who already knew us, but it did not necessarily tell someone encountering us for the first time who we were or what we stood for. The Do Good Charity does exactly that. It puts our purpose into plain English and, importantly, it is also an invitation.
“We’ve been quietly doing good since 1880 following the example of our founder. Now we need people to know who we are because we want to share our learning, partner with others and do more good in the communities where we work.”
