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← Shooting Star Children's Hospices

2025-03-31-accounts

Annual report

Financial statements for the year ended March 2025

Registered Charity No. 1042495 – Company Registration No. 02927688 (England and Wales)

Page Chair and Chief Executive introductions 3-4 Trustees’ report (including strategic report) 5-33 Independent auditor’s report 34-36 Consolidated statement of financial activities 37-38 Group and charity balance sheets 39 Consolidated statement of cash flows 40 Notes to the financial statements 41-64 Reference and administrative details 65-66

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

2

Thank you from our Chair of Trustees

I am delighted to share proudly with you this year’s annual report, which highlights the outstanding progress we have made in 2024/25 to support every family who has a child with a life-limiting condition or whose child has died, when they need us.

It is fitting that at the mid-point of our 2023-2026 strategy, For Every Family , we reach a milestone achievement: 25 years since we launched our Community Nursing team in Surrey. In 1999, when this vital service launched, 35 families were supported. Now, over 1,000 families are supported every year.

This year has arguably been one of our busiest. As well as continuing to provide hundreds of respite nights, we have seen a sharp increase in the number of children needing end-of-life care and, thanks to our specialist bereavement service, 448 families, including those whose child has died suddenly or unexpectedly, have also been supported. We are only able to support these families because of the hard work and commitment of our outstanding team, who passionately embrace our ambition of reaching every family when they need us.

specialist bereavement service was highly commended in the Breakthrough of the Year category; at the Care Awards we won both Best Family Liaison Team and Best Palliative Care Provider; at the Charity Today Awards we won UK Charity of the Year; our on-call rota was shortlisted at the Nursing Times Awards; and our Godalming shop won the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Award in the south-east, and subsequently came runner up in the national award category.

These awards are testament to the hard work of our staff and volunteers – I would like to extend a thank you to each and every one of the team for the incredible contribution they make to Shooting Star, including my fellow trustees whose contribution is critical given their broad set of relevant experiences. And, of course, a wholehearted thank you must go to our supporters and partners, without whom we simply could not do what we do. Thank you for your continued and unwavering support.

Over the year we have welcomed hundreds of children, parents, siblings and grandparents, as well as patrons, mayors, MPs and even the general public into Christopher’s, in Guildford, and Shooting Star House, in Hampton. Each time they have been met with professionalism, compassion and smiling faces.

We have also opened a new shop in Knaphill and raised millions of pounds thanks to our high-profile events, supportive corporate partners and the kind generosity of our community who bake cakes, run marathons (and even complete Half Ironman challenges!) and donate regularly to ensure we can continue to support families who are facing the unimaginable.

I am delighted that the wonderful work of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices has been recognised this year with numerous awards. At the Third Sector Awards, our

Andrew M Coppel CBE Chair of Trustees

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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A message from our Chief Executive

Two years ago, we set out our new ambition to support every family with a life-limited child or whose child has died, when they need us. Over the last year we have made great strides towards that ambition; incredibly, we are now supporting 43% more families than we did in 2023. And, as we enter the final year of our strategy, For Every Family , that number will only likely increase.

This dynamic growth is testament to the amazing work of our team of staff and volunteers. Day in, day out they are working with compassion, dedication and professionalism – whether they’re supporting children and their families, raising vital income or awareness, or working behind the scenes to make the charity the best it can be. The multiple awards that Shooting Star received in 2024/25 demonstrates just how hard they work.

Over the next year we will build our ability to respond flexibly to those opportunities, consolidate the great groundwork we have laid so far and continue to identify ways to provide more support. At the same time, we must continue to invest in our fundraising, develop our people, build our brand and harness the digital opportunities available to us.

We are unapologetically passionate about providing outstanding care and support to families living through the unthinkable. And we are resolute in fulfilling our ambition, but we recognise we can’t do this alone. To the staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and supporters who are with us every step of the way, thank you for helping us deliver on our promise of being there for every family.

I’m proud of how we have developed our services, skills and resources over the last year to be there for every family that could possibly benefit from our outstanding care, particularly at end of life, or from our specialist bereavement support when a child has died. I’m also proud of the way our organisation is laser-focused on where we can add the most value, both to families in terms of the support they need and to the wider healthcare system.

It’s this focus that will keep us grounded as we enter a year that carries some uncertainty for hospices. We need to be mindful of the economic context that we are working within and the impact it has on our funding partners and supporters; our income has remained steady over the last year and the sector was fortunate to receive increased government funding, but there is still no long-term support in place. There are also big changes happening in the health service and we’re yet to see what that means for us. I’m confident, though, that with those changes comes great opportunity for the hospice sector.

Paul Farthing Chief Executive

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Our purpose and ambition

We can’t change a child’s prognosis or stop the unimaginable from happening, but we can be there for families when they need us. There to help a seriously ill child find comfort at home. There to provide parents with much-needed respite. There to guide siblings feeling complex emotions. There to hold a grieving mother or father’s hand.

Our specialist care and support is there for every family, and it’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It includes specialist nursing in the community, symptom management and pain relief, overnight respite stays, end-of-life care, specialist bereavement care and a comprehensive range of therapies, groups and clinics for the whole family.

Care is provided at our CQC-rated Outstanding hospice in Guildford, Christopher’s, at our Outreach, Therapy and Family Support Centre in Hampton, Shooting Star House, in the family home and in local hospitals.

Whether lives are measured in days, weeks, months, or years, we help families make every moment count .

Our strategy

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Our 2023-2026 strategy, For Every Family , sets out
our purpose, ambition and path to deliver outstanding
care. It embraces two important principles: providing
the best care to children and families across Surrey,
north-west London and south-west London, and
recognising that many families are not getting the
support they need.
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For Every
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Registered Charity No: 1042495. Company Registration No: 02927688 (England and Wales). 23/08/2024 14:11:49
Registered Charity No: 1042495. Company Registration No: 02927688 (England and Wales).
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2023-2026
2023-2026
----- End of picture text -----

Our purpose

We believe every life-limited or dying child and their family should have the opportunity to make every moment count and get the support they need.

Our ambition

We will support every family with a life-limited child or whose child has died, when they need us.

Our goals

Do more:

Help more children and families

Do better:

Be seen as outstanding

Co-create:

Build partnerships that add value

Grow income:

Ensure our work is sustainable

Grow people:

Be proudly chosen by staff and volunteers

Public benefit

In accordance with the Charities Act 2011, the trustees have paid due regard to the Charity Commission’s guidance on public benefit when deciding and planning Shooting Star Children’s Hospices’ activities. The following sections demonstrate how Shooting Star Children’s Hospices met its charitable purpose in 2024/25 and its principal achievements under its respective strategic priority areas.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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The difference we made in 2024/25

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448 219 Our bereavement 18,257
bereaved families new referrals suites were in use face-to-face and telephone
accessed our specialist were accepted 65 nights of the year contacts were made to families
bereavement support (45% increase (25% decrease on (21% increase on 2023/24)
(74% increase on 2023/24) on 2023/24) 2023/24)
----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
2024/25
z [z][z]
2,113 1,489 190
family members care nights were events were held for children
were supported (20% provided (1% and their families, with 1,747
increase on 2023/24) increase on 2023/24) attendees (62% increase on
the number of events
in 2023/24)
----- End of picture text -----

657 children with life-limiting conditions were supported (21% increase on 2023/24)

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Naina enjoys some cuddles with nurse Hannah during a stay at Christopher’s.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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How we supported children and families in 2024/25

Our clinical team consists of consultants, doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, community nurses, clinical nurse specialists, family support workers, therapists, counsellors and social workers who work holistically to support every family – whether they have a child with a life-limiting condition, or their child has died.

Investing in our team

In 2024/25 we invested in shaping and developing our care team, introducing a number of new roles to better support children with life-limiting conditions, and their families.

Our new in-house roles include:

We also developed our Specialist Paediatric Palliative Care (SPACE) team by adding an additional nurse development post, as well as a medical consultant role. In the wider care directorate, we expanded our research team to support our investment into paediatric palliative care research, and our safeguarding team also grew, including the introduction of a Head of Safeguarding role to lead the day-to-day service delivery.

We’re proud that some of these roles have been filled by supporting, nurturing and promoting from within our existing clinical team.

As well as supporting the development of our team, we are nurturing the next generation of nurses. In 2024/25, as part of a joint project with Kingston University to increase the number of university placements available to student nurses, 25 student nurses joined us across the year to learn more about children’s palliative and end-oflife care. Our Practice Education team and SPACE team have also delivered bespoke training to internal teams and professionals working in paediatric palliative care, delivering 20 training sessions across the year.

Reaching every family

Throughout 2024/25, we were once again able to offer round-the-clock community nursing care. This meant that every child and young person in our catchment area needing palliative or end-of-life care was able to access this care at home, every single day of the year. 293 families accessed our community nursing service in 2024/25, a 16% increase on 2023/24.

We also made great strides in improving access to our care for families living in north-west London, an area that sees fewer families accessing our support. As well as providing out-of-hours community nursing care (in collaboration with other external providers), we have developed a west London psychosocial team, which includes a Family Support Worker, Music Therapist, Dramatherapist and three counsellors. We have held four events in Acton, Hayes, Ealing and Hounslow, including a family day out, a sensory session and a day for siblings, and we are now offering counselling and children’s therapy sessions at two community hubs, one in Ealing and one in Brentford. We’re also proud to offer support in 16 different languages.

