“Everybody who can afford to should give some time to some charity, because that’s about giving back to society: Society has been good to you. Whether it’s helping out with the local church group, at the soup kitchen, or as a trustee of a charity.”

- Paul Ruddock

From a very young age Paul has had a keen interest in art which has led to many of his charitable appointments where he is an active member on the boards. Below are just a few organisations Paul works with.

V&A

Paul Ruddock first visited the V&A when he was eight, today he is the chairman and has helped raise over £120 million for the museum. This helped revamp the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries. Paul has been the Chairman at the V&A and spends at least 10 hours a week of his own time on the V&A. He has also previously introduced friends Michael Hintze (of CQS U.K. LLP) and William and Judith Bollinger to the charity.

In Detail: Large-scale works, once part of impressive Renaissance buildings, are displayed in the context of the cityscape.

Read the article from Hedge-Fund Chief Ruddock Gives Millions to V&A, Shuns Spotlight

Chair of the V&A Board of Trustees

Monday 26 September 2011: Paul Ruddock reappointed as Chair, and Michelle Ogundehin and Bob Stefanowski reappointed as trustees, of the Victoria & Albert Museum.

Read the article Paul Ruddock reappointed as Chair of the Victoria & Albert Museum

Paul has been a trustee of the museum since May 2002 and was re-appointed in May 2006.

Read the article from Committee V&A Museum Of Childhood

Appointed Chairman of the V&A Board by the Prime Minister on 19 July 2007 to succeed Paula Ridley with effect from 1 November 2007.

Read the article from Trustees of the V&A

British Museum

Major redisplay of Room 41, Europe and the Mediterranean between AD 300 and 1100

This new gallery space has been made possible by a generous donation from Paul and Jill Ruddock, funder of the recently opened Paul and Jill Ruddock Medieval Gallery at the British Museum.

Read more from The British Museum Collection reaches record audiences worldwide

The Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery devoted to the Museum’s pre-eminent collection of medieval material (room 40)

The third of four new galleries opening at the British Museum this year, the Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery of Medieval Europe is devoted to the British Museum’s pre-eminent collection of medieval material. This gallery will place this great collection in its fullest historical context, integrating art with archaeology, covering the period from 1050–1500 AD. Some of the Museum’s greatest British, European and Byzantine treasures will form the centrepieces for this new permanent space.

Read more from Paul & Jill Ruddock Medieval gallery at the British Museum

Read more from Art Daily: New Medieval Gallery at the British Museum

The newly-refurbished Medieval Europe gallery showcases many of the world’s greatest medieval treasures. British, European and Byzantine objects tell the story of a period of great change when territorial wars and political turmoil shaped the continent we know today.

Browse the photos about this gallery

King Edward’s School

Opening April 2012, Paul and Jill Ruddock are the major donors for the Performing Arts Centre of the King Edward’s School in Birmingham; the two main performing spaces will be the Concert Hall which will accommodate an orchestra of 90 and an audience of over 400 and a drama studio of flexible design that will accommodate an audience of 120.

View the photo gallery from Paul and Jill Ruddock Performing Arts Centre

Metropolitan Museum of Art

In January 2011 Paul Ruddock was elected to the Board of Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the Metropolitan Museum Of Art, Paul has been a member of the Chairman’s Council since 2010 and of the Visiting Committee for the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters since 2007.

“The Metropolitan Museum of Art is pleased to welcome Paul Ruddock to its Board of Trustees,” commented Mr. Houghton. “His vast and multi-faceted international museum experience along with his background in global financial markets will strengthen our institution in many ways. He has been actively involved with the Metropolitan for more than a decade—especially in the area of medieval art”

Read the article from Paul Ruddock Elected a Trustee of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Afrikids

Paul along with his business associate Stuart Roden have for a number of years encouraged their colleagues to donate collectively to a wide variety of AfriKids projects, including:

• Operation Bolgatanga: The Next Generation Home (2004-2008)
• Football strips for four AfriKids children’s centres
• The AfriKids Outreach Vehicle
• The AfriKids Medical Centre
• The AfriKids Eco Lodge

Paul again takes an active role in helping this charity and both he and his daughter Sophie Ruddock have visited the charity in Ghana.

Read the article from Paul Ruddock and Stuart Roden donate collectively to a wide variety of AfriKids projects

Walters Art Museum

Paul has donated to the Walters Art Museum for a number of years. His contributions have helped various exhibitions including the Treasures of Heaven: Saints, Relics and Devotion in Medieval Europe.