Children's Hospice Association Scotland
Encyclopedia
Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS) is a Scottish charity that provides the only hospice services in Scotland for children and young people with life-shortening conditions. Scottish charity number SC 019724.
CHAS offers children’s hospice services, free of charge, to every child, young person and their families who needs and wants them.
CHAS was formed in February 1992 by a group of professionals and parents of children with life-shortening conditions who travelled to England for hospice care.
was donated by the Montgomery family who owned Kinross House
which stands next to the hospice. Rachel House was named after Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert in recognition of a £2 million donation by The MacRobert Trust. A 17-month fundraising appeal by the Daily Record (Scotland)
newspaper raised £4 million towards the £10 million building cost and the full target was raised 13 months later. On 16 December 1994 celebrity supporter Philip Schofield cut the first turf for Rachel House, assisted by children from Kinross Primary School. The hospice was opened in March 1996 by The Princess Royal
.
and moved to Ardross Terrace, Inverness
in June 2009. In December 2008 Rachel House at Home became known as CHAS at Home. In December 2011 CHAS at Home will launch an Aberdeen
base at Rosemount Place, Aberdeen
near Loch Lomond
began in 2001 with readers of the Sunday Post helping raise the £10 million needed to complete the project. Robin House was named after the European Robin
bird. In May 2003, the work began on the building with celebrity supporters Ewan McGregor
and Sharleen Spiteri
cutting the first turf with six year old Robyn Watterson who at the time used Rachel House. Robin House opened in August 2005.
. The first evaluated future research priorities for CHAS and the second identified the existing home care service.
In 2008, the Scottish Government published the report Living and Dying Well, a national action plan for palliative and end of life care in Scotland. CHAS staff members were integral to the consultation on children’s and teenage palliative care.
In June 2011 a new research project undertaken by the Cancer Care Research Centre at the University of Stirling was published investigating the experiences and symptoms of children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
CHAS receives between 12% and 18% of its funding from local authorities and NHS health boards. The majority of its funding is provided by the general public through voluntary donations.
, Edinburgh
, Kinross
and Stepps
which cover all areas of Scotland. CHAS Trading has a small retail team based in Kinross
who manage the CHAS gift shop, two second hand charity shops, called Bazaar, and a shop in the Kingsgate Centre
, Dunfermline
. Teams based in Head Office in Edinburgh
: Chief Executive, Finance and Administration (IT, Finance and Facilities), Fundraising and Communications (Fundraising, Public Relations and Marketing) and Organisational Development (HR, Learning and Development and Voluntary Services).
CHAS offers children’s hospice services, free of charge, to every child, young person and their families who needs and wants them.
CHAS was formed in February 1992 by a group of professionals and parents of children with life-shortening conditions who travelled to England for hospice care.
Rachel House Children’s Hospice, Kinross
Work to build Rachel House, Scotland’s first children's hospice, started in December 1994. The land to build Rachel House in KinrossKinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
was donated by the Montgomery family who owned Kinross House
Kinross House
Kinross House is a late 17th-century country house overlooking Loch Leven, near Kinross in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Construction of the house was begun in 1686, by the architect Sir William Bruce as his own home. It is regarded as one of his finest works, and was called by Daniel Defoe "the...
which stands next to the hospice. Rachel House was named after Lady Rachel Workman MacRobert in recognition of a £2 million donation by The MacRobert Trust. A 17-month fundraising appeal by the Daily Record (Scotland)
Daily Record (Scotland)
The Daily Record is a Scottish tabloid newspaper based in Glasgow. It had been the best-selling daily paper in Scotland for many years with a paid circulation in August 2011 of 307,794 . It is now outsold by its arch-rival the Scottish Sun which in September 2010 had a circulation of 339,586 in...