To support the development of our service in northwest London, in January we ran a targeted brand advertising campaign to ensure as many families as possible were aware of our services. Coinciding with this, we have connected with MPs in the north-west London area of our catchment to raise awareness of our work and share the varied and specialist support available to members of their constituencies. We know there is more to do, so the expansion of our north-west London service will continue in 2025/26 and beyond.

To ensure all families are also able to access our support digitally, we have implemented an accessibility toolbar on our website, and for those without access to a computer, we have introduced a new digital poverty scheme where we loan families an iPad so they can access virtual counselling sessions.

“ At any hour, we knew that Shooting Star was always there. We weren’t alone, they were with us every step. The team guided us through the hardest decision of our lives – bringing Martina home for her final days. ” Kristine, Martina’s mum

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Support for tiny babies

Our perinatal service has continued to grow, leading to improved access to specialist support for families, earlier referrals and the integration of palliative care into everyday neonatal practice. In 2024/25, referrals increased by 32% (from 65 in 2023/24 to 86 in 2024/25). To support this growth, we have developed a unified, consistent perinatal palliative care pathway, created in close collaboration with hospital teams, community nursing services and other hospices, that supports families across multiple care settings.

Feedback from both St George’s Hospital, Tooting, and St Peter’s Hospital, Chertsey, is that the presence of a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is not only ensuring very poorly babies have access to specialist care, but also providing staff with an increased opportunity to understand perinatal palliative care.

Alongside this, a Shooting Star Family Support Worker works twice a week within the NICU at St Peter’s Hospital to connect with parents, grandparents and siblings. This provides families with emotional and practical support for the challenges they face in the NICU and prepares them for the longer-term implications of potentially having a child with a lifelimiting condition. A coffee morning is held every Thursday in the NICU to bring families together. These families often feel isolated due to being in hospital for a long period of time; the coffee morning gives them an opportunity to connect with other families.

For families facing the devastating loss of their baby, our support extends to St Peter’s Hospital Daffodil Suite. Here, our Family Support Worker assists with immediate support and memory making to ensure families have precious keepsakes. Providing a seamless path of support, families are also able to access our specialist bereavement service for three years and three months.

“ Your presence on the unit brings so much for the babies and their families, and so much for the healthcare team. ” NICU consultant

60% of children who die in Surrey, south-west London and north-west London are under one, so our perinatal work is absolutely essential.

Making a splash

Typically, taking your baby or child swimming is a rite of passage for many parents, but for some of the children under our care, this opportunity is not so straightforward. In 2023, we launched a hydrotherapy group, giving families access to our hydrotherapy pools and support tailored to their needs; warm water, specialist care and judgement-free time with each other. Over the last year we have refined our Splashers programme, dividing it into three groups to help parents and carers connect with others facing similar challenges, and encouraging more peer-to-peer support.

“ We were fortunate to have a family swim session; it’s the only time we have ever been able to do this as a family, creating memories that are extremely precious to us. Thank you. ”

Over the last year, 873 hydrotherapy sessions have taken place for 155 families, a 16% increase in the number of sessions provided last year (753 sessions in 2023/24). Our refined Splashers programme includes:

Tadpoles and Ducklings have a different theme each session, for example dinosaurs, the weather and Alice in Wonderland. Alongside specialist physiotherapy support, the groups encourage children to explore their surroundings, interact with each other, take part in a sensory story and have fun in the water.

Alongside the expansion to Splashers and following feedback from families that they’d like more afterschool sessions, we have put provisions in place to add another afternoon of bookable sessions on a Monday.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Embedding our specialist bereavement service

In 2023/24 we launched our specialist bereavement service to ensure every family in our catchment area, including those facing the unimaginable grief that comes with losing a child suddenly or unexpectedly, can access the expert bereavement care we provide. 207 families accessed this care in 2024/25, including 74 families whose child died suddenly or unexpectedly and 40 babies who died shortly after birth.

73 families accessed our service through the northwest London opt-out pathway we have developed in partnership with the Child Death Review Team from North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB). Through this partnership, when a child dies in northwest London, their family automatically has access to our specialist bereavement service*. Our statutory partners notify us of each child’s death, and we reach out to the family directly to offer immediate support and access to our specialist bereavement care – care that they can access for three years and three months after their child died. Families have told us it is hard to ask for help; the pathway takes away this barrier. Families can opt out if they don’t feel that they need our support, but nine out of ten families chose to receive our bereavement care.

With the development of our bereavement service, we’ve seen the complexity of the families we support increase. Our social workers not only provide crucial support to families, advocating on their behalf and providing guidance on things like welfare benefits, they also play a key role in safeguarding and ensuring the wellbeing of bereaved families and the families of children with life-limiting conditions.

“ The Child Review Team are working in partnership with Shooting Star Children’s Hospices to help ensure grieving families have the professional support they need both immediately and in the future. Our collaboration is a success story, we come together at a family’s worst time with a joint aim, to provide essential support and guidance. ” Audrey Warren, North West London Child Death Review Senior Nurse

“ The difference you have made from when we met you two days after our daughter passed away has been nothing short of the difference between ‘us getting through this’ and ‘us not’. ” A bereaved dad who was referred to us when his daughter died unexpectedly

With 9% of the child population of England living in our catchment area, our care service has never been more needed.

Strengthening our research capacity

Over the last year, our Research team has transformed how research is understood and embraced at Shooting Star. Strong foundations have been laid by updating key policies and processes, ensuring our approach to research is robust, ethical and sustainable, but, more importantly, teams across the charity have been supported to deliver meaningful projects that directly enhance the care we provide.

Research is no longer seen as separate to what we do, it is a valued part of everyday care. This has resulted in a big shift in the number of articles, papers, posters and presentations authored by Shooting Star staff:

*Currently we are unable to help where deaths are caused by suicide, homicide and other circumstances where an arrest has been made, but we are working on providing support for these families.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Alongside this, three members of staff are being supported with the publication of their MSc research and we’ve raised the profile of Shooting Star within the wider research community.

By presenting our work at national forums and collaborating with networks like Research in Children’s Hospices and the NIHR Applied Research Collaborations Kent, Surrey and Sussex, we’re demonstrating what’s possible when research is rooted in compassion and care.

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Supported sibling Maisie enjoying some music therapy at
our Siblings Day.
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Gabby at our Guildford hospice, Christopher’s.
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Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Martina’s . é story

Martina’s story

Parents Kristine and Mark were devastated when their daughter, Martina, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy at birth in April 2016. She spent the first 43 days of her life in hospital in the Philippines.

“She was born at 38 weeks, weighing just under five pounds,” recalls Kristine. “She would experience up to 30 seizures a day, which were very painful to witness.”

In December 2019, the family moved to the UK where they began managing her symptoms with a GP.

“Martina started having episodes where she would suddenly stop breathing, and doctors told us ventilation wasn’t an option. If she stopped breathing again, there would be nothing more they could do.”

“When we arrived at Shooting Star, it wasn’t the end I had imagined,” Kristine says. “It felt like a place of comfort, a place that was there not only for Martina, but for us too.

“Shooting Star provided support in a way that words can’t fully describe. With no family nearby, we relied on their care. It was a place where Martina could truly thrive.”

Martina sadly passed away at home in July 2022, aged just six. Genetic testing later revealed she had WOREE syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder.

Kristine and Mark continue to be supported by Shooting Star with specialist bereavement care. “I want to thank Shooting Star for everything they do,” Kristine shares. “Being there for families like ours, it means everything.”

That’s when the family were referred to Shooting Star.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Freddie’s | } Es story

We support over 1,000 families with bespoke care and support. Please visit shootingstar.org. uk/family-stories to read more about some of their individual experiences.

Freddie’s story

Splashing in a pool was something Chris and Maeve never imagined doing with their son Freddie, who had a tracheostomy at just ten months old.

Born at 26 weeks, Freddie faced chronic lung disease and spent nearly a year in hospital battling various complications. “We never felt out of the woods,” Maeve reflects. “The tracheostomy was when we saw light at the end of the tunnel.”

“We’d never seen him smile,” she added, due to medical equipment covering his face. “Then his smiles just didn’t stop,” said Chris.

Freddie requires round-the-clock care, including a ventilator and feeding tubes, so returning home was overwhelming for Maeve and Chris. “Our house became a mini-ICU,” said Maeve.

Through their community nurse, the family was introduced to Shooting Star. “We were apprehensive because of the word ‘hospice’,” said Maeve, “but it’s so much more.”

Being able to swim with Freddie during hydrotherapy sessions was a dream come true for the family. “He loved bath time in hospital, and we’d dream about being in the water together,” Maeve shares.

The sessions help with Freddie’s mobility and allow the family to relax. “It lets Chris and I just be parents. Someone else carries the load, both the equipment and the mental weight,” said Maeve.

“Shooting Star has been a lifeline. We probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to do the things we have with Freddie if we hadn’t had the team around to nurture and help us.”

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and fnancial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Income generation

In 2024/25, the incredible generosity of our donors, supporters, lottery players and funding partners collectively helped us raise £13,071,573. Their kind support ensures we can continue to be there for families facing the unimaginable.

