Tag: Children’s Hospices Across Scotland

Scotland’s only children’s hospice charity launches £20M appeal to transform care

‘More Than a Hospice’ will rebuild, renew and reimagine children’s palliative care across Scotland as stays at CHAS’ hospices increase by 45% in the last 3 years.

Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) launches More Than a Hospice, a £20 million appeal to change how Scotland cares for dying children, no matter where they live, and ensure all families have real choice in joined up care, so no one faces the death of their child alone.

The bold £20 million initiative appeal will allow CHAS to meet rising pressure on children’s palliative care services by transforming how Scotland cares for its most vulnerable children and families.

Stays at CHAS’s hospices have increased by 45% in the last 3 years* underscoring the increasing pressure on services and the urgent need for facilities and world-class models of care to keep pace with families’ needs. The surge is being driven by medical advances meaning more children and families need specialist support over longer periods whether at home, in hospital or in hospices.

CHAS supports babies, children and young people with life‑shortening conditions, and the families who care for them, providing specialist palliative care. For families, that can mean months or years of round‑the‑clock care, exhausting routines and constant emotional and practical pressure, while trying to protect ordinary moments together.

More Than a Hospice is an urgent call to Scotland to recognise what children’s hospice care really means today, and to back a long‑term plan to ensure families continue to have choice, comfort and support for decades to come.

Caroline Johnstone, from Sauchie in Clackmannanshire, was introduced to CHAS when her daughter Ayla was born in 2011. Ayla lives with Edwards’ Syndrome and has been receiving support from CHAS for the past 14 years.

Caroline said: “Since Ayla was diagnosed, CHAS has supported us as a family at Rachel House in Kinross. CHAS makes sure we have a choice in care for Ayla. We feel part of a community of families who are going through the same challenges and experiences. CHAS and the Rachel House team have helped Ayla continue to thrive and are always just a phone call away”.

“I’ve phoned at midnight and during the day and they’re always there. If I’m lying awake during the night worrying about something to do with Ayla and need to chat to someone, I know I can phone CHAS – that truly is a lifeline.”

“Ayla absolutely loves the sensory room and going out for walks around the beautiful grounds. She is quite sassy and loves a bit of nonsense but is also tactile and affectionate and the staff all know her personality so well which is great”.

Rami Okasha, CEO at CHAS said: “More Than a Hospice is a movement to rebuild, renew and reimagine what children’s palliative care can be.

“We want to unite communities, medical professionals and policymakers behind a shared mission: that every family has genuine choice and unwavering support during the hardest moments of their lives. Real choice is what we would all expect to have when we are facing the most devastating times.

“Every week, in Scotland, three children die from an incurable condition, and CHAS provides unwavering care at every step on this hardest of journeys for families facing this devastating reality, in our two hospices, in hospitals and at home.

“We welcome advances in medicine which mean more children are living longer with complex needs, but too many families still lack real choice about where and how their child is cared for.

“This is our biggest ever fundraising appeal since Rachel House was built over 30 years ago. Back then CHAS was founded thanks to the kindness and generosity of the Scottish public, today, this More Than A Hospice Appeal is an invitation for the people of Scotland to stand together again behind a simple belief: that no one should face the death of their child alone.”

The £20 million will allow CHAS to bring real choice to families as their child dies by:

  • Rebuilding Rachel House, Scotland’s first ever children’s hospice as a modern, flexible space designed around the needs of today’s families, including those caring for children with the most complex conditions.
  • Renewing Robin House so it continues to be a welcoming home‑from‑home where families can access specialist care, respite and support.
  • Reimagining care for the long term by strengthening children’s palliative care across Scotland, including closer working with the NHS and improving support for families at home at the end of life.

Together, these improvements will help ensure CHAS can continue to deliver highly specialist, family‑centred care as needs evolve, supporting families not just through the hardest moments, but through the long journey that often comes before.

To mark the launch of the appeal CHAS is asking people to ‘Make Their Mark’ on a giant fingerprint tree. Each print is a pledge to support CHAS More Than A Hospice Appeal and help transform hospice and palliative care for Scotland’s children and families, now and for the future.

The beautiful large-scale visual, created in partnership with artist Marion Deuchars, starts with a single fingerprint and grows with every addition from children and their families. It will create a lasting reminder that no family should face the death of a child alone.