newspaper raised £4 million towards the £10 million building cost and the full target was raised 13 months later. On 16 December 1994 celebrity supporter Philip Schofield cut the first turf for Rachel House, assisted by children from Kinross Primary School. The hospice was opened in March 1996 by The Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
CHAS at Home (formerly Rachel House at Home)
In 2003 Rachel House at Home launched, offering a home care service to families in their own homes. The service originally operated out of The Highland Hospice in InvernessInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
and moved to Ardross Terrace, Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
in June 2009. In December 2008 Rachel House at Home became known as CHAS at Home. In December 2011 CHAS at Home will launch an Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
base at Rosemount Place, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
Robin House Children’s Hospice, Balloch
A fundraising appeal to build Scotland’s second hospice Robin House in BallochBalloch, West Dunbartonshire
Balloch is a small town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, at the foot of Loch Lomond. The name comes from the Gaelic for "the pass".Balloch is at the north end of the Vale of Leven, straddling the River Leven itself. It connects to the larger town of Alexandria and to the smaller village of...
near Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
began in 2001 with readers of the Sunday Post helping raise the £10 million needed to complete the project. Robin House was named after the European Robin
European Robin
The European Robin , most commonly known in Anglophone Europe simply as the Robin, is a small insectivorous passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family , but is now considered to be an Old World flycatcher...
bird. In May 2003, the work began on the building with celebrity supporters Ewan McGregor
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
and Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri
Sharleen Spiteri is a Scottish recording artist and songwriter, best known as being the lead singer of Scottish rock/blues band Texas. Texas began their career in 1986, and shot to fame in 1989 with their UK Top Ten single, "I Don't Want a Lover" released from Southside...
cutting the first turf with six year old Robyn Watterson who at the time used Rachel House. Robin House opened in August 2005.
Research
CHAS published two pieces of research in 2007 undertaken with the Cancer Care Research Centre, University of StirlingUniversity of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
. The first evaluated future research priorities for CHAS and the second identified the existing home care service.
In 2008, the Scottish Government published the report Living and Dying Well, a national action plan for palliative and end of life care in Scotland. CHAS staff members were integral to the consultation on children’s and teenage palliative care.
In June 2011 a new research project undertaken by the Cancer Care Research Centre at the University of Stirling was published investigating the experiences and symptoms of children and young people with life-shortening conditions.
Funding
For the financial year 2010-11 it cost £6.8 million to fulfil CHAS services. CHAS employs 232 staff across 11 sites in Scotland, as well as 79 bank relief workers within the hospices. Over 900 volunteers support CHAS in care services, fundraising, retail and administration.CHAS receives between 12% and 18% of its funding from local authorities and NHS health boards. The majority of its funding is provided by the general public through voluntary donations.
Sites
In addition to Rachel House, Robin House and CHAS at Home in the north of Scotland CHAS operates four fundraising offices in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Kinross
Kinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
and Stepps
Stepps
Stepps is a small town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, on the north-eastern outskirts of Glasgow. The town consists of Stepps Village, Cardowan, Stepps Hill and Millerston...
which cover all areas of Scotland. CHAS Trading has a small retail team based in Kinross
Kinross
Kinross is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It was formerly the county town of Kinross-shire.Kinross is a fairly small town, with some attractive buildings...
who manage the CHAS gift shop, two second hand charity shops, called Bazaar, and a shop in the Kingsgate Centre
Kingsgate Centre
The Kingsgate Centre is an indoor shopping centre located in the town centre of Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. Marks and Spencer and Debenhams anchor the main entrances to the shopping centre. The Kingsgate has recently been extended and has undergone significant refurbishment...
, Dunfermline
Dunfermline
Dunfermline is a town and former Royal Burgh in Fife, Scotland, on high ground from the northern shore of the Firth of Forth. According to a 2008 estimate, Dunfermline has a population of 46,430, making it the second-biggest settlement in Fife. Part of the town's name comes from the Gaelic word...
. Teams based in Head Office in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
: Chief Executive, Finance and Administration (IT, Finance and Facilities), Fundraising and Communications (Fundraising, Public Relations and Marketing) and Organisational Development (HR, Learning and Development and Voluntary Services).