Fundraising highlights

Over the last year our supporters have gone the extra mile (quite literally!) to raise money for Shooting Star: from extreme challenges like ultramarathons and skydives, to delicious cake bakes and charity breakfasts, to generously supporting us with a monthly donation or gift in their will. Here are some highlights:

Retail and eCommerce

Over the last year we have expanded our retail portfolio to include a new shop in Knaphill, which opened in October, and have trialled virtual shops on Depop, Haru and Facebook Marketplace. This growth has resulted in our retail sales being almost 9% up on the previous year. Our eCommerce operation alone raised £54,870, with eBay continuing to be our most successful platform. Stand out sales on eBay include antique guinea bank notes dated 1809/1810 which sold for £2,345 and a pinball machine which sold for £2,000.

Following the previous success of our warehouse sales, we ran three ‘last chance’ sales in June, September and March, raising over £3,000. These sales raise vital income and support the local community with access to a wide range of items at affordable prices, while also helping us to manage our stock sustainably.

In September, our Godalming shop was crowned winner of the UK’s Favourite Charity Shop Award for the south-east. This was the first year that the Charity Retail Association had organised this vote and we were chosen by the public after being shortlisted from more than 6,500 public nominations. The 12 regional winners were invited to an awards ceremony to crown the national winner, and we were thrilled to receive one of two runners-up awards.

“ Huge congratulations to Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. This award is a testament to the dedication of the shop’s staff and volunteers, and highlights what this wonderful store means to the local community. ” Robin Osterley, Chief Executive of the Charity Retail Association

“ Having run in numerous events in the past for various charities, Shooting Star has by far been the best; I think I’m still smiling from running the London Marathon, it’s life changing! ”

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Tony Hadley
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A host of stars joined 350 guests on Saturday 23 November to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Shooting Star Ball, raising £243,000.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Tuckwell Chase Lottery

Our lottery, a partnership with Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, has had a successful year with a surge in new members and two successful raffles. Over the year, 3,960 new members joined the Tuckwell Chase Lottery, increasing the number of active players to over 33,000, and more than 60,000 £1 tickets were bought for the summer and Christmas draws, along with £20,969 worth of donations.

To enhance the user experience of our valued lottery players, a new website was built and went live at the beginning of 2025; visitor numbers have already increased by 15%.

The Care Database

19 children’s and adult hospices are now using our specialist database software, The Care Database. To further support the needs of our growing user base, we are working with ICBs across the UK to access shared care records.

Access to NHS shared care records is live in Kent and Medway and almost complete in Hampshire. We are also working with London Care Record, Surrey, Lancashire, Manchester and Cheshire. The hospice accessing live care records in Kent and Medway has reported significant time savings, particularly following referrals and ahead of admissions.

This important development will not only benefit the children’s hospices using The Care Database, it will also support expansion into the adult hospice sector.

Statutory partnerships

This year has been a challenging one for statutory funding. With the Children’s Hospice Grant no longer coming directly from NHS England, we had to negotiate contracts and payment with four individual ICBs. Whilst this took time to coordinate, it has raised the profile of the work we do within the ICBs.

In addition to this, we were able to renew the contract for our specialist (SPACE) team, resulting in us negotiating the full amount of funding sought, from Surrey, Frimley and SW London ICBs, and thereby supporting these ICBs to fulfil the requirement to provide specialist paediatric palliative care services.

Over the year, 35 representatives from partner organisations visited Christopher’s and Shooting Star House to see the work we do first-hand. This included representatives from ICBs, health trusts, social services, schools and other voluntary sector organisations.

We also hosted a number of our local MPs, parliamentary candidates, senior councillors and the mayors of Guildford and Richmond-Upon-Thames. These relationships not only ensure that our political stakeholders are aware of who we are and what we do, and can therefore help us reach families not yet accessing our services, they also help us raise the profile of sustainable funding for children’s hospices. A few key moments from 2024/25 include:

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and former Richmond Borough Council Deputy Mayor Cllr Fiona Sacks visit Shooting Star House.Former Richmond Borough Council Mayor Cllr Suzette Nicholson (centre) <tine Ay);y TA
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Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Our income and expenditure Donations and legacies in 2024/25

Donations and legacies £4,403,488

----- Start of picture text -----
Investment
income
£401,225 Charitable activities
(statutory income)
Total income £3,805,059
£13,071,573
Events and
other income
£880,739
Lotteries Retail and other
income trading income
£1,368,884 £2,212,178
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Hospice care
£4,493,946
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Managing
investments
£32,276
Lottery
£187,618
Raising funds Practice education
£1,862,758 and quality
Total expenditure £336,148
£12,496,801 Community
nursing
£420,440
Care
support
Psychosocial
£902,091
services
£1,655,655
SPACE (symptom
Trading costs management)
£1,511,822 £1,094,047
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Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Our approach to raising voluntary income

Our community of donors and supporters provide an incredibly important source of income for Shooting Star. In return, we ensure we have robust processes and outstanding supporter care in place to make sure they have the best fundraising experience possible with us.

Our fundraising focuses on:

We also received Gift Aid on monetary donations, event sponsorship and donations to our shops which totalled £264,541 (£263,500 in 2023/24).

Positive fundraising

We are committed to being accountable and transparent. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and comply with the Code of Fundraising Practice, and we’re an organisational member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. Our fundraising programmes also comply with our Vulnerable Person’s Policy, which aligns with the Charities (Protection and Social Investment) Act 2016 and reflects guidance from the Fundraising Regulator and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. The fundamental tenets of the policy are incorporated into our training programmes.

Our Supporter Promise, available on our website, confirms our commitment to abiding by the Fundraising Preference Service and the Mail and Telephone Preference Services. We operate a whistleblowing policy and a complaints policy and process, as required by the Code of Fundraising Practice. We are also registered with the Gambling Commission to run a lottery, conduct a supporter raffle and hold draws at local events.

Addressing concerns

Last year we issued 390,604 marketing emails, 51,262 direct mail marketing letters, 570 people took part in our challenge events and we engaged with 479 businesses. Our eight shops took 105,852 customer transactions.

All complaints are taken seriously and we have a robust approach to handling issues raised. During 2024/25 we received no complaints related to inhouse fundraising activity (two in 2023/24), no complaints related to Tuckwell Chase Lottery (TCL) (nine in 2023/24), and seven complaints related to our retail operations (none in 2023/24). Any complaints were thoroughly investigated and none required referral to the Fundraising Regulator, Ofcom, the Information Commissioner’s Office or any other regulatory body.

Working with fundraisers

To support a growth in our planned giving and sustainable income lines, in 2024/25 we engaged with SMILE Fundraising to recruit new regular donors through face-to-face and venue-based canvassing across our catchment. Shooting Star have entered into a commercial contract with SMILE Fundraising, which outlines the responsibilities and oversight arrangements. Shooting Star is providing training and supporting material to SMILE Fundraising to ensure training is comprehensive and that canvassers fully understand who we are and what we do. SMILE Fundraising have experience of working within the hospice sector and understand the importance of having professional fundraisers who make a positive impact in local communities. Both Shooting Star and SMILE Fundraising monitor any complaints raised, and SMILE Fundraising ensures compliance with Shooting Star’s policies including our Vulnerable Persons Policy. They are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and are a corporate member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising.

On behalf of Shooting Star, TCL engages two companies as commercial participators. There are commercial contracts in place with each that sets out responsibilities and oversight arrangements. These companies undertake face-to-face fundraising to recruit new members to the lottery. TCL provide appropriate training to all companies and Shooting Star has oversight of the training material. We also monitor any complaints raised. TCL ensures compliance with the Code of Fundraising Practice and with Shooting Star Children’s Hospices’ Vulnerable Person’s Policy. TCL reports its activities to a board that includes representatives from Shooting Star.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Celebrating our people

At the heart of Shooting Star are our award-winning team of staff and volunteers. From our frontline care team to our stalwart fundraising, marketing and retail teams, to the myriad of people working behind the scenes in maintenance, finance, housekeeping, HR, volunteering and more; Shooting Star would simply not be the incredible charity it is without the compassion, dedication and commitment of our people.

In January, we were thrilled to hold a staff conference, giving colleagues the opportunity to connect with each other, share ideas and address challenges collaboratively. Our three new trustees joined part of the day, bringing fresh expertise and insight. ‘Meet the Trustees’ sessions were also held through the year and many participated in shadow shifts to better understand the day-to-day work of our frontline staff.

Fostering an inclusive culture

Over the past year, we have made significant strides in enhancing employee wellbeing, strengthening internal communication, improving pay and benefits, and increasing engagement with our Board of Trustees.

We have also worked hard to foster a culture where everyone feels safe, valued and heard. We developed our behaviours framework, linked to our values, which outlines the behaviours we expect from staff as well as a set of aspirational behaviours. We also introduced quarterly pulse surveys, which have been instrumental in gathering staff feedback, helping us to focus on the initiatives that matter the most. Action plans developed in response to feedback have led to tangible improvements. For instance, our commitment to staff wellbeing, which was identified as a priority area, has driven a significant expansion of mental, physical, professional and social support. Key initiatives include:

We have continued to support the professional and personal development of staff, empowering them to collect learning points through Starlight Academy, our dedicated learning and development initiative. We expanded our leadership development programme to include managers, equipping them with essential skills to support and nurture their teams, and improved access to accredited training and continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities including learning sessions that support our equality, diversity and inclusion work.

