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Shooting Star Children's Hospices

Registered charity 1042495 · accounts filings on the Charity Commission register · 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.

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

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 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.

BuyerContractAwardedValue
NHS South West London ICBSpecialist Paediatric Palliative Care (SPACE) Service - Shooting Star Children's Hospice——
NHS SURREY AND SUSSEX INTEGRATED CARE BOARDSpecialist Paediatric Palliative End of Life Care and Symptom Management Service - CAN——

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 3.8%) (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 INGRAM TRUST, THE CHILDHOOD TRUST, THE PENNIES FOUNDATION, THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUST.

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 TRUSTFY2023£55k
THE PAUL STRANK CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£50k
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2025£25kfamily counselling support service
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2023£25kGrants paid during the year
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2022£25k
THE CHILDHOOD TRUSTFY2025£25k
THE CHILDHOOD TRUSTFY2024£24k
THE PENNIES FOUNDATIONFY2022£14k
THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUSTFY2023£10k
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2023£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
THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2023£5k
THE JOHN COATES CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£5k
A G MANLY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£5k
THE JOHN HORSEMAN TRUSTFY2022£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
FRAZER TRUSTFY2022£3k
THE CHILDHOOD TRUSTFY2023£3k
THE HILARY AWDRY CHARITABLE TRUSTFY2022£2k
KERITH COMMUNITY CHURCHFY2023£2k
FRAZER TRUSTFY2025£2kHospitals and home (and connected activities)
FRAZER TRUSTFY2023£2kChildren
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2024£1k
KERITH COMMUNITY CHURCHFY2024£500
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2023£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 ICKENHAMFY2024£400Missionary and charitable giving
THE PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL PARISH OF ICKENHAMFY2025£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
THE INGRAM TRUSTFY2024£0
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2025£0
THE BRITTEN FOUNDATIONFY2022£0
THE THOMAS J HORNE MEMORIAL TRUSTFY2025£0

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.

FunderSimilar charities fundedAmount to them
THE WILLIAM ALLEN YOUNG CHARITABLE TRUST3£33k
ROCKCLIFFE CHARITABLE TRUST3£8k
SIR JULES THORN CHARITABLE TRUST2£421k
HOLLYHOCK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION2£304k
THE DYERS' COMPANY CHARITABLE TRUST2£33k
THE TOY TRUST2£26k
LILIAN FRANCES HIND BEQUEST (TRUSTEES OF LADY HIND)2£23k
THE LANCASHIRE FOUNDATION2£6k

Charities like this

Semantically similar by activities and financial character, from our analysed corpus. Compare with EAST ANGLIA'S CHILDREN'S HOSPICES.

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
EAST ANGLIA'S CHILDREN'S HOSPICES FY2025£22.4m——unclear—no doubt
DERIAN HOUSE CHILDRENS HOSPICE FY2025£7.7m——above—no doubt
CHILDREN'S HOSPICE SOUTH WEST FY2025£22.4m£120,001 - £130,000—below12.0%no doubt
HAVEN HOUSE FOUNDATION FY2025£5.9m——above—no doubt
STAR BEREAVEMENT AND SUPPORT SERVICE LIMITED FY2025£135k—0unclear—no doubt

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