Shooting Star Children's Hospices

Registered charity 1042495 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · Wikidata: Q7500594 · Wikipedia · also known as CHASE, SHOOTING STAR CHASE

The charity provides care services to life-limited children and their families at home, in the community and at their two hospices, Christopher's in Guildford and Shooting Star House in Hampton. These services included respite care, symptom management and end of life care. A wide range of therapy and bereavement counselling services are also provided for children and family members.

Objects

TO PROMOTE THE RELIEF OF ILLNESS IN SUCH WAYS AS THE ASSOCIATION SHALL FROM TIME TO TIME THINK FIT BY ESTABLISHING, MAINTAINING AND CONDUCTING RESIDENTIAL NURSING AND CONVALESCENT HOMES FOR THE RECEPTION AND CARE OF YOUNG PERSONS.

Area of benefit: THE SOUTH EASTERN AREA OF ENGLAND

The charity’s charitable objects and area of benefit, quoted from its governing document as held on the Charity Commission register.

Causes: The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives · website · Get email alerts

Registered contact address: Richmond upon Thames, London, England (from the postcode on the register)

Latest income
£13.1m
Latest spending
£12.5m
Registered
1994
Accounts read
FY2025

Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts

The accounts state that total income increased by 6% to £13,071,573 while total expenditure rose by 18% to £12,496,801, resulting in a net unrestricted income of £580,495. The charity holds free reserves of £14,248,894, which the trustees note represents 13.4 months of cash operating expenditure, significantly exceeding their stated policy target of six to nine months.

Automated summary of the FY2025 accounts; the evidenced findings below carry the verbatim passages.

What the accounts disclose

Largest income source: Donations and legacies (34% of income)
“Donations and legacies £4,403,488”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Fundraising cost ratio: 14.3% of fundraised income, as disclosed
“Costs of generating funds increased by 17% from £1,595,211 in 2023/24 to £1,862,758 in 2024/25”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves policy: between six and nine months of cash operating expenditure (held: £14.2m)
“The reserves policy of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is set at between six and nine months of cash operating expenditure (excluding depreciation).”
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.

Accounts audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP. Discloses 5 of 6 completeness components.

In its annual return the charity told the Commission it is also regulated by: Care Quality Commission. This is the charity’s own declaration; it is not a rating and has not been verified by the Commission or by this site.

Policies the charity declares

In its annual return the charity told the Commission that it has the policies listed below. This is self-declared: it is not verified by the Commission or by this site, and it is not evidence of how a policy works in practice.

From the charity’s annual return (Part A, self-declared)

Answers and figures the charity gave in Part A of its annual return to the Charity Commission. They are self-declared: not verified by the Commission or by this site. Only positive answers and figures are listed; items not listed are simply not shown.

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2025

  • Volunteers: 610
  • Government income: £2,508,525 — contracts £672,825 (2), grants £1,835,700 (3); 19% of the £13,071,573 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 16 (£60,001–£70,000: 5; £80,001–£90,000: 9; £90,001–£100,000: 1; £150,001–£200,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2024

  • Volunteers: 541
  • Government income: £2,438,076 — contracts £646,000 (2), grants £1,792,076 (1); 20% of the £12,354,437 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 12 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £70,001–£80,000: 3; £80,001–£90,000: 5; £90,001–£100,000: 1; £120,001–£130,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

Self-declared on the annual return for the financial year ending 31/03/2023

  • Volunteers: 388
  • Government income: £2,130,808 — contracts £628,000 (2), grants £1,502,808 (1); 20% of the £10,626,338 total gross income on the same return
  • Employees paid over £60,000: 9 (£60,001–£70,000: 2; £70,001–£80,000: 4; £80,001–£90,000: 2; £140,001–£150,000: 1)
  • Has a trading subsidiary

Source: this charity’s annual returns on the Charity Commission register.

In the news

Recent coverage mentioning this charity by name (automated match; headlines belong to their publishers).

Corporate structure

SHOOTING STAR MARKETING LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Turnover: £1.4m
  • Profit before tax: £202k
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £202k
“A donation, equivalent to the taxable profit for the year, will be paid to the parent charity under a deed of covenant.”
CHASE HOSPICE TRADING LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
  • Turnover: £1.0m
  • Profit before tax: £566k
  • Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £566k
  • Note 10 discloses a loan to parent charity of £1,409,000 (2025: £14,209,000) and an intercompany balance due to parent charity of £4,087 (2025: £0). Note 1 also states: 'Any taxable profit is transferred each year under Gift Aid to the company’s parent charity, Shooting Star Children's Hospices. Provision is made within creditors for the amount payable in respect of each year.'
“A donation, equivalent to the taxable profit for the year, will be paid to the parent charity under a deed of covenant.”

Public fundraising profile: JustGiving — Shooting Star Children's Hospices (matched by registered charity number).

Company officers (Companies House)

Current officers of the charity’s own company per the Companies House register, cross-checked against the Charity Commission trustee list by name. A director not on the trustee list is usually a timing or naming difference between the two registers — check both records before drawing conclusions.

Official officers record.

Public-sector contracts awarded

From the official Contracts Finder and Find a Tender notices (supplier matched by exact registered name). Contract income is distinct from grants.

Property (HM Land Registry)

4 registered titles in England and Wales held by the charity’s company or corporate body (0 freehold). All charity-held property. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.

CQC provider record: Shooting Star Children's Hospices — Registered, 2 registered locations, 1 regulated activity, last inspected 24/05/2022.charity number confirmed by CQC CQC record

Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 31/03/2025)

Total income
£13.1m
Total spending
£12.5m
Cost of raising funds
£3.6m
Reserves (reported)
£19.0m
Employees
210

Reported reserves equal ~18.3 months of spending — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 4.6 months; benchmarks).