Award-winning team

In 2024/25, we were delighted to receive sector recognition for some of the incredible work we do as a charity. Including:

Highly commended

Our specialist 2 1? bereavement service was highly commended at the Third Sector Awards 2024 and Shooting Star won the UK Charity of the Year Award at the Charity Today Awards 2024.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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A positive volunteering experience

To support the strategic growth of Shooting Star, over the last year the number of volunteers kindly giving up their time to support our care service, income generation and the general upkeep and running of our two buildings has increased by 13% to 610 volunteers (541 in 2023/24). The number of retail volunteers alone increased from 254 in 2023/24 to 312 in 2024/25.

Volunteers are pivotal in helping us achieve our ambition, and our annual thank you event, held on Sunday 19 May 2024 at Cobham Curve, was our chance to recognise the invaluable contribution that they make. It was also an opportunity to share some of the monumental things they have helped us achieve and hear from fellow volunteers about their motivations for volunteering.

At quarterly coffee mornings, volunteers had the opportunity to meet each other and members of staff, have a tour of the hospice and feed back any comments or suggestions. Feedback was also captured at a quarterly volunteers’ forum and via a volunteer survey, with results that were overwhelmingly positive.

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99%
97%
96% are proud recommend would
feel to volunteer
89% volunteering
88% appreciated for Shooting
feel feel part of for what Star for Shooting
communication a team they do Star
is strong and
effective
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Throughout 2024/25, 48 corporate volunteering sessions also took place, from gardening at the hospices to volunteering at our distribution unit. 350 individuals from 40 different companies also took part in our Apprentice Shop Challenge. This equates to over 2,000 hours’ worth of donated time.

We are also incredibly grateful to the businesses that have given us their expertise pro bono. Here are a just a few examples:

e their families staying at Christopher’s entertained. “ This project was truly special for us. We took two rooms that were originally used for storage and reimagined them as functional, inviting environments, designed to enhance comfort and ease for families. ” Rowena Judd, Head of Staging at Burbeck Interiors rgee ~ —EEESs a

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Corporate supporters Metro Bank volunteered their time and expertise in Christopher’s garden.
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Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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What we promised and what we delivered

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What we promised What we delivered
Do more
Offer bereavement support to 70% of families whose child has 164 newly bereaved families (64%) accessed our specialist
died (from 119 families to 178). bereavement care and we’re confident that at least 70% of
families were offered our service.
Offer palliative care to 45% of babies, children and young 78 babies, children and young people (41%) accessed
people who are expected to die (from 77 children to 86). palliative care at our hospice, in their home or in hospital.
We know that many more were offered our service, as per
our target of offering palliative care to 45%.
Provide 90% occupancy of open bed nights (from 1,475 to Our hospice beds were occupied for 1,489 nights of the
1,971 nights). year (69% occupancy) – this reflects the greater level of
complexity of the children we’re supporting and the need for
higher staffing levels, as well as an increase in the number of
end-of-life referrals.
Do better
Ensure that all children, young people and families have access to 32% of bereaved families and 52% of families with a life-limited
appropriate service provision – 33% of bereaved families and 50% child accessed our services quarterly.
of families with a life-limited child accessing our services quarterly.
Become a ‘research active’ hospice – five research papers Six research papers were authored.
authored.
Be the ‘go to’ expert for child death in our area – increase end- 65 end-of-life referrals were made across the year.
of-life referrals year on year by 25% (from 58 referrals to 72).
Co-create
Increase the number of life-limited children, and their families, 80 children living with a life-limiting condition, and their
who use Shooting Star year on year by 10% (from 72 children families, were referred to us.
to 79).
Build strong health, local authority and political Our Chief Executive is Deputy Chair of the Surrey Heartlands
partnerships – be leading discussions. Integrated Care Partnership. We have continued to support
the VCSE Bereavement Network, extended our relationships
with the ICBs that we work with and continued to leverage the
support of local MPs.
Grow people
Every member of staff has the opportunity for New success measure for 2025/26 established (see 2025/26
relevant training and growth – embed Starlight Academy. priorities) following the embedding of Starlight Academy.
Number of volunteering roles increased year on year. 99% of our volunteers would recommend volunteering at
Note: This measure changed in-year to: Average ‘likely to Shooting Star.
recommend’ score remains over 95% for volunteers.
Average ‘pride in working’ score remains over 90% for staff. Staff were sent three pulse surveys across the year with the likely
Note: This measure changed in-year to: Average ‘likely to to recommend score increasing from 4.08 (out of 5) to 4.16.
recommend’ score improves.
Decrease staff turnover to 17.5%. Staff turnover has decreased to 22.9% (from 25.1%).
Note: New methodology will see this measure shift to 20% in
2025/26.
Grow income
Sustain voluntary income at £6.4m. Our voluntary income remained stable at £6.4m.
Deliver £3.2m in statutory income. Statutory funding increased to £3.8m.
Increase retail income year on year by 15%. Retail income increased by 7% to £1.2m.
Increase The Care Database income year on year by 15%. The Care Database income increased by 12% to £1m.
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Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Our priorities for 2025/26

Do more

Offer bereavement support to 85% of families whose child has died

Offer palliative care to 50% of babies, children and young people who are expected to die

Occupancy of open bed nights measure to be agreed based on a new complexity tool

Do better

Ensure that all children, young people and families have access to appropriate service provision – 35% of bereaved families and 55% open families access our services quarterly

Become a ‘research active’ hospice – 10 research papers authored

Be the ‘go to’ expert for child death in our area – increase end-of-life referrals year on year by 15%

Co-create

Increase the number of life-limited children, and their families, who use Shooting Star year on year by 15%

Build strong health, local authority and political partnerships – be leading discussions

Grow income

Grow voluntary income to £6.5m

Deliver £3.7m in statutory income

Increase retail income year on year by 15%

Increase The Care Database income year on year by 15%

Grow people

Every member of staff has the opportunity for relevant training and growth – 75% of staff achieving at least 20 Starlight Academy points

Average ‘likely to recommend’ score remains over 95% for volunteers

Average ‘pride in working’ score remains over 90% for staff

Decrease staff turnover to 20%

Please note: Bereavement figures are based on current mortality rates for children under the age of 18 in our area.

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Supported sibling Dylan having fun with peers at Shooting Star House, Hampton.

= |[ae] — Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Our structure

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is a registered charity incorporated as a charitable company limited by guarantee. It is governed by its Memorandum and Articles of Association and controlled by the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees meets at least five times a year to monitor progress and make decisions concerning the charity’s strategic direction. The Chief Executive and Directors’ team attend board meetings.

The registered name of the company is Shooting Star Children’s Hospices. Following Section 60 of the Companies Act 2006, the company is exempt from the requirements of that Act to include “Limited” as part of its name.

During the year, seven sub-committees of the Board work to link governance closer to the charity’s clinical services and enhance risk management and audit across the organisation. These are the Care Strategy Committee, Quality, Governance & Risk Committee, Remuneration Committee, Finance Committee, Income Generation Committee, Retail Committee and The Care Database Committee. Individual trustees are appointed

as lead trustees in each of these areas. Responsibility for overseeing each item in the charity’s risk register has been devolved to the appropriate committee, ensuring systems and procedures are in place and up to date to monitor and mitigate exposure to risks. We also have a dedicated safeguarding lead who has overall responsibility for all matters relating to safeguarding and child protection.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices has two subsidiary companies. Shooting Star Marketing Limited is engaged in the sale of merchandise and donated goods via the charity’s own managed charity shops and online. Chase Hospice Trading Limited oversees the development and service delivery of The Care Database software.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices also owns 50% of Tuckwell Chase Lottery Limited under a joint venture agreement with Phyllis Tuckwell Memorial Hospice Limited. Each charity has three seats on the Board, and the role of Chair is rotated between the two organisations.

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Our trustees

New trustees are recruited via an open selection process, which includes an application and interview, to ensure the Board has the desired range of skills and competencies. Induction and training procedures for new trustees include individual briefings by other trustees and senior management.

Andrew M Coppel CBE Andrew joined the Board of Trustees in 2019. A law graduate, he started his career as a chartered accountant before becoming an investment banker. Andrew has since held a variety of cross-sector board positions and several non-executive positions. He played a pivotal role at Tourism Ireland, acting as chairman for seven years, for which he was awarded a CBE.

Simon Barker

Having experienced the care provided by Shooting Star first hand, Simon joined the Board in 2019 with over 30 years’ experience in software to help ensure the charity maintains long-term sustainability and to support the charity’s The Care Database business.

Dr Kheelna Bavalia

Kheelna joined the board in 2023, bringing extensive health leadership experience thanks to her role as Interim Chief Medical Officer for Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Trust and having previously been Medical Director for NHS England’s South West Region. Kheelna also has significant experience as a GP.

Andrew Edge

A solicitor and a partner at city law firm Taylor Wessing, Andrew specialises in mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the life sciences and healthcare sectors. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2020.

Dr Sally Johnson Sally joined the Board in 2022. She is a Woking GP (with a special interest in paediatrics) with 30 years of clinical experience in the NHS. She has 13 years of board experience working as a Chief Medical Officer in both the NHS and private sector.

Christopher Lewin

Chris, a chartered management accountant, worked at Diageo PLC for over 26 years in a number of executive finance roles. He is currently a trustee on the Diageo Pension Board and joined the Shooting Star Board of Trustees in 2022.

