What Ashgate Hospice does

Ashgate Hospice is an independent registered charity (Charity Number 700636), founded in 1988 and headquartered in Old Brampton, Chesterfield, that provides specialist palliative and end-of-life care to adults aged 18 and over across North Derbyshire. The hospice operates an Inpatient Unit (10 beds following a 2026/27 capacity expansion from 8), Day Services, a community-based Palliative Care Specialist Nurse Team, and a Virtual Ward service that combines remote monitoring with face-to-face home visits. Specialist therapies — physiotherapy, occupational therapy, lymphoedema treatment, spiritual care, and social work — complement core medical care, alongside a Children's and Young People's Service, bereavement counselling, and fee-paying complementary therapy. All core services are provided free of charge to patients.

The hospice employs more than 350 staff and supports more than 2,600 people with life-limiting illnesses annually. Its go-to-market is community-led: 18 charity shops and 3 coffee shops across North Derbyshire, the Ashgate Furniture Company online/eBay channels, a £1-per-week lottery, and major annual fundraising events such as the Sparkle Night Walk (3,500+ participants, £250k+ raised in 2026), the Bangers and Cash Rally, and Skydive challenges. Distribution of clinical services is primarily through GP referrals and NHS commissioning.

Funding is split between NHS (less than 40%) via the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board, and charitable income (more than 60%), with gifts in wills accounting for 25% of fundraising. In December 2025, the hospice made 19 roles redundant including five inpatient nurses as part of a £2.6m cost-savings programme in response to inflation, energy, and salary pressures. The hospice is registered with the Care Quality Commission, the Fundraising Regulator, and the ICO, and holds Rainbow Accreditation (Derbyshire LGBT+, 2024) and Disability Confident Employer status.

Name

Ashgate Hospice

Legal name

Ashgate Hospice

Website

https://ashgatehospice.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Ashgate Hospice is an independent UK charity providing free specialist palliative and end-of-life care to adults across North Derbyshire, operating an inpatient unit, community nursing, a Virtual Ward, and 18 retail shops, funded primarily through donations and NHS commissioning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice & Palliative Care

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH), Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO)

Keywords

• Palliative care services
• Hospice nursing
• Bereavement support
• End-of-life care
• Community fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. NHS Funding: Less than 40% of care and services are funded by local NHS budgets through the Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board
2. Fundraising and Donations: More than 60% of what the hospice does is paid for through fundraising and donations from supporters. This includes one-off donations, monthly donations, and event participation fees
3. Gifts in Wills: Legacy gifts make up 25% of total fundraising income. One in six patients are cared for thanks to gifts left in wills
4. Retail Operations: Sixteen shops and three coffee shops across North Derbyshire generate income through sale of donated and new goods. Also operates Ashgate Furniture Company online and eBay shop
5. Lottery: Ashgate Lottery at £1 per week with potential prize of up to £25,000
6. Fee-paying Services: Complementary therapy (aromatherapy, massage, reflexology) and counselling services offered as fee-paying wellbeing services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Ashgate Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end-of-life care to adults aged 18+ across North Derbyshire through an Inpatient Unit (8–10 beds), a community Palliative Care Specialist Nurse Team, Day Services, and a Virtual Ward for remote monitoring. The hospice also delivers physiotherapy, occupational therapy, lymphoedema treatment, spiritual care, social work, children's services, and bereavement counselling, supplemented by 18 charity shops, a lottery, and large-scale fundraising events.

