St John's Hospice

Hospice & Palliative Care Servicessjhospice.org.uk

St John's Hospice is a Lancaster-based charitable incorporated organisation (founded 1986) providing free palliative and end-of-life care — inpatient ward, Hospice at Home, Clinical Nurse Specialists, bereavement support and the Forget Me Not Centre — to patients with life-shortening conditions across North Lancashire, South Lakes and parts of North Yorkshire, funded ~25% by the NHS and ~75% by community fundraising, retail and legacies.

Company typePrivate
Founded1986
HeadquartersLancaster, United States
Headcount101–250
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What St John's Hospice does

St John's Hospice North Lancashire and South Lakes is a charitable incorporated organisation (registered charity number 1157030) providing free palliative and end-of-life care across North Lancashire, South Lakes and parts of North Yorkshire. Founded in 1985–1986 after an earlier palliative care service at St John of God Hospital, Silverdale, the hospice operates from a purpose-built facility on Slyne Road, Lancaster and serves a population of approximately 250,000 from Grasmere to Garstang and Sedbergh to Morecambe. Its clinical offering centres on an inpatient ward for pain and symptom management and end-of-life care, a Community Team delivering Hospice at Home, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Palliative Respite/Night Sitting services, Day Therapies at the Oak Centre, and a network of Open Hospice drop-in sessions including at the Marchesi Centre in Windermere. Adjacent services include the Forget Me Not Centre (a 2022-opened, donor-funded facility for whole-family bereavement support), bereavement support, family therapy, complementary therapies, physiotherapy and occupational therapy, plus the community education programmes Last Days Matter (delivered with five regional hospice and NHS partners) and Nourish (school-based children's wellbeing).

Operationally, the hospice runs with 101–250 employees and over 500 volunteers across clinical, retail and fundraising functions, at a stated annual operating cost of approximately £5.1 million (~£800 per hour, 24/7/365). The technology underpinning care delivery is a multi-disciplinary clinical model rather than a software platform; supporting technology is conventional web, e-commerce and podcast distribution. The hospice is CQC-registered, Fundraising Regulator-registered, and its board is chaired by Chris Heginbotham (since 2014), with a senior management team including Medical Director Dr Alison Bacon, Director of Nursing and Quality Maddy Bass, Director of Finance Vicki Askham, and Director of Marketing, Communications & Engagement Sophy Horner.

The revenue model is a hybrid charity funding stack: approximately 25% from NHS/government grants and approximately 75% from community sources. Community income streams include individual donations, regular giving, a £1/week lottery, the Wills & Legacies programme (now a year-round Supporter Will Scheme delivered with local solicitor partners and supported by an "I'll Always Remember" campaign, following a 2026 Legacy Giving Award win), a calendar of fundraising events (Ruby Ball, Moonlight Walk, Keswick to Barrow, overseas treks, Strictly St John's, skydives, four-tea parties), and trading income from multiple charity shops plus a Courtyard Café and online shop (run in part through wholly-owned subsidiary St John's Hospice Catering Limited, which returns 100% of café profits to the hospice).

St John's Hospice firmographics

Firmographics

Name: St John's Hospice
Legal name: St John's Hospice North Lancashire and South Lakes
Website: https://sjhospice.org.uk
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1986
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 101–250 employees
Short description: St John's Hospice is a Lancaster-based charitable incorporated organisation (founded 1986) providing free palliative and end-of-life care — inpatient ward, Hospice at Home, Clinical Nurse Specialists, bereavement support and the Forget Me Not Centre — to patients with life-shortening conditions across North Lancashire, South Lakes and parts of North Yorkshire, funded ~25% by the NHS and ~75% by community fundraising, retail and legacies.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

St John's Hospice industry classification

Industry

Product category: Hospice & Palliative Care Services
NAICS: Home Health Care Services (62161), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
SIC: Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
akta.pro primary industry: Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

Palliative care services
Hospice care
End-of-life care
Bereavement support
Community healthcare

Where St John's Hospice is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Lancaster
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