Phillip Ludlow A computer and business graduate from the University of Warwick, Phillip started his career as a Deloitte consultant and became a Partner in 2014. Phillip’s son, George, was supported by Shooting Star for 12 years.

Olga Nuryaeva

Olga has extensive commercial and corporate leadership experience. She co-founded Lenstore.co.uk and spearheaded its growth from a cash-strapped start up into one of Europe’s leading online optical retailers. Olga volunteers at Kingston Hospital Emergency Department.

Carole Pharoah A strategic Senior HR/OD Leader, Carole has held a number of director/CPO roles across diverse sectors, from financial services to fashion retail, and in a range of businesses, from start-ups to large multinationals. Carole is a qualified executive coach and a Chartered Fellow with CIPD.

Alison Robertson

Alison is a registered children and adult nurse. She worked clinically in a number of children’s services before taking on professional leadership positions including Chief Nurse/Deputy Chief Executive at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Alison joined the board in 2022.

Swati Suri

Swati joined the Board of Trustees in 2021. After graduating in natural sciences from Cambridge University, Swati qualified as a chartered accountant at KPMG. She is currently a senior director at a top-ten pharmaceutical company.

Katherine Theobald

Katherine worked in marketing roles at a number of consumer goods companies for 20 years, before moving into marketing consultancy. She is a Managing Director at Accenture and joined the Board of Trustees in 2020.

To find out more about our trustees, please visit shootingstar.org.uk/trustees

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Management

The key management personnel of Shooting Star, responsible for directing and controlling the charity operations, comprise the trustees and members of the Directors’ team, as detailed on page 65.

The Board of Trustees appoints the Chief Executive to oversee the charity’s strategic direction, manage dayto-day operations and report to the Board on progress. All trustees give their time voluntarily and receive no benefit or remuneration from the charity.

The Board approves the annual operational plan and a detailed budget, following initial scrutiny by the Finance and Resources Committee. The charity staff are authorised to work within the framework of the operational plan and budget under the direction of the Chief Executive, and with guidance from the relevant committee. All operational plans feed into the overarching organisational strategy, For Every Family . The trustees receive regular reports from the Chief Executive and Directors’ team, comprising a range of service-related, financial and other written information to measure the charity’s performance against specific budgets, targets and strategic objectives. The Chief Executive meets weekly with the operational Directors’ team.

Elsey enjoying Christopher’s garden with Nurse Hannah.

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Internal controls

Our EDI Steering Group, with representation from across the charity, promotes diversity and inclusion in all its forms, and champions its importance and benefits beyond the legal minimum. As well as the core basics of fairness and respect for difference, equality of opportunity and treatment across all races, age, sex, gender identity, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability, social background or civil status, and championing and supporting those with caring responsibilities, EDI at Shooting Star means:

The systems of internal controls are designed to provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance against material misstatement or loss. They include:

We are accredited as a Disability Confident Employer – a testament to our proactive approach to creating an accessible and supportive work environment, ensuring we are equipped to identify, attract and retain talented individuals with diverse abilities.

Key management remuneration

The remuneration of the Directors’ team is benchmarked to roles within other organisations of similar scope and size, taking into account differing levels of responsibility. Benchmark comparisons have been made against a group of similar-sized hospices, together with information provided by Croner, an external pay benchmarking provider.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) by living our PRIDE values (professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence) in everything we say and do in our work and culture.

We have an Investors in Diversity Bronze accreditation, recognising our commitment to a cohesive and effective EDI plan that is underpinned by the FREDIE Framework of fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion and engagement. This framework is essential for cultivating an organisational culture that is truly inclusive and reflective of the diverse society in which we operate.

To monitor recruitment, progression and opportunities for all, we also collect EDI data submitted by our staff and volunteers; staff and volunteers from diverse backgrounds help us understand the needs of the children and families we support and how we can best represent their interests.

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Ewan with dad Mark enjoying our
outside spaces at the hospice.
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Financial review

Overall, fundraising had a steady performance in 2024/25, with voluntary income in line with the previous year and the joint venture lottery net income down by £47,443 (8%) due to increased spending on recruitment. Statutory income increased in the year by £547,351 (17%), due to an increase in the NHS England Children’s Hospice Grant of £43,624, SPACE funding of £26,825 and an unbudgeted capital grant from the Department of Health and Social Care of £169,955.

Chase Hospice Trading Limited, the subsidiary which licenses The Care Database software, made a profit of £522,322 (£488,055 in 2023/24) which was donated to the charity by way of a Gift Aid donation.

Our eight shops generated sales of £1,172,306 (£1,100,296 in 2023/24). Our retail company, Shooting Star Marketing Limited, generated £164,647 in profit which was donated to the charity by way of a Gift Aid donation. This was in addition to retail Gift Aid raised through our shops of £142,005 (2023/24 £126,500), which was also transferred to the charity.

Overall, total income increased by 6% from £12,354,437 in 2023/24 to £13,071,573 in 2024/25 and total expenditure increased by 18% from £10,604,638 in 2023/24 to £12,496,801 in 2024/25. Costs of generating funds increased by 17% from £1,595,211 in 2023/24 to £1,862,758 in 2024/25 as the team was fully staffed all year, project work was started and investment programmes got underway.

Other support costs increased by 25% from £2,477,435 to £3,097,387. The charity aims to keep support costs efficient and appropriate while retaining a safe environment for care delivery, but we recognise that investments are necessary to ensure that the charity is fit for the future.

In the year under review, group capital expenditure of £326,130 was spent on key projects, including £80,000 on continued development of The Care Database software, £136,514 on IT equipment following the roll out of Microsoft 365 and supporting software, £26,067 on the refurbishment of the hydrotherapy changing room at Shooting Star House and £24,242 on developing the SAGE Intacct financial accounting package, the Vantage facilities system and implementing Networx, the new recruitment part of our HR platform.

Net unrestricted income (before transfers and movements on investments) amounted to £580,495 (£1,780,268 in 2023/24). Excluding unrestricted depreciation and amortisation of £628,442 (£587,029 in 2023/24), the charity made an unrestricted surplus of £1,208,937 (£2,367,297 in 2023/24).

A deficit budget of £492,000 (cash surplus of £158,000) has been set for 2025/26. This includes investments in marketing and income generation to support the ongoing implementation of the new strategy, as well as investments in people-related projects to strengthen support across the organisation.

Care expenditure increased by 20% from £7,393,551 to £8,902,327 due to the first full-year impact of the expansion of our bereavement service and other staff vacancies being filled.

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Investment policy, objectives and monitoring

The investment objectives are designed to ensure that the charity’s surplus funds are invested to produce a market rate of return consistent with the obligation to meet immediate financial needs and to take account of future spending commitments, possible unplanned changes in activities and the general economic outlook. Any additional funds are invested to provide income and long-term growth within the charity’s risk profile.

The attitude to risk is formally described as being a low to medium risk profile, recognising the need to diversify risk across institutions and asset classes. The investment managers are targeted with delivering a total return on investment of the long term of CPI rate +3%.

Although the charity will have some higher-risk investments within its overall portfolio, high-risk investments such as traded options and futures are prohibited.

The amount available for investment will be as determined in the reserves policy. To account for ethical considerations the charity will not invest in any organisation where there is a practical conflict with our aims and activities and will avoid investments which may hamper our work by making potential beneficiaries unwilling to use the services of the charity, or that would alienate significant support.

Resources Committee the monitoring of investment performance and the management of the remaining part of the portfolio, which is held in cash and near cash deposits with financial institutions approved by the Board. The Committee meets with the fund managers at least twice a year to review performance and investment objectives.

In order to manage overall investment risk, the charity invests in two portfolios of listed securities: a low-level risk portfolio with a maximum exposure to equities of 51% and a medium-level risk portfolio with a maximum exposure to equities of 83.5%.

As regards investment income from the portfolios, the general principle is to reinvest income but to keep open the option for the Finance and Resources Committee to decide to draw down the income if required to meet budgetary requirements in a particular year.

The return on the portfolios during the year were measured at 3.1% (medium risk) and 3.6% (low risk) which is in line with the peer group, as measured by the ARC Steady Growth Index which measured at 2.7% and 3.4% respectively.

The charity does not make any direct investments in the armaments, tobacco or pornography industries.

Investment decisions are the responsibility of the Board, who also agree the investment policy. However, the Board delegates management of part of the investments to an approved investment adviser, in accordance with an agreement approved by the Board, and delegates to the Finance and

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Gwen grins as she meets Ant and Dec during their visit to Shooting Star House
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Reserves policy

The group’s reserves are made up of five elements:

1. Restricted funds

Restricted funds amount to £360,789 and represent unspent funds at the end of the year. Each restricted fund is utilised as quickly as possible in compliance with the restrictions under which it has been given.

2. Endowed funds

This related to funds donated for investment under the understanding that income is used to support our services. These amounted to £226,089 at the year end.

3. Fixed asset funds

Fixed asset funds are used to record the properties and functional fixed assets owned and used by the charity. These properties related to the two hospice sites owned by the charity (Christopher’s and Shooting Star House). These funds amounted to £3,072,758 at the year end.

4. Trading subsidiary reserves

These amount to £1,105,499 which is held in Chase Hospice Trading Ltd as capital for the operation of marketing and selling The Care Database.

