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Margaret Horn Lecture

Annual event

The Margaret Horn Lecture is an annual event held by the London Early Years Foundation to debate the latest issues, developments and opportunities considered crucial to building a better future for London's children, families and communities.

For the past four years, this event has offered professionals and partner organisations from across the sector the opportunity to hear some of the latest thinking from a range of experts - including Andrew Mawson, Dame Clare Tickell and Graham Allen - share their own ideas, make new contacts and learn more about LEYF's enterprising, multigenerational and community-focused approach to delivering childcare.

For the first time this year, LEYF CEO June O'Sullivan will deliver the keynote presentation.  With the title 'Child poverty: why social franchising is a giant step in the right direction', June will present the initial findings of research carried out into the LEYF model and consider whether growing this model through social franchising offers a new way forward in tackling the challenges of child poverty.

The event will be chaired by Matthew Taylor, CEO of the RSA, and will offer attendees the chance to contribute to the debate, with an open Q&A session following June's initial presentation.

The event is free to attend, but with very limited availability.  To reserve your space now, please visit the RSA booking page by clicking on the link below now.

FREE - Book online now

For those unable to attend the event in person, please submit your questions and follow the debate on Twitter, using the hashtag #RSALEYF.

About Margaret Horn

In 1902, Margaret Horn was approached to lead a health education programme, based on practical lines, informing mothers on the feeding of infants, childhood infections and caring for consumptive patients.

A school manager and a member of the Invalids Children’s Aid Association for St James, Soho and the Strand divisions of Westminster, Margaret Horn was also a former pupil of the philanthropist and social reformer Octavia Hill.  As such, she had distinct experience and practical knowledge of housing management and social improvement in the home.

With the support of a group of volunteers, Margaret Horn pioneered home visits in the area, creating interest in the plight of Westminster’s often overlooked poor communities. By 1903 this interest led the serving Lord Mayor of Westminster to call a meeting of all people sympathetic to this cause. This meeting was the founding of the City of Westminster Health Society; the precursor to what was later to be known as Westminster Children's Society (WCS), and today as the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF).

In 1938 Margaret Horn was awarded an MBE for services to maternity and child welfare.  She sadly passed away in the spring of 1949.