Date & Time
Wednesday 24 September
6.30pm-8.30pm
Guests
You are welcome to bring a guest aged 16 or above
Dress code
Smart casual
Location
Lambeth Palace, London SE1 7JU
For more information on location please click here.
Booking deadline
Friday 5 September
Parking
Limited parking is available for blue badge holders at the Palace. Please contact Kathryn-Anne Masters, Donor Relations Officer, on k.masters@joh.cam.ac.uk if you require parking.
Dobson Free Places Drinks Reception 2025
The Master and Fellows of St John’s are pleased to invite you and a guest to a drinks reception in London to celebrate the remarkable progress of the Dobson Free Places campaign so far.
Thanks to the support of Johnians and friends of the College, the Dobson Free Places pilot scheme is in its second year and is already enabling seven talented undergraduates to pursue their studies at St John’s, with five more to come in the next academic year. Dobson Free Places will not only dramatically expand our ability to support UK students from low-income backgrounds, but will also establish a legacy of opportunity—anchoring means-tested student support at St John’s in a permanently endowed fund.
Join us for an evening of conversation, connection, and celebration as we celebrate the impact of your support and look ahead to the final 18 months of the campaign.
Programme
6.00pm: FULLY BOOKED Optional tour of Lambeth Palace (see details below)
6.30pm: Drinks and canapés in the Great Hall
7.00pm: Speeches
8.30pm: End of event
About Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace, the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for more than 800 years, offers a setting of rare historical and architectural distinction. Nestled on the south bank of the River Thames, opposite the Palace of Westminster, this iconic venue blends medieval grandeur with serene gardens and sweeping views of the city skyline.
Optional Tours (Fully Booked)
The guided tour of Lambeth Palace will take you through 800 years of history, visiting the most significant spaces. The tour will visit the Palace State Rooms, Guard Room and Chapel. It will conclude in the magnificent Great Hall for the evening’s celebrations. Please join the waitlist if you would like to attend.
Limited spaces for these tours are on first come first served basis.
Please contact Kathryn-Anne Masters, Donor Relations Officer, on k.masters@joh.cam.ac.uk for any questions you might have.
Booking for this event is now closed.
How to get to Lambeth Palace
Vauxhall Station- Victoria Line
15-20 mins walk or 5 mins by bus (Bus 77 or Bus 344)
Westminster Station- Jubilee, Circle and District Lines
12-15 mins walk across Westminster Bridge
Lambeth North Station- Bakerloo Line
10-12 mins walk
Waterloo Station- Bakerloo, Northern (Charing Cross Branch), Jubilee and Waterloo & City
15 mins walk or 7 mins by bus (Bus 77)
The nearest stops are Lambeth Palace Road and Lambeth Road
Buses to Lambeth Palace Road:
Route 77 (toward Waterloo Station)
Route C10 (toward Victoria)
Buses from Vauxhall:
Route 77 (toward Waterloo)
Route 344 (toward Liverpool Steet)
Vauxhall Station
15-20 mins walk or 5 mins by bus (Bus 77 or Bus 344)
Waterloo Station
20 mins walk or 7 mins by bus (Bus 77)
Victoria Station
30 mins walk or 15 mins by bus (Bus C10)
For cyclists, Cycle Superhighway 6 (CS6) runs near the Palace, offering a direct route along the river.
The nearest Santander Cycle Docking Stations are at Lambeth Road and Archbishop’s Park.
For a more scenic journey, you can take the Thames Clippers riverboat service. The nearest pier is the London Eye Pier. From there it is a 10-12 mins walk.