5. General funds

General funds are the funds of the charity that can be used to maintain stability of the operations allowing for increases or decreases in income. The policy for holding general reserves has been established by the trustees taking account of the following long-term considerations:

The general reserves of the charity are regarded as having three layers, each set at approximately three months of planned gross operating expenditure (so before any account is taken of incoming revenues):

The reserves policy of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices is set at between six and nine months of cash operating expenditure (excluding depreciation). Actual free (general fund on the balance sheet) reserves at the year end stood at £14,248,894 (£13,389,041 in 2023/24). This represents 13.4 months (13.1 months in 2023/24) of cash operating expenditure.

As our strategy For Every Family , enters its final year, the Board continues its programme of investment in income generation, service development and organisational capability. The programme will help ensure that the charity both meets its strategic objectives and remains sustainable in the longer term. The investment strategy will draw on unrestricted reserves, such that over time the sums involved and the growth in the organisation will mean that by March 2026 the charity should be operating closer towards the stated reserves policy. The Trustees have considered ongoing levels of inflation and its impact on income and reserves and are satisfied that the current reserves policies are appropriate and can be achieved by the charity.

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Risk management

The trustees are responsible for managing effectively the risks that apply to the charity’s operation, including ensuring internal controls are in place and operating as intended. Risks are evaluated based on their probability and potential impact, and mitigation strategies are in place to manage them.

Each team has a risk register which the relevant committee reviews. A corporate risk register, which includes the key risks, is reviewed quarterly by the Finance Committee and periodically by the Board. The corporate risk register is reviewed and updated regularly, and mitigating action is taken as required to reduce and control the risks.

The most significant risks identified for the year 2024/25 were:

Uncertainty over the longer-term statutory funding situation, with the Government likely to replace the existing Children’s Hospice Grant with revised arrangements, and the current lack of a long-term indication on some of our statutory partnership funding

The Children’s Hospice Grant funding arrangements have been confirmed for 2025/26 and in addition we will receive additional income from the £100m allocated by National Health Service England (NHSE) to hospices in England. There are indications that the longer-term structure for hospice funding will be reviewed within the framework of the NHS ten-year plan; this represents a significant long-term uncertainty for the organisation.

Inappropriate use of AI and other new data technologies

Whilst the use of AI and data offers opportunities for Shooting Star, we need to ensure we have the right security in place. To coincide with updates to our information security, we have also created a working group tasked with developing policies and procedures to support the use of AI and other new data opportunities.

A significant IT outage impacts on operations and/or The Care Database

We have transitioned to a cloud-based application to mitigate the risk of a significant IT outage. The Care Database, hosted in the cloud by a third party, boasts robust disaster recovery protocols. To protect our connectivity, each site has a backup internet line in case the main line fails. In the event both lines fail, we can rely on the use of work or personal mobile phones as Wi-Fi hot spots to facilitate internet connectivity for tablets, providing access to The Care Database.

With the launch of an enhanced bereavement service, the complexity and risks of service users is difficult to identify

We provide comprehensive mental health training to those involved in delivering our extended bereavement service and a mental health escalation pathway is in place. High-risk plans are completed by registered therapists and counsellors whenever risks are identified, while clear pathways of escalation, both internal and external, have been established to address concerns. We have also bolstered our support by increasing our number of registered counsellors and therapists. Our commitment to the team’s mental health is evident in our low threshold for reporting safeguarding concerns and the provision of a Social Worker to accompany Family Support Workers on initial assessment visits to families known to social care. We have monthly quality and risk reporting debriefs, morbidity and mortality meetings, and work closely with local Care Death Overview Panels (CDOP), GPs, CAMHS and the wider multi-disciplinary team

The views, actions or public statements of a patron, supporter, family member, volunteer or employee risk bringing the charity into disrepute

We have a robust due diligence process for managing honorary members and key supporters, including an agreement setting out clear expectations and responsibilities. This, with effective relationship management, ensures we address issues promptly and manage conflicts of interest. Our framework also includes corporate agreements and a complaint management process to ensure grievances are handled efficiently

The policies in place include the Acceptance and Refusal of Donations Policy, Patrons and VicePresidents Policy, Media Crisis Management Policy, Media Spokesperson Selection Policy, Social Media Policy, and Recruitment and Selection for Volunteers Policy. These measures collectively safeguard our organisational integrity.

Loss of a major funder or income stream worth £250k or more

As outlined in our fundraising strategy, our fundraising approach includes seeking a balanced income portfolio. This minimises overreliance on specific income sources and mitigates the impact of losing a major funder or a strong income stream. We also focus on robust pipeline development as business-as-usual across major income areas, underpinned by effective budget and reforecast processes, and long-term financial mapping.

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There is a data breach or loss of data due to cybercrime, human or system error or deliberate act

Data protection is paramount due to the nature of our work. We have updated our GDPR and Data Protection Policies and procedures and have an Information Governance Group that meets quarterly. Furthermore, we have rolled out two-stage authentication and we have system software that filters emails and catches spam. The Care Database has a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) in place which outlines its response to breaches, and this is in its contractual agreements with customers. Data penetration tests and security reviews are also conducted annually with the databases hosting providers.

The loss of key individual staff or the inability to recruit the right people to key roles

Recruitment and the retention of our highly skilled workforce is a central focus for the charity. We have invested in our staff’s personal development by implementing the Starlight Academy, provided leadership training to senior managers, an extensive management training programme for all managers and EDI training for our Care team and Directors’ team. We have reviewed onboarding and induction, and a comprehensive review of pay, pensions and benefits is underway.

There is a resurgence of COVID-19 or some other infectious condition that impacts all aspects of our work

We have measures in place to reduce the impact of a health event on our services and our internal decisionmaking processes are flexible enough to make key adjustments very quickly. We have completed a review of our disaster recovery and continuity planning arrangements, and have developed good relationships with the regional Health Protection Agency.

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Albie with dad Dan at one of our monthly drop-in sessions
SR em TR . x NS :
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Trustees’ responsibilities

The trustees, who act as directors for the purposes of company law, present their annual report and the audited financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2025.

The accounts have been prepared following the accounting policies set out on pages 41 to 44 and comply with the charitable company’s Articles of Association, the Charities Act 2011, the Companies Act 2006 and Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts following the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102).

The trustees are responsible for preparing the trustees’ report and financial statements per applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year, which give an accurate and fair view of the charitable company and group’s state of affairs and the charitable company and group’s income and expenditure for that period.

In preparing these financial statements, the trustees are required to:

The trustees are responsible for maintaining the integrity of the corporate and financial information on the charitable company’s website. Legislation in the United Kingdom governing the preparation and dissemination of financial statements may differ from legislation in other jurisdictions.

Each of the trustees confirms that:

This confirmation is given and should be interpreted following the provisions of s418 of the Companies Act 2006. Approved by the trustees on 14 July 2025 and signed on their behalf by:

Andrew M Coppel CBE, Chair

The trustees are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

32

Supported sibling George gets to grips with a guitar during Siblings Day.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

33

Independent auditor’s report to the members of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

Opinion

We have audited the financial statements of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices (the ‘charitable parent company’) and its subsidiaries (the ‘group’) for the year ended 31 March 2025, which comprise the group statement of financial activities, group and charitable parent company balance sheets and statement of cash flows, the principal accounting policies and the notes to the financial statements. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland’ (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion, the financial statements:

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report.

We are independent of the group in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the trustees’ use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the group and charitable parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least 12 months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the trustees with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The trustees are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the annual report and financial statements, other than the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.

In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether there is a material misstatement in the financial statements or a material misstatement of the other information. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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Opinions on other matters prescribed by the Companies Act 2006

In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:

Matters on which we are required to report by exception

In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the group and the charitable parent company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the trustees’ report including the strategic report.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

Responsibilities of trustees

As explained more fully in the trustees’ responsibilities statement, the trustees (who are also the directors of the charitable company for the purposes of company law) are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the trustees determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the trustees are responsible for assessing the group’s and the charitable parent company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the trustees either intend to liquidate the group or the charitable parent company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements, as a whole, are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users, taken on the basis of these financial statements.

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of noncompliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

Our approach to identifying and assessing the risks of material misstatement in respect of irregularities, including fraud and non-compliance with laws and regulations, was as follows:

We assessed the extent of compliance with laws and regulations identified above by making enquiries of management and representatives of the trustees and review of the minutes of trustees’ meetings.

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We assessed the susceptibility of the charity’s financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur by:

To address the risk of fraud through management bias and override of controls, we:

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the charitable company’s members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the charitable company’s members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the charitable company and the charitable company’s members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

Edward Finch (Senior Statutory Auditor)

For and on behalf of Buzzacott Audit LLP

Statutory Auditor

130 Wood Street, London, EC2V 6DL

In response to the risk of irregularities and noncompliance with laws and regulations, we designed procedures which included, but were not limited to:

Date: ______17 July 2025

There are inherent limitations in our audit procedures described above. The more removed that laws and regulations are from financial transactions, the less likely it is that we would become aware of noncompliance. Auditing standards also limit the audit procedures required to identify non-compliance with laws and regulations to enquiry of the trustees and other management and the inspection of regulatory and legal correspondence, if any.

Material misstatements that arise due to fraud can be harder to detect than those that arise from error as they may involve deliberate concealment or collusion.

A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at www.frc.org.uk/ auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor’s report.

