Shooting Star Children's Hospices
Shooting Star Children's Hospices is an English children's hospice charity (No: 1042495). It is intended to support and provide palliative care to families with children who are not expected to reach the age of 19 because of illness, genetic conditions or incurable disease. Shooting Star Children's Hospices offers community based support (hospice at home care) to families in south west London, Surrey and Sussex and runs two children's hospices: Christopher's, which is based at Artington near Guildford, and Shooting Star House in Hampton, London. Both hospices are currently rated as Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.
 The 'Journey' statue at Christopher's | |
| Formation | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Type | Children's hospice charity |
| Registration no. | 1042495 |
| Purpose | To support and provide palliative care to families with children who are not expected to reach the age of 19 because of illness, genetic conditions or incurable disease |
Region | England |
| Website | Official website |
History
Shooting Star Children's Hospices was formed in 2011 from the merger of two existing children's hospices. CHASE (Children's Hospices Association for the South East) and The Shooting Star Children's Hospice combined to become Shooting Star Chase, which later became Shooting Star Children's Hospices in February 2019.
CHASE was registered as a charity on 13 November 1994 after being inspired by an article in a national newspaper about a children's hospice in Birmingham. CHASE introduced its Community Care team on 10 May 1999 and Christopher's children's hospice was opened in November 2001.[1] The CHASE Ben Hollioake Fund was established after the death of the England and Surrey cricketer in 2002.[2] An afternoon tea party was hosted by Simon Cowell and his girlfriend Lauren Silverman for Shooting Star Children's Hospices at London's The Dorchester hotel. Joan Collins donated more than 150 pieces to Shooting Star Children's Hospices.
The Countess of Wessex is currently Royal Patron.[3] Other Patrons include Chris Evans, Andrew Castle, Chris De Burgh, Adam Hollioake, Eric Clapton, Anthea Turner, Anneka Rice, Keeley Hawes and Phillip Schofield.[4]
Funding
Shooting Star Children's Hospices receives minimal, short-term government funding but the majority of its revenue comes from donations and fundraising. The charity's flagship fundraising event, the Sunrise Walk, takes place in the summer. This is a 20 or 10 kilometer walk beginning and ending at Ham House in Richmond at 3.30am with a route covering areas of Richmond Park, Richmond Hill, The Thames, Ham Common, Bushy Park and Hampton Court Palace. Other events include a Firewalk and a Santa Skywalk. The Charity also has teams representing it at the London Marathon, RideLondon, the Brighton Marathon, The Royal Parks Half Marathon and the London Landmarks Half Marathon.
Shooting Star Children's Hospices also runs 13 charity shops, which are located in Ashford, Battersea, Chiswick, Cobham, Fulham, Guildford, Hampton Hill, Shepperton, Teddington, Twickenham, Walton, Weybridge and Whitton.
References
- , CHASE website, February 2009. Retrieved February 5, 2009.
- Jenny Thompson, Missing the World Cup hurt – Cook, Cricinfo, May 15, 2007. Retrieved August 5, 2008
- Charities and special associations British Monarchy website. Retrieved August 5, 2008.
- "Patrons". Shooting Star Children's Hospices. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
