Shooting Star Children’s Hospices

Breathe
2025-12-18 12:15 - 13:00, 2025-12-25 12:15 - 13:00, 2026-01-01 12:15 - 13:00, 2026-01-08 12:15 - 13:00, 2026-01-15 12:15 - 13:00, 2026-01-22 12:15 - 13:00, 2026-01-29 12:15 - 13:00 (Europe/London) | Shooting Star House (and online), Shooting Star House, Hampton, TW12 3HD, United Kingdom
Take a moment to restore your mental wellbeing, join us for weekly Breathe sessions.
Creating a calm and grounding space for you, in person and online.
Each week we introduce a different technique bringing balance, reducing symptoms of emotional distress or sleep disruption that you may be experiencing. Breathe is not a talking group, it’s led by one of our counsellors through guided therapeutic practices.
All parents of children with life-limiting conditions and are welcome to attend. Breathe is helpful if you need space for self-care, or if you are experiencing extreme stress and symptoms of trauma.
If you’d like to attend Breathe, click Enquire and a counsellor will call you to chat through the next steps.

Santa's Reindeer (supported children)
2025-12-19 11:45 - 12:30 | Jumps Road, Jumps Road, Churt, England, GU10, United Kingdom
Come and see Santa’s reindeer at a farm in Churt, Surrey!
Santa’s reindeer are gearing up for their annual ‘fly-in’ before they head to the North Pole for Christmas! 🎅🦌
Get ready to experience the magic of Christmas with Santa’s special helpers on Friday 19th December 2025 at 11.45am. Meet Santa’s reindeer up close, take photos, and enjoy some festive treats!
This event is wheelchair friendly, but a little off roading is required. Please note this is an outside event, so make sure to wrap up warm. There is parking onsite, if you can car share then we would recommend that you do.
Further instructions
The postcode is GU10 2HL. You will see a small island with a tree planted in the middle – just in front of the black metal gates. When you arrive at the magical Silverbeck, you will see black ornate gates and a buzzer. Be sure to press the buzzer for Silverbeck (not the farm). Wiggle your way down the driveway and keep going towards the barn.
We have families arriving after your slot as well! There is no ramp into the barn, a slight step up, so it might be a wiggle and a jiggle to get wheelchair users in, but it’s possible! We also recommend wellies and coats are worn.
Please save slots for the children, so if you can manage with one adult ticket and the rest children in your group that would be wonderful – thank you!
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones. We hope to see you there!

Santa's Reindeer (supported children)
2025-12-19 12:30 - 13:15 | Jumps Road, Jumps Road, Churt, England, GU10, United Kingdom
Come and see Santa’s reindeer at a farm in Churt, Surrey!
Santa’s reindeer are gearing up for their annual ‘fly-in’ before they head to the North Pole for Christmas! 🎅🦌
Get ready to experience the magic of Christmas with Santa’s special helpers on Friday 19th December 2025 at 12.30pm. Meet Santa’s reindeer up close, take photos, and enjoy some festive treats!
This event is wheelchair friendly, but a little off roading is required. Please note this is an outside event, so make sure to wrap up warm. There is parking onsite, if you can car share then we would recommend that you do.
Further instructions
The postcode is GU10 2HL. You will see a small island with a tree planted in the middle – just in front of the black metal gates. When you arrive at the magical Silverbeck, you will see black ornate gates and a buzzer. Be sure to press the buzzer for Silverbeck (not the farm). Wiggle your way down the driveway and keep going towards the barn.
We have families arriving after your slot as well! There is no ramp into the barn, a slight step up, so it might be a wiggle and a jiggle to get wheelchair users in, but it’s possible! We also recommend wellies and coats are worn.
Please save slots for the children, so if you can manage with one adult ticket and the rest children in your group that would be wonderful – thank you!
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones. We hope to see you there!

Santa's Reindeer (bereaved families)
2025-12-22 11:45 - 12:30 | Jumps Road, Jumps Road, Churt, England, GU10, United Kingdom
Come and see Santa’s reindeer at a farm in Churt, Surrey!
Santa’s reindeer are gearing up for their annual ‘fly-in’ before they head to the North Pole for Christmas! 🎅🦌
Get ready to experience the magic of Christmas with Santa’s special helpers on Monday 22nd December 2025 at 11.45am. Meet Santa’s reindeer up close, take photos, and enjoy some festive treats!
This event is wheelchair friendly, but a little off roading is required. Please note this is an outside event, so make sure to wrap up warm. There is parking onsite, if you can car share then we would recommend that you do.
Further instructions
The postcode is GU10 2HL. You will see a small island with a tree planted in the middle – just in front of the black metal gates. When you arrive at the magical Silverbeck, you will see black ornate gates and a buzzer. Be sure to press the buzzer for Silverbeck (not the farm). Wiggle your way down the driveway and keep going towards the barn.
We have families arriving after your slot as well! There is no ramp into the barn, a slight step up, so it might be a wiggle and a jiggle to get wheelchair users in, but it’s possible! We also recommend wellies and coats are worn.
Please save slots for the children, so if you can manage with one adult ticket and the rest children in your group that would be wonderful – thank you!
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones. We hope to see you there!