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

36

(Including income and expenditure account) for the year ended 31 March 2025

880,739 - - 880,739 783,861
────── ────── ────── ──────── ───────
3,898,870 - - 3,898,870 3,682,28)
389,982 11,243 - 401,225 425,440
- 1,835,700 - 1,835,700 1,792,076
172,224 672,825 - 845,049 716,704
- 169,955 169,955 -
954,355 - - 954,355 748,928
────── ────── ────── ──────── ───────
1,126,579 2,678,480 - 3,805,059 3,257,708
562,931 - - 562,931 610,374
9,858,899 3,212,674 - 13,071,573 12,354,437
────── ────── ────── ──────── ───────

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |────────|─────|────|───────|───────| |3,594,474|-|-|3,594,474|3,211,087| |────────|─────|────|───────|──────| |2,415,703|2,078,243|-|4,493,946|4,067,083| |220,440|200,000|-|420,440|354,547| |421,222|672,825|-|1,094,047|808,782| |1,388,326|267,329|-|1,655,655|1,168,707| |336,148|-|-|336,148|274,144| |902,091|-|-|902,091|720,288| |────────|──────|────|───────|───────| |5,683,930|3,218,397|-|8,902,327|7,393,551| |────────|──────|────|───────|───────| |9,278,404|3,218,397|-|12,496,801|10,604,638| |────────|──────|────|───────|──────| |580,495|(5,723)|-|574,772|1,749,799| |68,672|-|-|68,672|422,485| |────────|──────|────|───────|───────| |649,167|(5,723)|-|643,444|2,172,284| |17,777,984|366,512|226,089|18,370,585|16,198,301| |────────|──────|─────|────────|───────| |£18,427 ,151|£360,789|£226,089|19,014,029|£18,370,585| |════════|══════|═════|════════|════════|

----- End of picture text -----

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648,989
3,072,758
8,562,512
-		 660,619
3,283,444
7,314,648
-		 8,829
2,995,602
8,562,512
1,063,407		 13,203
3,245,092
7,314,648
1,063,407
──────── ──────── ──────── ────────
12,284,259 11,258,711 12,630,350 11,636,350
1,362,186 1,841,075 1,911,127 2,296,427
6,830,031 6,596,753 6,407,811 6,332,945
──────── ──────── ──────── ────────
8,192,217 8,437,828 8,318,938 8,629,372
(1,462,447) (1,325,954) (1,977,348) (1,937,227)
──────── ──────── ──────── ────────
6,/29,770 7,111,874 6,341,590 6,692,145
──────── ──────── ──────── ────────
£19,014,029 £18,370,585 £18,971,940 £18,328,495
════════ ════════ ════════ ════════
360,789 366,512 360,789 366,512
226,089 226,089 226,089 226,089
3,072,758 3,283,444 2,995,602 3,245,092
14,248,894 13,389,041 15,389,460 14,490,802
1,105,499 1,105,499 - -
──────── ──────── ──────── ────────
£19,014,029 £18,370,585 £18,971,940 £18,328,495
════════ ════════ ════════ ════════

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

39

For the year ended 31 March 2025

──────── ────────
(1,238,908) (912,550)
─────── ───────
178,463 553,165
6,755,828 6,202,663
─────── ───────
£6,934,291 £6,755,828
═══════ ═══════

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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1 Accounting policies

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

41

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

42

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

43

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

44

2 Donations and legacies

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |───────|───────|───────|───────| |£3,880,537|£522,951|F-|£4403,488| |═══════|═══════|═══════|═══════| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Endowed|Total| |2024|2024|2024|2024| |£|£|£|£| |and|gifts|2,509,183|391,335|-|2,900,518| |1,478,116|-|-|1,478,116| |───────|───────|───────|───────| |£3,987,299|£391,335|F-|£4,378,634| |═══════|═══════|═══════|═══════| |3|Other trading activities|

----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
|||| |---|---|---| |──────|──────| |880,739|783,861| |805,953|875,831| |2,212,178|2,022,589| |───────|───────| |£3,898,870|£3,682|,281| |═══════|═══════|

----- End of picture text -----

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4 Charitable activities

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |───────|───────|───────| |£1,126,579|£2,678,480|£3,805,059| |═══════|═══════|═══════| |2024|2024|2024| |Unrestricted|Restricted|Total| |£|£|£| |-|1,792,076|1,792,076| |70,704|646,000|716,704| |748,928|-|748,928| |───────|───────|───────| |£819, 632|£2|438,076|£3,257,708| |═══════|═══════|═══════|

----- End of picture text -----

5 Investment income

----- Start of picture text -----
|||| |---|---|---| |───────|───────|───────| |£389,982|£11,243|£401,225| |═══════|═══════|

----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |──────|───────|──────| |£414,077|£11,363|£425|440| |═══════|═══════|═══════|

----- End of picture text -----

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6 Cost analysis

707,165
318,361
276,946
-
-
187,618
-
-
32,276		 113,350
-
-		 96,000
-
-		 1,511,822
187,618
32,276
──────────────────── ────── ─────── ───────
£6,726,925
£662,646
£1,483101		 £526,742 £3,097,387 £12,496,801
════════════════════ ══════ ═══════ ═══════
606,448
300,519
239,348
-
-
244 212
-
-
30,033		 100,316
-
-		 96,000
-
-		 1,341,631
244 212
30,033
──────────────────── ────── ─────── ───────
£5,695,113
£564,787
£1,394,633		 £502,670 £2,477,435 £10,604,638
════════════════════ ══════ ═══════ ═══════

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6 Cost analysis (cont’d)

----- Start of picture text -----
─────── ─────── ─────── ─────── ─────── ───────
£9,278,404 £3,218,397 £12,496,801 £7,733,395 €£2,871,243 £10,604,638
═══════ ═══════ ═══════ ═══════ ═══════ ═══════
----- End of picture text -----

7 Net income before transfers and investment gains

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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8 Employees

3
15
21
29
30		 3
14
19
18
29		 3
14
19
2/
28		 3
13
17
17
26
─── ─── ─── ───
210 157 189 142
═══ ═══ ═══ ═══
2025 2024
£ £
7122,567 6,035,352
711,273 587,138
445,137 382,690
283,186 192,311
41,753 53,280
32,542 14,067
- 874
─────── ───────
£8,636,458 £7,265,712
═══════ ═══════

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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8 Employees (cont’d)

9 Subsidiary undertakings and joint ventures

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

50

9 Subsidiary undertakings and joint ventures (cont'd)

£
1,172,306
(33,309)		 £
1,100,296
(27,299)
────────
────────
1,138,997
-
(978,207)		 ────────
────────
1,072,997
100,000
(889,195)
160,790 283,802
3,857 -
(164,647) (222,484)
──────── ────────
- 61,318
════════ ════════
2025 2024
£ £
- -
════════ ════════
£
958,887
(221,812)		 £
857,293
(191,306)
──────── ────────
737,075 665,987
(278,494) (233,830)
──────── ────────
458,581 432,157
63,741 55,898
- -
(522,322) (488,055)
────────
════════
════════
-
2025
£
£1,105,499		 ────────
════════
════════
-
2024
£
£1,105,499

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

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10 Intangible fixed assets

1,433,830
79,996		 1,353,830
80,000
───────
═══════
£1,513,826
773,211		 ───────
═══════
£1,433,830
692,152
91,626 81,059
─────── ───────
£864,837 £773,211
═══════ ═══════
£648,989 £660,619
═══════ ═══════
44,162 44,162
═══════ ═══════
30,959 26,620
4,374 4,339
─────── ───────
£35,333 £30,959
═══════ ═══════
£8,829 £13,203
═══════ ═══════

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11 Tangible fixed assets

----- Start of picture text -----
||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---| |───────────────|───────|───────|─────────────| |£9,530,976|£197,480|£1,181,713|£65,805|£110,006|£11,085,980| |═══════════════|═══════|═════════════════════| |6,553,159|126,200|658,947|28,094|110,006|7,476,406| |366,032|11,572|148,503|10,709|-|536,816| |───────────────|───────|─────────────────────| |£6,919,191|£137,772|£807,450|£38,803|£110,006|£8,013,222| |═══════════════|═══════|═════════════════════| |£2,611,785|£59,708|£374,263|£27,002|-|£3,072,758| |═══════════════|═══════|═════════════════════| |£2,884,/04|£17,620|£367,651|£13,469|-|£3,283,444| |═══════════════|═══════|═════════════════════|

----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |───────────────|───────|────────────────────| |£9,530,976|£45,973|£1,015,437|£65,805|£75,890|£10,734,081| |═══════════════|═══════|════════════════════| |6,553,159|45,973|524|646|28,094|75,890|7,227,762| |366,032|-|133,976|10,709|-|510,717| |───────────────|───────|────────────────────| |£6,919, 191|£45,973|£658,622|£38,803|£75,890|£7,/38,479| |═══════════════|═══════|════════════════════| |£2,611,/85|-|£356,815|£27,002|-|£2,995,602| |═══════════════|═══════|════════════════════| |£2,884,/04|-|£346,919|£13,469|-|£3,245,092| |═══════════════|═══════|════════════════════|