Make your mark by donating today and ensure no one face the death of a child alone at chas.org.uk

Josh’s Christmas flying dream comes true thanks to Scottish children’s hospice charity and Loganair

Christmas came early for a young boy with a complex heart condition when Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) and Loganair joined forces to make his dream of flying a reality.

As well as a severe cyanotic heart defect, Josh Narrie from East Lothian suffers from DiGeorge Syndrome and chronic lung disease and is awaiting further cardiac interventions. 

The brave youngster, who loves aeroplanes and all things to do with aviation and transport, has never been able to fly due to his poor health so CHAS and Loganair arranged for him to have a magical experience visiting the airline’s hangar at Glasgow Airport as an early Christmas present.

As well as being made an honorary pilot for the day, Josh got to meet Loganair Glasgow Hangar staff and mechanics who gave him his own private tour of the hangar. He was then invited on board an ATR-72 aircraft for the very first time and got to sit inside the flight deck and see all the controls up close.

The excited youngster was then presented with a special goodie bag full of Christmas presents.

Eight-year-old Josh, who is on 24-hour oxygen and bipap overnight and during periods throughout the day, has spent much of his life in and out of hospital, including periods in intensive care.

This special visit was extra special therefore as it provided a chance for Josh and his mum and dad Claire and John to make precious memories together.

Speaking afterwards, Claire said: “We can’t thank CHAS and Loganair enough for this amazing early Christmas present which meant so much to Josh and to us as his parents.

“He is our cheeky, happy chap who loves to be naughty and enjoys pretty much anything that moves especially aeroplanes. Sadly he has never been able to fly due to his low oxygen saturation levels and perhaps will never be deemed fit to fly which is why this experience was extra special.

“Josh spends so much time in hospital and the days can be very long and isolating so days out together are very special, especially ones like this. CHAS always goes above and beyond for us and we think of them as family. We would honestly be completely lost without their support. 

“We are so grateful to both CHAS and to Loganair for making Josh’s dream of finally boarding a plane come true. Seeing his wee face light up meant the absolute world ”

CHAS Senior Partnership Executive Linsey Cairns said: “For many families supported by CHAS, it is often difficult to fly or use other forms of transport because of their child’s complex needs.

“Our important partnership with Loganair means we can bring smiles, comfort, and precious memories to children and we are so grateful to them for facilitating this special visit for Josh and his mum. These are the moments that matter – moments where families can simply enjoy being together and create happy memories that they’ll treasure forever.”

Alex Bridgewater, Communications Manager at Loganair, said: “As part of our continued support for CHAS, Josh’s visit to the Glasgow hangar was a special opportunity for our team to create a memorable experience ahead of Christmas.

“After he was unable to take part in our annual CHAS flight, the team worked hard to create an alternative event that allowed Josh and his family to enjoy something unique, at his own pace.
 
“The Loganair Glasgow Hangar team, led by aircraft mechanic Jack Wright, welcomed Josh to the hangar with a personal tour and the opportunity to see the aircraft up close. Supporting initiatives like this is an important part of our commitment to the communities we serve, and partnering with CHAS allows us to make these remarkable experiences possible.”

CHAS’s partnership with Loganair is now in its fourth year. In 2024, the airline introduced a voluntary £2 donation option to online bookings to raise additional funds for the charity.

Loganair also supports the charity’s outreach service CHAS at Home, which has made 1,951 visits in the past year, by providing vital flights for CHAS at Home nurses supporting families in remote and island communities.

For over 30 years CHAS has been caring for vulnerable children like Josh nationwide through a wide range of dedicated services including respite and palliative care at Rachel House and at Robin House in Balloch. The charity also offers a CHAS at Home service that brings specialist nursing care into the homes of children and has doctors and nurses based in hospitals across the country.

The charity recently launched The Christmas That Couldn’t Wait Appeal to bring moments of joy and comfort to children with life-shortening conditions and their families, at a time when they need it most.

To donate to CHAS visit: www.chas.org.uk/appeal.

Edinburgh Shopper scoops over £600 for CHAS in festive edition of Aldi Supermarket Sweep

Aldi Scotland’s much loved Supermarket Sweep challenge recently returned to Edinburgh with a festive twist, and one lucky local winner spread some Christmas cheer by raising £606.18 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS) while bagging the same amount in Aldi favourites for himself.

Aldi’s popular Supermarket Sweep, inspired by the legendary gameshow, arrived in Edinburgh on Sunday 14 December. Lucky shopper Tom Garrat, who was chosen as the winner of the competition, donned a Santa costume for his five-minute trolley dash for CHAS at the retailer’s Portobello store – where CHAS representatives got into the festive spirit dressed as elves.

