Northern Ireland Hospice

What Northern Ireland Hospice does

Northern Ireland Hospice is a registered charity (NIC102337) and company limited by guarantee (NI14817) that provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care across Northern Ireland. Founded in 1983, the organization operates from its headquarters at 18 O'Neill Road, Newtownabbey, and delivers services through two inpatient units — Somerton House (adults, opened 1985) and Horizon House (children, opened 2001, the only dedicated children's hospice in Northern Ireland) — plus a community nursing service delivering home-based palliative care. The organization serves approximately 4,000 infants, children, and adults annually, including over 300 babies, children, and young people with life-limiting conditions helped by the Children's Hospice each year, where operating costs run £5.26m annually with over 60% requiring community fundraising.

The service portfolio is organized across Adult Services and Children's Services divisions, with ancillary bereavement support, family support, antenatal support (Tiny Horizons), professional training (Advanced Communication Skills, European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care), and room hire facilities. The organization has a wholly-owned trading subsidiary, Northern Ireland Hospice (Trading) Limited, that channels retail profits back to the charity. Underlying technology is modest and clinical in nature: specialist medical equipment for palliative care delivery, plus recently installed solar panel systems at both inpatient units via Dowds engineering for energy sustainability. The charity has no mobile app, no public API, and no disclosed digital platform.

The revenue model is a hybrid of five diversified streams: (1) individual donations (suggested tiers of £20, £50, £100 one-time; £15, £25 monthly subscriptions); (2) corporate partnerships including multi-year Charity-of-the-Year deals (Translink three-year, Hagan Homes five-year at £264k cumulative, A&L Goodbody two-year); (3) a 27-shop retail network supported by 550 retail volunteers plus an online shop, CARECYCLE donation stations, and the Old School House Cafe; (4) major fundraising events including the Dragon Boat Race, Belfast City Marathon, Europa Abseil, international treks, and galas; and (5) trust and foundation grants. Marketing leverages multi-channel community engagement (social media, email newsletter, celebrity ambassadors including Liam Neeson, Carl Frampton, and Brendan Rodgers) and a partnership ecosystem spanning transport, retail, construction, legal, financial services, and hospitality sectors.

Name

Northern Ireland Hospice

Legal name

Northern Ireland Hospice

Website

https://nihospice.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Northern Ireland Hospice is a registered charity providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care to 4,000 infants, children, and adults annually across Northern Ireland through two inpatient units, community nursing, and bereavement support, funded via individual donations, a 27-shop retail network, corporate partnerships, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Residential Care Facilities (62399)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC), Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC), Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care (HLADAHAI), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Palliative care services
• Hospice care
• Bereavement support
• Specialist nursing care
• Charity retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Belfast County Borough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Single and regular donations from individuals, including specific amounts like £20, £50, £100 for one-time donations and £15, £25 monthly for regular giving. Donations support bereavement support, hospice care at home, and specialist equipment.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Companies adopt NI Hospice as Charity of the Year, hosting fundraising events and making donations. Examples include Martin & Hamilton (£15,000), corporate events participation, and three-year partnerships like Translink.
3. Retail Operations: 27 hospice shops throughout Northern Ireland selling donated goods. Additional revenue from Old School House Cafe and CARECYLE donation stations. Online shop for merchandise.
4. Fundraising Events: Major events including Dragon Boat Race, Belfast City Marathon, abseils, skydives, and international treks. Also includes galas, raffles, and community challenges.
5. Trust and Foundation Funding: More than 60% of Children's Hospice funding (£5.26m annually) needs to be raised from community and business support. Includes grants from VINCI UK Foundation (£6,000) and other charitable foundations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Northern Ireland Hospice provides specialist palliative and hospice care for infants, children and adults with life-limiting and life-threatening illnesses across Northern Ireland, delivered through two inpatient units (Somerton House for adults and Horizon House, the only dedicated children's hospice in Northern Ireland) and a community services team. The charity also operates 27 retail hospice shops, an online shop, donation stations and a cafe to generate funds that support the free provision of clinical care, bereavement support and family services.

Product overview

Northern Ireland Hospice operates as a unified palliative care charity offering specialist services across two main divisions: Adult Services (centered at Somerton House In-Patient Unit) and Children's Services (centered at Horizon House, the only dedicated children's hospice in Northern Ireland). The organization provides a coordinated portfolio including in-patient care, community outreach services, bereavement support, family support programs, and antenatal support (Tiny Horizons). Revenue generation activities include 27 Hospice Shops, an online shop, CARECYCLE donation stations, and the Old School House Cafe. Professional education programs (Advanced Communication Skills, European Certificate in Essential Palliative Care) and room hire facilities complement the service offering. The portfolio operates as an integrated charitable care model where retail operations fund clinical services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Hospice Services (Somerton House In-Patient Unit)
• Children's Hospice Services (Horizon House In-Patient Unit)
• Community Services
• Bereavement Support (Adult Services)
• Horizons Bereavement Support
• Family Support
• Tiny Horizons - Antenatal Support
• Hospice Outreach Services
• Training and Education
• Hospice Shops
• Online Shop
• CARECYCLE Donation Stations
• Old School House Cafe
• Room Hire