Per its annual return, cost of raising funds: 27.5% of total income — in the top quarter for charities its size (median 3.7%) (benchmarks).

Care Quality Commission ratings

CQC inspection ratings for services run by a provider matching this charity’s name (matched by name; verify provider identity on CQC’s site).

Register events

Trustees · trustee networks

Trustee list from the Charity Commission register (current, not historical).

Operates in: Surrey · Throughout London

Income and spending

Financial year endIncomeSpending
31/03/2025£13.1m£12.5m
31/03/2024£12.4m£10.6m
31/03/2023£10.6m£9.8m
31/03/2022£9.6m£7.7m
31/03/2021£10.0m£8.8m

Common questions

Is Shooting Star Children's Hospices financially healthy?

Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that total income increased by 6% to £13,071,573 while total expenditure rose by 18% to £12,496,801, resulting in a net unrestricted income of £580,495. The charity holds free reserves of £14,248,894, which the trustees note represents 13.4 months of cash operating expenditure, significantly exceeding their stated policy target of six to nine months. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Buzzacott Audit LLP.

Who funds Shooting Star Children's Hospices?

Funders whose own accounts filings name Shooting Star Children's Hospices as a grant recipient include THE PAUL STRANK CHARITABLE TRUST, THE CHILDHOOD TRUST, THE INGRAM TRUST, THE PENNIES FOUNDATION, THE BRITTEN FOUNDATION.

Known funders

Grants to this charity found in funders’ own accounts filings.

FunderYearAmountPurpose (as stated by the funder)
THE PAUL STRANK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£80k
THE PAUL STRANK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2025£62k
THE PAUL STRANK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£55k
THE PAUL STRANK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£50k
THE CHILDHOOD TRUSTFY2025£25k
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2023£25kGrants paid during the year
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2022£25k
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2025£25kfamily counselling support service
THE CHILDHOOD TRUSTFY2024£24k
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2022£14k
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2023£10k
THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUSTFY2023£10k
THE THOMAS J HORNE MEMORIAL TRUSTFY2024£10k
THE THOMAS J HORNE MEMORIAL TRUSTFY2022£9k
THE THOMAS J HORNE MEMORIAL TRUSTFY2023£9k
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2021£8kGrant to institution
THE SANDHU CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONFY2022£6k
A G MANLY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£5k
THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£5k
THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£5k
THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUSTFY2022£5k
THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUSTFY2021£5k
SCOULOUDI FOUNDATIONFY2022£4kChildren & Youth
THE DIXIE ROSE FINDLAY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2024£3k
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2021£3kMissionary and charitable giving
FRAZER TRUSTFY2024£3kChildren
THE CHILDHOOD TRUSTFY2023Unverified read£3k
FRAZER TRUSTFY2022£3k
THE HILARY AWDRY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£2k
KERITH COMMUNITY CHURCHFY2023£2k
FRAZER TRUSTFY2023£2kChildren
FRAZER TRUSTFY2025£2kHospitals and home (and connected activities)
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2024£1k
KERITH COMMUNITY CHURCHFY2024£500
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2025£400Missionary and charitable giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2022£400Missionary and charitable giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2023£400Missionary and charitable giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2024£400Missionary and charitable giving
THE ARDWICK TRUSTFY2024£200for Music Therapy support
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ST NICOLAS GUILDFORDFY2021£110Monthly Good Cause May
WOKING UNITED REFORMED CHURCH CHARITYFY2025£50Toddler Group
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2022amount not stated
THE THOMAS J HORNE MEMORIAL TRUSTFY2025amount not stated
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2025amount not stated
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2024amount not stated

Grants marked “Unverified read” were flagged by automated checks as possibly misread from the funder’s filed accounts. They are listed, but left out of the totals, counts and funder relationships this site computes.

Government & lottery funding

Grants to this charity published as open data by government and lottery funders (360Giving).

FunderDateAmountPurpose
The National Lottery Community Fund12/02/2026£20kFamily support across the summer at Shooting Star Children's Hospices
The National Lottery Community Fund12/09/2024£20kSibling Support
UK government01/04/2019£698kShooting Star CHASE
City Bridge Foundation14/11/2018£125kGrant to Shooting Star Children's Hospices
UK government01/04/2018£14kX Factor- Shooting Star Chase
City Bridge Foundation20/10/2011£135kGrant to Shooting Star Children's Hospices
The National Lottery Community Fund20/12/2006£47kA weekend of transition skills to prepare life-limited teenagers for the fu
The National Lottery Community Fund16/07/2006£5kLeadership skills training programme
The National Lottery Community Fund26/05/2005£20kCHASE Wings and Wheels Project

Funders of similar charities

Funders whose accounts show grants to charities similar to this one (and no recorded grant to this charity) — a starting list for fundraisers.

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with SHOOTING STAR CANCER SUPPORT.

Side by side with its peers

CharityIncomeTop pay bandStaff >£60kReserves vs policyFundraising costGoing concern
Shooting Star Children's Hospices£13.1m—0unclear14.3%no doubt
SHOOTING STAR CANCER SUPPORT FY2025£92k£4,0000unclear—no doubt
Star Community Foundation FY2025£300k—0unclear—no doubt
MY SHINING STAR FY2024£227k——above—no doubt
EAST ANGLIA'S CHILDREN'S HOSPICES FY2025£22.4m——unclear—no doubt
DERIAN HOUSE CHILDRENS HOSPICE FY2025£7.7m——above—no doubt

Each row is that charity’s latest analysed filing; every value is quote-backed on its own page.