Santa's Reindeer (bereaved families)
2025-12-22 12:30 - 13:15 | Jumps Road, Jumps Road, Churt, England, GU10, United Kingdom
Come and see Santa’s reindeer at a farm in Churt, Surrey!
Santa’s reindeer are gearing up for their annual ‘fly-in’ before they head to the North Pole for Christmas! 🎅🦌
Get ready to experience the magic of Christmas with Santa’s special helpers on Monday 22nd December 2025 at 12.30pm. Meet Santa’s reindeer up close, take photos, and enjoy some festive treats!
This event is wheelchair friendly, but a little off roading is required. Please note this is an outside event, so make sure to wrap up warm. There is parking onsite, if you can car share then we would recommend that you do.
Further instructions
The postcode is GU10 2HL. You will see a small island with a tree planted in the middle – just in front of the black metal gates. When you arrive at the magical Silverbeck, you will see black ornate gates and a buzzer. Be sure to press the buzzer for Silverbeck (not the farm). Wiggle your way down the driveway and keep going towards the barn.
We have families arriving after your slot as well! There is no ramp into the barn, a slight step up, so it might be a wiggle and a jiggle to get wheelchair users in, but it’s possible! We also recommend wellies and coats are worn.
Please save slots for the children, so if you can manage with one adult ticket and the rest children in your group that would be wonderful – thank you!
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to create lasting memories with your loved ones. We hope to see you there!

Siblings social - Wisley Glow
2025-12-29 16:00 - 19:00 | RHS Garden Wisley, Wisley Lane, Wisley, England, GU23 6QB, United Kingdom
This is a joint social for our bereaved and supported siblings aged 5+ to come together for an evening of lights and marshmallow toasting!

Book a space for your child at our upcoming siblings event for both bereaved and supported siblings. This is a great opportunity for siblings to come together and make new friends! Please note, this event is for siblings over the age of 5.

We will be exploring the Wisley Glow event, wandering through the magical trails and watching the light shows. This will be followed by marshmallow toasting and grabbing a bite to eat(all included).

There will be ample Shooting Star staff and volunteers, so your child is well supervised and will ensure they get the most out of this experience.

The event will be held outside, so please wear warm layers – Christmas jumpers, hairbands or lights are encouraged (but completely optional)!

Please ensure you drop off your child to a member of staff, don’t drop off in the car park, as we will need to see an adult and check waivers, consent forms and contact numbers when you drop off. Drop off at 4pm.

Please arrive at 7pm to collect – look out for the Shooting Star staff wearing the branded clothing when you get there.

Bereavement Café at Shooting Star House (families and children welcome)
2025-12-30 10:30 - 12:00 | Shooting Star House, Shooting Star House, The Avenue, Hampton, TW12 3RA, United Kingdom
Our doors are open for families to drop-in to our post-Christmas Bereavement Café at Shooting Star House our Bereavement Centre on Tuesday 30 December. All family members and children are welcome, there will be activities on-site for all to do. We invite you to come as you are, no matter how you might be feeling.

Shooting Star realise the importance of a support network during the holidays and wants to do everything we can. We will gather in the dining room, stay as long or as little as you wish, with coffee, cake, and fruit, and our Family Support Workers are there to chat, listen, or just be with you if you don’t feel able to speak.
Parking is on site on a first-come, first-served basis, please just pull up to the gates to be let in.
If you would like to bring a pet to a cafe please complete the pet request form at least a week in advance.
No need to RSVP.

Run Local
2026-01-01 - 2027-01-01 | UK, United Kingdom
Through our partnership with Run for Charity, we have places in hundreds of events across London and the south of England as well as across the UK. Click on your region below to find races happening in your area and the cost for a place. If you want to take part, click ‘register’ next to the event you’ve chosen on the Run for Charity website and complete the form. A member of our team will then get in touch with help and support all the way through to the finish line.
See events in:

London
South
South-east
South-west

By joining #TeamShootingStar, you’ll be helping ensure we can continue to make every moment count for the families we support.
We’ll be on hand throughout to provide guidance, help and support with your fundraising, invitations to team runs (where possible) and if you pledge to raise at least £100 you’ll get one of our snazzy Shooting Star Children’s Hospices Running vests to wear as you take on your challenge!