As well as taking home a trolley full of goodies, Aldi Scotland matched the cash value of Tom’s haul, donating all proceeds to CHAS to help support over 500 babies, children and young people across Scotland with life-shortening conditions and their families. In 2025, every penny raised through the initiative has gone directly to CHAS, with £10,000 pledged in support.

Aldi Supermarket Sweep winner, Tom Garratt, said: “It was a pleasure to raise over £600 for CHAS with the help of Aldi.

“A special thanks to Sarah from CHAS for being my eyes and ears as I dashed through the aisles filling the trolleys!”

Sarah Dannfald, Senior Community Fundraiser, CHAS, said: “Turning up to Aldi’s Portobello store dressed as Santa and an Elf isn’t something you do every day, but the team there welcomed us like absolute stars.

“Tom’s fantastic effort in the Supermarket Sweep, along with the brilliant support from all the staff, brought so much festive fun and raised a wonderful amount for CHAS.

“Their generosity will help bring comfort, care and Christmas magic to the children and families we support all year round. We can’t thank them enough for getting behind us with such spirit and good humour!”

Sandy Mitchell, Regional Managing Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “Our first-ever festive edition of Supermarket Sweep has been such a good way to celebrate the season and spread some Christmas cheer, while also finishing a fantastic year of fundraising on a high. Congratulations to Tom, who raised an incredible £606.18 for CHAS while grabbing a bundle of Aldi favourites for himself.

“CHAS is an incredible organisation that does invaluable work for families across Scotland.

“We’re proud to support them and help raise as much as possible so they can continue to provide vital hospice care for children with life-shortening conditions, and unwavering support to families during the most difficult moments imaginable.”

The Space Dome arrives in Livingston to help raise funds for CHAS

The Centre, Livingston has unveiled plans for the arrival of its first-ever 8m Space Dome, from the 18-27th October, where visitors can enjoy a 360° planetarium film experience through the galaxy and take part in science-themed activities, including handling Campo Del Ceilo meteorites from Argentina that are 4.6 billion years old.

The Space Dome, complete with giant space props, including a 5ft inflatable rocket and moon, has been created by the astronomer, Zee Dinally, who has travelled the world with his pop-up planetariums to give people an insight into the solar system and night sky.

The full-dome film with surround sound, entitled ‘Journey to Infinity’, is narrated by the former Blue Peter producer and BBC presenter, Sue Beardsmore, and takes you on virtual journey through space to explore distant galaxies from infinity to beyond, and discover how we are connected to the cosmos.

The event, which will take place during the October school break, is designed to provide an immersive, educational and fun experience for shoppers, especially avid space, astronomy and geology enthusiasts, who can learn more about meteorites that reveal the ancient geometry of the solar system.

There will also be a Virtual Reality Zone with headsets and astronaut costumes for children to embark on their own virtual space trip and explore natural astronomical objects including stars, planets, the moon, asteroids, comets and galaxies. 

The Space Dome event, which will be located next to Waterstones and run daily from 10 – 4pm, also provides the opportunity to raise funds for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, CHAS, which is the winter charity partner at The Centre, Livingston, for the third consecutive year.

All activities are free with donations optional for CHAS, which provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children with life-shortening conditions and support for families, including respites and counselling.

Zhenya Dove, Community Fundraiser at CHAS, said: “We are so excited to be part of this amazing Space Dome adventure at The Centre, Livingston. 

“It’s a great way for families to enjoy some time together and make precious memories, which is exactly what’s at the heart of everything we do at CHAS. 

“Every donation, no matter the size, helps us bring moments of joy to children with life-shortening conditions and their families.”

Patrick Robbertze, Centre Director at The Centre, Livingston said: “Our Space Dome event will give visitors the chance to enjoy a great day shopping, dining out and also have fun watching a captivating space-themed film in a planetarium, where you can soar through the solar system.

“We’ll also have astronaut costumes and VR headsets for children to experience their own personal voyages through the universe and other activities including the opportunity to handle real Campo Del Ceilo meteorites from Argentina, which are 4.6 billion years old.

“The event will also give us a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and funds for CHAS, who we are delighted to be supporting again this year.”

For more details, check out The Centre, Livingston website, www.thecentrelivingston.com and social channels, @shopthecentre.