Product overview

Ashgate Hospice operates as a single-site hospice offering an integrated portfolio of clinical and non-clinical services. Core clinical services include the Inpatient Unit (with 10 beds post-2026), Palliative Care Specialist Nurse Team (community-based), Day Services, Virtual Ward (remote monitoring), and specialist therapies (Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Lymphoedema, Spiritual Care, Social Work). Additional services include a Children's and Young People's Service, Counselling/Bereavement Support, and Complementary Therapy (both fee-paying). The hospice also operates 18 retail shops, an online furniture shop (Ashgate Furniture Company), and manages fundraising events including the Sparkle Night Walk, Bangers and Cash Rally, and Skydive events. Funding comes primarily from donations (over 60%) with NHS providing less than 40%, and legacy gifts comprise 25% of fundraising income.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Palliative Care Specialist Nurse Team Community-based specialist nursing team providing care and support to patients in their place of choice, including at home. Targeted at adults aged 18+ with life-limiting illnesses across North Derbyshire.
• Inpatient Unit Round-the-clock specialist palliative care provided on a dedicated ward with 10 beds (increased from 8 following 2026/27 NHS funding agreement). Free to patients.
• Day Services Advice, activities, and peer support for patients attending the hospice during daytime hours.
• Lymphoedema Service Specialist nursing service focused on improving symptoms of lymphoedema for patients with the condition.
• Physiotherapy Physiotherapy services aimed at helping patients improve their quality of life and maintain mobility.
• Occupational Therapy Services helping patients maintain independence in daily activities.
• Spiritual Care Support helping patients find peace, comfort, and hope, addressing spiritual and emotional needs.
• Social Work Practical support services for patients and their loved ones.
• Virtual Ward Remote monitoring service using easy-to-use technology combined with face-to-face visits for community-based patient care.
• Children's and Young People's Service Support services for children up to the age of 18 and their families.
• Counselling and Bereavement Support Fee-paying professional counselling service offering a safe space for patients and families to be heard, including bereavement support.
• Complementary Therapy Fee-paying wellbeing services including head massages and aromatherapy.
• Retail Shops 18 charity shops across North Derbyshire selling donated and new items, generating fundraising income to support specialist end-of-life care.
• Ashgate Hospice Lottery Weekly lottery at £1 per week with potential prize of up to £25,000, supporting the hospice.
• Ashgate Furniture Company Online shop selling brand new furniture and homewares to raise funds for the hospice.
• Sparkle Night Walk Annual 10km fundraising night walk held in Chesterfield. Record-breaking event with over 3,500 participants in 2026, raising over £250,000.
• Bangers and Cash Rally Five-day, 950-mile charity car rally from Chesterfield through the Lake District, Scottish Highlands, and finishing in Whitby. Entry fee £295 + VAT with £2,500 minimum fundraising target per team.
• Skydive Events Tandem skydiving events where participants raise funds for the hospice. Registration fee £75 with minimum £650 sponsorship requirement.

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SMH GroupminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025SMH Group hosts Wills Month in support of Ashgate Hospice, offering free will-writing appointments with suggested donations to the hospice instead of fees.
• Hospice UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 February 2025National hospice charity leading the 'For All, For Now, Forever' legacy campaign. Ashgate Hospice is proud to be part of this campaign highlighting the importance of gifts in wills for hospice sustainability.
• Derbyshire LGBT+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Working in partnership with Derbyshire LGBT+ to achieve Rainbow Accreditation award. The partnership helps evaluate the organisation and ensure inclusive practices across patient care, workforce policies, and community engagement. Includes awareness training for staff and volunteers.
• MacIntyre Learning DisabilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support people with learning disabilities in accessing hospice care
• Asian AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership to improve access to hospice care for Asian communities in Chesterfield
• African Caribbean AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership to improve access to hospice care for African Caribbean communities in Chesterfield
• SDE GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Bangers and Cash Rally charity car rally
• East Midlands Ambulance ServiceminorOthersOther local organisation with Rainbow Accreditation - not a formal partnership but peer relationship
• Citizens Advice Derbyshire DistrictsminorOthersOther local organisation with Rainbow Accreditation - not a formal partnership but peer relationship

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marie Curie UK: The UK's largest charitable provider of palliative and end-of-life care, operating hospice beds across multiple regions and a national nursing service. A broader incumbent with overlapping service lines but national rather than regional focus.
• Sue Ryder: A national charity running multiple hospices and palliative care services across the UK, alongside broader neurological care. Overlaps with Ashgate's hospice offering but operates at much greater scale and geographic breadth.

Direct peers

• Blythe House Hospice: A community hospice in the High Peak area adjacent to North Derbyshire offering hospice-at-home, day services, and bereavement support. Highly comparable operating model and patient demographic.
• St Barnabas Hospice: A regional hospice charity operating across Lincolnshire with inpatient units, community palliative care, and a similar charity retail network. Comparable in scale, funding mix (NHS + fundraising), and service portfolio.
• Douglas Macmillan Hospice: A Staffordshire-based hospice providing specialist palliative care to adults in a similar regional catchment. Operates comparable inpatient beds, hospice-at-home services, and a fundraising-supported model.
• Treetops Hospice: A Derbyshire-based hospice providing palliative and end-of-life care to adults and children in the same East Midlands region. Operates a similar model combining inpatient care, community nursing, and family support services.
• East Cheshire Hospice: A North West England hospice offering palliative care, day services, and bereavement support with a similar charity-shop-driven fundraising model. Comparable in scale and regional community positioning.
• Farleigh Hospice: An Essex-based hospice providing palliative and bereavement care with a similar integrated inpatient and community model. Comparable scale, NHS-and-donation funding mix, and service breadth.
• St Luke's Hospice (Cheshire): A Cheshire-based hospice providing specialist palliative care, day services, and bereavement support. Comparable service portfolio, patient demographic, and charity-funded operating model.

Others

• Hospice UK: The national membership body for UK hospices, of which Ashgate is a member. Not a direct competitor but a key strategic partner — Hospice UK runs the 'For All, For Now, Forever' legacy campaign Ashgate participates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ashgate_hospice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ashgatehospice
• Facebookfacebook.com/ashgatehospice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ashgate-hospice
• Instagraminstagram.com/ashgate_hospice
• TikToktiktok.com/@ashgatehospice

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 Ashgate Hospice