Supported dads takeaway evening
2026-01-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Shooting Star House (Shooting Star Children’s Hospices), The Avenue, Hampton, TW12 3RA
Join us at Shooting Star House for a Dads’ social with pub games and bar food!

Our January Dads’ Evening is going to be pub games themed! Join us for darts, table tennis and other traditional pub games, with a takeaway (on us) from the pub down the road. Keep an eye on your email to give your food order.
Come and get to know other dads and join in on some games. Feel free to bring your child’s grandad or uncle as well.

Christmas Tree Collection - January 2026
2026-01-12 - 2026-01-14 | Various Locations, United Kingdom
Our popular Christmas Tree Collection service is back for another year.
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices’ Christmas Tree Collection will return this January. Let us take the hassle out of recycling your tree – no needles in your car or trips to the tip. We welcome a minimum suggested donation and will be collecting real trees from selected GU, KT and TW postcodes. This year we are collecting Christmas trees on Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 January.
Booking is open until Wednesday 7 January 2026 only so why not book a slot today and make the start of 2026 that bit simpler.
We are able to collect trees from the following postcodes this year:

Surrey
Twickenham & Kingston

GU 1
TW 1

GU 2
TW 2

GU 3
TW 9

GU 4
TW 10

GU 5
TW 11

GU 6 – NEW
TW 12

GU 7
TW 13

GU 8 – NEW
TW 16

GU 12
TW 17

GU 21
KT 14 – NEW

GU 22
KT 16

GU 23

GU 24

Bereavement Café at Shooting Star House
2026-01-15 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-22 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-01-29 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-05 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-12 10:00 - 12:00 | Shooting Star House, Shooting Star House, The Avenue, Hampton, TW12 3RA, United Kingdom
Our doors are open on Thursday mornings, welcoming families to drop-in to our Bereavement Café at Shooting Star House, our Bereavement Centre. There is coffee, cake and fruit and our Family Support Workers are there to chat, listen, or just be with you if you don’t feel able to speak. Everyone welcome, including siblings, grandparents, or a different friend or family member. We invite you to come as you are, no matter how you might be feeling. Parking is on-site. Just pull up to the gates to be let in. Stay as long or as little as you wish.
Schools are welcome to bring groups of pupils who knew a child who has died to attend as a one-off, or for successive weeks. Teachers usually identify a small group of pupils who were close to the child who has died. The cafe provides a safe space where they can make crafts and keepsakes, and talk to others about how grief can make you feel. If you would like to bring a group of pupils from your school to our centre, please contact us before attending.
If you’d like to ask any questions, please email familysupport@shootingstar.org.uk
Shooting Star realise the importance of a support network and wants to do anything we can to help build that. We will gather in the dining room, but please note that hospice day-to-day practice will continue at Shooting Star House.
After cafe, you are welcome to stay as long as you wish to continue conversations. Our building closes at 5pm.
If you would like to bring a pet to a cafe, please complete the pet request form at least a week in advance.
No need to RSVP.

Brain SPACE (virtual session)
2026-01-15 12:30 - 13:30
Join the SPACE Team — the specialist paediatric palliative care experts from Shooting Star Children’s Hospice for a series of one-hour online teaching sessions, held on the third Thursday of each month, from 12:30–1:30 pm.
Each session focuses on a different aspect of paediatric palliative care, offering practical insights, case studies, and evidence-based approaches to support children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
Designed for healthcare and social care professionals, these bite-sized sessions are a perfect opportunity to learn, reflect, and connect. Recordings will be made available for those who can not attend the live sessions.
2026 topics

Thursday 22 January 2026 – Agitation
Thursday 19 February 2026 – PCAS/ NCAs
Thursday 19 March 2026 – Ethics
Thursday 16 April 2026 – Research
Thursday 21 May 2026 – Bleeding
Thursday 18 June 2026 – Introduction to Symptom Management Plans
Thursday 16 July 2026 – Assessment of Pain
Thursday 20 August 2026 – Neuropathic Pain
Thursday 17 September 2026 – Nociceptive Pain
Thursday 15 October 2026 – Culture and Spirituality in PPC
Thursday 19 November 2026 – Paediatric palliative Care from a Parent’s perspective
Thursday 17 December 2026 – TBC

Wellbeing drop-in at Christopher's
2026-01-17 10:00 - 12:30 | Christopher’s, Old Portsmouth Rd, Artington, near Guildford, Surrey, GU3 1LP, United Kingdom
Join us at Christopher’s for some Wellness crafts and activities!
Come to our drop in session to meet other Shooting Star families and join in with lots of fun activities. We will have lots of sensory, arts and crafts and pampering activities.
There will also be wellbeing packs for you to take home with you.
We look forward to seeing you in the New Year!