----- End of picture text -----

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12 Fixed asset investments

----- Start of picture text -----
||||| |---|---|---|---| |───────|───────|───────|───────| |£8,562,512|£7, 314,648|£8,562,512|£7,314,648| |═══════|═══════|═══════|═══════| |2025|2024| |£|£| |7,155,573|5,653,108| |(2,447,751)|(2,082,972)| |3,681,758|3,162,952| |68,672|422,485| |────────|────────| |8,458,252|7,155,573| |104,260|159,075| |────────|────────| |£8,562,512|£7,314,648| |════════|════════| |£7,927,713|£6,553,052| |════════|════════| |the|following:| |2025|2024| |£|£| |1,935,088|1,653,067| |1,240,513|1,139,460| |3,543,831|3,079,472| |1,738,820|1,283,574| |────────|────────| |£8,458,252|£7,155,573| |════════|════════|

----- End of picture text -----

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54

13 Debtors

─────── ─────── ─────── ─────── £1,362,186 £1,841,075 EV9NI27 = £2,296,427 ═══════ ═══════ ═══════ ═══════

14 Creditors

176,028 156,885 176,028 156,885
────── ────── ─────── ───────
£1,462,447 £1,325,954 £1,977,348 £1,937,227
══════ ══════ ═══════ ═══════

────── ────── ─────── ────── £655,034 £467,927 £- £- ══════ ══════ ═══════ ══════

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

55

15 Pension costs

16 Restricted funds

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices | Annual report and financial statements for the year ended March 2025

56

16 Restricted funds (cont’d)

26,897 32,229 (24,643) 34,483
─────── ─────── ──────── ────────
£366,512 £3,212,674 (£3,218,397) £360,789
═══════ ═══════ ════════ ════════

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16 Restricted funds (cont’d)

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |───────|───────|────────|────────| |£396,981|£2|840,774|(£2,871,243)|£366,512| |═══════|═══════|════════|════════|

----- End of picture text -----

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17 Endowed funds

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |══════|═══════|═══════|═══════| |April|2023|Income|Expenditure|31|March|2024| |£|£|£|£| |£226,089|-|-|£226,089| |══════|═══════|═══════|═══════|

----- End of picture text -----

18 Tangible fixed asset fund

19 Unrealised investment gains

----- Start of picture text -----
||| |---|---| |────────|────────| |£530,539|£602,524| |════════|════════|

----- End of picture text -----

----- Start of picture text -----
||| |---|---| |────────|────────| |£530,539|£602,524| |════════|════════|

----- End of picture text -----

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20 Analysis of net assets between funds

─────── ─────── ──────── ─────── ───────
£3,072,758 £648,989 £8,562,512 £6,729,770 £19,014,029
═══════ ═══════ ════════ ═══════ ═══════
Tangible Intangible Investments Net 2024
fixed fixed current Total
assets assets assets
Fe Fe Fe Fe Fe
- 13,203 7,314,648 6,061,190 13,389,041
3,283,444 - - - 3,283,444
- - - 366,512 366,512
- - - 226,089 226,089
- 647,416 - 458,083 1,105,499
─────── ─────── ──────── ─────── ───────
£3,283,444 £660,619 £7,314,648 £7,111,874 £18,370,585
═══════ ═══════ ════════ ═══════ ═══════
-
2,995,602
-
-		 8,829
8,562,512
6,818,119
15,389,460
-
-
-
2,995,602
-
-
360,789
360,789
-
-
226,089
226,089
─────── ───────
────────
───────
───────
£2,995,602 £8,829
£8,562,512
£7,404,997
£18,971,940
═══════ ═══════
════════
═══════
═══════
Tangible Intangible
Investments
Net
2024
fixed fixed
current
Total
assets assets
assets
Fe Fe
£
£
£
- 13,203
7,314,648
7,162,951
14,490,802
3,245,092 e
-
-
3,245,092
- -
-
366,512
366,512
- -
-
226,089
226,089
─────── ───────
────────
───────
───────
£3,245,092 £13,203
£7,314,648
£7,755,552
£18,328,495
═══════ ═══════
════════
═══════
═══════

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21 Cash flows from operating activities

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||||| |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| |────────|───────| |cash|generated|by|operating|activities|£1,417,371|£1,465,715| |════════|════════| |22|Analysis of cash and cash equivalents| |of cash|and|cash|equivalents|2025|2024| |£|ge| |in|hand|6,830,031|6,596,753| |held|with|investment|managers|104,260|159,075| |────────|────────| |cash|and|cash|equivalents|£6,934,291|£6,/55,828| |════════|════════|

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23 Commitments under operating leases

----- Start of picture text -----
||| |---|---| |────────|────────| |£688,043|£139,638| |════════|════════| |10,577|7,760| |16,945|18,187| |-|5| |───────|───────| |£27,552|£25,947| |═══════|═══════|

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24 Post balance sheet events

25 Capital commitments

26 NHS Pension Scheme

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27 Consolidated statement of financial activities for 2024

875,831
783,861		 -
-		 -
-		 875,831
783,861		 817,850
956,408
──────── ────── ────── ─────── ───────
3,682,281 - - 3,682,281 3,458,219
414,077 11,363 - 425,440 139,985
- 1,792,076 - 1,792,076 1,502,808
70,704 646,000 - 716,704 739,020
748,928 - - 748,928 775,176
────── ────── ────── ─────── ───────
819,632 2,438,076 - 3,257,708 3,017,004
610,374 - - 610,374 521,785
- - - - -
──────
9,513,663		 ──────
2,840,774		 ──────
-		 ───────
12,354,437		 ──────
10,626,338

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27 Consolidated statement of financial activities for 2024 (cont’d)

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |────────|─────|────|───────|───────| |3,206,017|5,070|-|3,211,087|3,271,299| |────────|─────|────|───────|──────| |2,208,934|1,858,149|-|4,067,083|3,692,547| |150,647|203,900|-|354,547|303,112| |162,782|646,000|-|808,782|660,686| |1,010,935|157,772|-|1,168,707|925,974| |273,792|352|-|274,144|258,581| |720,288|-|-|720,288|684,024| |────────|──────|────|───────|───────| |4,527,378|2,866,173|-|7,393,551|6,524,924| |────────|──────|────|───────|───────| |7,733,395|2,871,243|-|10,604,638|9,796,223| |────────|──────|────|───────|──────|

----- End of picture text -----

──────── ────── ──── ─────── ──────

----- Start of picture text -----
|||||| |---|---|---|---|---| |────────|──────|─────|────────|───────| |£17,777,984|£366,512|£226,089|£18,370,585|£16,198,301| |════════|══════|═════|════════|════════|

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Reference and administrative details

Registered office

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices, Shooting Star House, The Avenue, Hampton TW12 3RA

Trustees

Andrew M Coppel CBE Simon Barker Dr Kheelna Bavalia Andrew Edge Mark Garraway Dr Sally Johnson Christopher Lewin Phillip Ludlow Olga Nuryaeva Carole Pharoah Alison Robertson Swati Suri Katherine Theobald

Chair of Trustees; Chair of Remuneration, People and Governance Committee Chair of Chase Hospice Trading Limited

Chair of Income Generation Committee (resigned 19 June 2024) Chair of Care Strategy Committee Chair of Finance and Resources Committee (appointed 2 Jan 2025) (appointed 2 Jan 2025) (appointed 2 Jan 2025) Chair of Quality, Governance and Risk Committee Co-chair of Income Generation Committee Chair of Shooting Star Marketing Limited, Co-chair of Income Generation Committee

Directors’ team

Paul Farthing Dr Anna-Karenia Anderson Jo Cohen Lisa Dennis Nicholas Dobson Jennifer Johnson Karen Sugarman MBE Sally Wells Nadia Zerroud

Chief Executive

Medical Director Director of Strategy and Partnerships Director of Care Director of Digital and Marketing Director of Finance and Resources Executive Vice President Director of Fundraising Operations Director of People and Culture

Chase Hospice Trading Limited Directors

Simon Barker Chair Ian Bowen Polly Esplen Paul Farthing Jennifer Johnson Christopher Lewin Olga Nuryaeva

(stepped down from committee 2 Jan 2025) (appointed 2 Jan 2025)

Shooting Star Marketing Limited Directors

Suzanne Brown Laura Burbedge (appointed 2 Jan 2025) Paul Farthing Jennifer Johnson Beth Langdon Olga Nuryaeva (appointed 2 Jan 2025) Katherine Theobald Chair

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Tuckwell Chase Lottery Limited Directors

Paul Farthing Jennifer Johnson Christopher Lewin Note: Joint partnership with Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice, above lists Shooting Star Children’s Hospices’ directors only.

Bankers

Barclays Bank PLC 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP

Solicitors

Moore Barlow LLP The Oriel Sydenham Road Guildford Surrey GU1 3SR

Investment Managers

Brewin Dolphin Limited 12 Smithfield Street London EC1A 9BD

Auditors

Buzzacott Audit LLP 130 Wood Street London EC2V 6DL

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Thank you

to our donors, supporters, funding partners, volunteers, Patrons and Vice-Presidents for their incredible support.

Royal Patron

HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh GCVO

Vice-Presidents

Dame Joan Collins DBE, Simon Cowell, Tony Hadley MBE, Julia Lever MBE, Michael More-Molyneux DL, Tim Oliver OBE, Kate Turner MBE

Patrons

Michael Ball OBE, Alison Davies, Joel Dommett, Philip Glenister, Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen, Sarah More-Molyneux, Lauren Silverman

Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

Shooting Star House, The Avenue, Hampton, TW12 3RA t 020 8783 2000 e hello@shootingstar.org.uk w shootingstar.org.uk

@sschospices @sschospices

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