Our Story

Shooting Star CHASE began life as two separate children’s hospice charities: The Shooting Star Children’s Hospice and CHASE hospice care for children. On 1 April 2011 these two charities merged to become Shooting Star CHASE.

As one charity, Shooting Star CHASE now cares for over 600 families living all across western London, Surrey and West Sussex who have a child or teenager not expected to reach their nineteenth birthday.  

Families receive the care we provide free of charge, 365 days a year. We provide this care at our two children’s hospices, Christopher’s and Shooting Star House; in the family home with our ‘Hospice at Home’ service; and in the local community.

At Shooting Star CHASE we have taken the heritage and proud history of care from both The Shooting Star Trust and CHASE hospice care for children and used it as the foundation for our merged care service.

CHASE

In 1990, prompted by an article in a national newspaper describing the plight of a family with a child with a life-limiting condition, Julia Lever MBE set up a fundraising group to support Acorns, a children’s hospice service in Birmingham.

After fundraising for Acorns, Julia turned her attention to starting a children's hospice service in her own area.

On 10 May 1999, enough money had been raised for the Community Team to start work. By the end of this first year the community team were caring for 35 families and supporting 52 siblings.

In November 2001 work on Christopher’s was completed and CHASE welcomed its first families.  Shooting Star CHASE Royal Patron HRH The Countess of Wessex officially opened Christopher’s in 2002. 

Shooting Star

The Shooting Star Trust was founded in 1995 by Kathryn Turner MBE.

After seven years of capital fundraising, the construction of Shooting Star House commenced in January 2003 and took two years to complete.

Shooting Star House welcomed its first family in August 2005 and the hospice was officially opened by HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall in February 2006.

Find out more about the families we support, how you can get involved and current volunteering opportunities at Shooting Star CHASE.