New Year Reflections: A virtual update with our Chief Executive
2026-01-20 12:30 - 13:00
A virtual lunchtime update with Paul Farthing, Chief Executive of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
In 2023, we launched a new strategy, For Every Family, which set out our purpose, ambition and path to deliver outstanding care over the next three years. As we move into the final months of our strategy, it is important to reflect on our incredible achievements, but also acknowledge the challenges that we have faced over the past few years.
Our Chief Executive, Paul Farthing, invites you to join him for a virtual lunchtime update to hear more about the impact we have had, as well as sharing the inside track on our plans for the future.

Bereaved Parents Support Group (virtual)
2026-02-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Runs once per month from Feb 5 – July 9, 2026.

We really value offering a safe and supportive space for our families. Our Parent support group is facilitated by a qualified Counsellor and led by you.

Together we’ll commit to creating a compassionate and non-judgmental environment, where parents can share experiences, learn from each other, and find support in coping with your grief.

The 6-session support group will run at the same time every month. This is a virtual group, there will also be an in person group at Shooting Star House.

Those who have attended our Bereaved Parents Support Group have said how helpful it is to learn from each other and support each other. You can attend as an individual, or some choose to attend as a couple. It is important that you can attend most (ideally all) of the 6 sessions:

Thursday 5 February
Thursday 5 March
Thursday 6 April
Thursday 7 May
Thursday 4 June
Thursday 9 July

Bereaved Grandparents Group (In person)
2026-02-07 10:00 - 11:30 | Christopher’s (Shooting Star Children’s Hospices), Old Portsmouth Road, Artington, England, GU3 1LP, United Kingdom
We recognise that the loss a grandchild can bring layers of grief – both of your own and that of your child.

We warmly invite you for a time of connection from the comfort of your home. Through conversation and mutual support, we will send out a craft pack so you can participate with us and simply share in the quiet understanding of others who have a similar experience.

Please click the enquire button and fill out the short form if you would like to come.

Valentine's drop-in at Shooting Star House
2026-02-07 10:00 - 12:30 | Shooting Star House (Shooting Star Children’s Hospices), The Avenue, Hampton, TW12 3RA
Join us at Shooting Star House for some Valentine’s crafts and activities!
Join us at this Valentine’s themed drop-in session to meet other Shooting Star families and try lots of fun activities. We will have sensory, arts and crafts activities including a photobooth, making mosaics and decorating stress balls!
We will also have some Valentine-themed sweets and treats to enjoy.

Bereaved Dads Takeaway Evening
2026-02-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Christopher’s (Shooting Star Children’s Hospices), Old Portsmouth Road, Artington, England, GU3 1LP, United Kingdom
Our January Dads’ Evening is going to be pub games themed! Join us for darts, table tennis and other traditional pub games, with a takeaway (on us) from the pub down the road. Keep an eye on your email to give your food order.
Come and get to know other dads and join in on some games. Feel free to bring your child’s grandad or uncle as well.

Garson's Hearts and Flowers Drop-in
2026-02-14 11:00 - 15:00 | Garsons Garden Centre, Winterdown Road, Esher, England, KT10 8LS, United Kingdom
Join us at Garson’s Farm for a Heats and Flowers themed Drop-In.
Garsons is a family-run business which supports the community surrounding both its Surrey and Hampshire stores. Shooting Star Children’s Hospices has been the Garsons Esher’s chosen charity of the year for 2025/26. Find out more about the Charity of the Year Partnership here: https://www.garsons.co.uk/about-us/esher-charity-of-the-year.
As the Charity partnership comes to a close, Garsons Esher are giving Shooting Star Families exclusive use of their teepee area on Saturday February 14th, for a Hearts & Flowers themed drop-in, exclusively for Shooting Star Families.
Join Shooting Star at Garsons for arts, crafts and chocolates, between 11am and 3pm and enjoy visiting their award-winning Garden Centre, Farm Shop and Restaurant while you’re there.
Garson’s Farm: Garsons Esher, Winterdown Road, West End, Esher, Surrey, KT10 8LS. When you arrive, please ask at the information point to be taken through to the teepee.
Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide food and drink, but there will be opportunities to purchase on-site. The site is wheelchair accessible.
We look forward to seeing you there!

Mega Monday - February Half Term
2026-02-16 10:00 - 12:30 | Shooting Star House, Shooting Star House, The Avenue, Hampton, TW12 3RA, United Kingdom
This half term, we would like to welcome all families open to our services to come and use the facilities at Shooting Star House.

For our next Mega Monday, join us between 10 -12.30pm to use the sensory room, art room and Lifelites sensory equipment as well as Chinese New Year crafts!
Please note that children must be supervised by family members at all times in the building and we ask that no nut or Kiwi products are brought into the Hospice.
Just drop in and enjoy a morning with us!