Quantifiable outcome

• Provides specialist palliative care to 4,000 infants, children and adults annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• DowdscoreTechnology or Integration · 24 June 2026Leading local engineering firm Dowds installed new solar panel systems at both hospice inpatient units, powering more sustainable future for hospice operations.
• TranslinkflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2026Three-year charity partnership announced June 2026. Translink, Northern Ireland's public transport provider, will support vital hospice care through this partnership.
• Martin & Hamilton ConstructioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBallymena-based construction company adopted NI Children's Hospice as Charity of the Year 2025, raising £15,000 through events including One Big Walk, Dragon Boat Race, Big Coffee Break and Christmas bucket collections.
• Tesco Northern IrelandflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership across 30 stores. Tesco customers raised record-breaking £52,421.54 during single weekend bucket collections. Tesco Community Champions collaborated with local groups and hospice volunteers.
• Belfast HarbourcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStaff-nominated charity for 2025, supporting local hospice care through employee-driven initiatives.
• MenaryscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal independent family-run department store group announced NI Hospice as Charity of the Year for 2026.
• A&L Goodbody BelfastcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTwo-year charity partnership announced May 2025. Law firm will support NI Hospice through various fundraising activities.
• The Odyssey TrustflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership including SSE Arena Belfast, Belfast Giants, W5. Confirmed as 2025 charity partners ahead of NI Hospice's 25-year celebration. Includes Hospice Hockey charity ice hockey game.
• Donnelly GroupflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNorthern Ireland's largest independent vehicle retailer. Foundation has made record-breaking fundraising commitments. Partner for New Year Raffle and Summer Raffle with That Prize Guy.
• BassettscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNorthern Ireland's leading Plumbing, Heating and Bathroom Merchants launched charity partnership with NI Children's Hospice to brighten young lives.
• Iceland Foods Northern IrelandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRetail group announced new corporate partnership with NI Children's Hospice for fundraising support.
• DWF BelfastminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm donated Easter eggs to Children's Hospice. DWF Foundation Trustee supported the initiative.
• DunbiacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDungannon site chose NI Children's Hospice as Charity of the Year for 2025.
• O'Reilly Stewart SolicitorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLaw firm announced as Charity of the Year partner for 2025.
• Regency CarpetscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerManufacturing company in Bangor chose NI Hospice as Charity Partner of the Year.
• Belfast GiantsflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerElite League ice hockey team. Players visited Children's Hospice after title win. Part of Odyssey Trust partnership.
• All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNI Hospice is a member of AIIHPC, participating in Voices4Care volunteer group to help shape future of palliative care services.
• Belfast Health and Social Care TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Belfast Trust and Marie Curie created new specialist home-based palliative care service for Belfast.
• Marie CuriecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to create new specialist home-based palliative care service for Belfast.
• Domino's PizzaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of NI Hospice Dragon Boat Race 2025.
• Ulster BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of NI Hospice Dragon Boat Race 2024.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Macmillan Cancer Support: Large UK charity providing specialist palliative and end-of-life cancer support. Comparable in mission and fundraising mechanics (corporate partnerships, retail, individual giving), but with much broader scope and significantly larger brand presence competing for the same NI donor pool.

Regional players

• St Oswald's Hospice: Regional hospice in Newcastle/NE England providing adult and pediatric palliative care, community services, bereavement support, and charity retail. Comparable scale and operating model, but serves a different UK region.
• St Andrew's Hospice: Independent hospice serving Lanarkshire, Scotland. Operates in-patient and community palliative care with charity retail, comparable as a regional-scale hospice organization but in a different geography.

Others

• Together for Short Lives: UK charity for children with life-limiting conditions and the hospices that support them. Adjacent rather than competing — provides policy, research, and sector support that NI Hospice benefits from.
• Hospice UK: National membership body for UK hospices. NI Hospice is part of its network; relevant as an industry umbrella and policy/commissioning influencer rather than an operational peer.

Direct peers

• Sue Ryder: National UK charity running hospices and palliative care services alongside neurological and bereavement support. Closely comparable operating model: multi-site hospice care, community services, charity retail network, and volunteer-dependent fundraising.
• Marie Curie: UK-wide charity providing hospice and end-of-life care both in hospices and at home. Already co-partners with NI Hospice on the Belfast home-based palliative care service, making it the most direct operating peer.
• Acorns Children's Hospice: Operates children's hospices across the West Midlands and Southwest England. Directly comparable as a specialist pediatric hospice charity with retail shops, corporate partnerships, and similar bereavement/family support services.
• Children's Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS): Scotland's only provider of specialist pediatric hospice services (Rachel House, Robin House). Direct comparable to NI Hospice's children's hospice monopoly model at Horizon House, with similar community and fundraising operations.
• Northern Ireland Children's Hospice (sub-brand): Included for completeness — Northern Ireland Children's Hospice is actually a service line of NI Hospice operating at Horizon House.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nihospice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCqUs43u6JPLqtwW_s33eLeg?sub_confirmation=1
• Facebooken-gb.facebook.com/NIHospice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-ireland-hospice
• Instagraminstagram.com/nihospice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Ireland Hospice