St John's Hospice business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

NHS/Government Funding: Approximately 25% of hospice funding comes from government/NHS sources. Around one-third provided by government funding.
Community Donations and Events: Majority of funding (75%) raised through community donations, fundraising events, grants, and legacies. Includes weekly lottery (£1), monthly giving schemes, and special events.
Charity Shops: Multiple charity shops selling donated items, online sales through eBay and Vinted platforms.
Legacies and Wills: Gifts in Wills programme where supporters leave legacies to the hospice. Free Will service offered in partnership with local solicitors with suggested donations.
Lottery: Weekly lottery programme with potential £4,000 winner advertised as Ruby Superdraw.
Courtyard Café: Café operated by St John's Hospice Catering Limited. 100% of profits go to support hospice care.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
One time/ perpetual license	One-time	Free Will Service with suggested donation
Other	Multi-year contract	Advanced Communication Skills Training
Other	One-time	VoED Training Session
Unit Pricing	One-time	Courtyard Café Afternoon Tea Gift Voucher
Unit Pricing	One-time	Community Event - Afternoon Tea
Unit Pricing	One-time	Skydive Event
Subscription	Weekly	Hospice Lottery

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

St John's Hospice product offering

Product offering

Core offering

St John's Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end-of-life care to adults with life-shortening illnesses across North Lancashire, South Lakes, and parts of North Yorkshire. Core delivery comprises an inpatient ward, a community team offering Hospice at Home, Clinical Nurse Specialists and respite/night sitting, day therapies, bereavement support, and the Forget Me Not Centre for whole-family bereavement care. The hospice is supported by retail operations, a weekly lottery, and a Wills & Legacies programme that together fund approximately 75% of operating costs.

Product overview

St John's Hospice is a charitable palliative care provider offering a unified set of services for patients with life-shortening illnesses. The core care delivery comprises an Inpatient Ward for short-stay specialist care and a Community Team providing Hospice at Home, Clinical Nurse Specialists, and Palliative Respite services. Supporting services include Day Therapies & Support (complementary therapies, physiotherapy, FAB groups), Bereavement Support through the Forget Me Not Centre, and educational resources like the Hospice Podcast and Last Days Matter programme. Retail operations include the Courtyard Café, Courtyard Gift Shop, and Online Shop. Fundraising services encompass the Wills & Legacies programme, Lottery, and events. All services are provided free of charge to patients, funded through community donations, grants, and legacies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

The Courtyard Café: A café at St John's Hospice serving homemade cakes, freshly ground coffee, and hot/cold meals. Run by St John's Hospice Catering Limited with 100% of profits supporting the hospice.
Courtyard Gift Shop
Last Days Matter
The Hospice Podcast
Nourish

Products and services

Inpatient Ward Short-stay specialist palliative care for adults with complex needs from progressive life-shortening illnesses, providing pain and symptom management and end-of-life care. Provided free of charge to patients and families across North Lancashire and South Lakes.
Community Team Home-based palliative care umbrella including Clinical Nurse Specialists, Hospice at Home, and Palliative Respite care supporting patients across North Lancashire and South Lakes, available 7 days a week.
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Hospice at Home
Palliative Respite and Night Sitting
Open Hospice
Day Therapies and Support
Bereavement Support
Forget Me Not Centre Whole-family bereavement support facility providing therapeutic support for children, adults and families through individual, group and family sessions.
Last Days Matter
Nourish
Courtyard Café
Courtyard Gift Shop
Wills and Legacies
St John's Hospice Lottery
Online Shop

Quantifiable outcome

Care provided free of charge to all patients regardless of condition or circumstances
+1 more outcomes

Companies that use St John's Hospice

Customer profile

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

St John's Hospice technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

St John's Hospice partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Local Law Firms (Will Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with multiple valued local law firms providing free Will writing services year-round. Solicitors donate their time and services without charging a fee. Part of St John's Hospice Will Scheme to encourage legacy giving.
Lancaster Community FundminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant funder supporting the Lancaster Grief Café, a free monthly drop-in session for anyone experiencing grief, helping individuals experiencing vulnerability and social isolation.
Pendleside HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Last Days Matter programme covering East & South Lancashire areas, extending reach of end-of-life education initiative.
Trinity Hospice (Blackpool and Fylde)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Last Days Matter programme covering Blackpool and Fylde areas.
Queenscourt HospiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Last Days Matter programme covering Southport and surrounding areas.
Lancashire Teaching HospitalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Last Days Matter programme covering Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust area.
St Catherine's Hospice (Central Lancashire)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner for Last Days Matter programme covering Central Lancashire (Preston, South Ribble and Chorley) through Compassionate Communities Team.
St John's Hospice Catering LimitedcoreOthersSeparate company operating the Courtyard Café. 100% of profits go back to support St John's Hospice specialized care.
Carer Support South LakesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal support organization for carers in South Lakes area, helping carers continue in their caring role while supporting their own health and wellbeing.
Lancashire Carers ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerN-Compass service identifying needs of carers and providing services, support and advocacy to promote health and wellbeing.
North Yorkshire Carers' ResourceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExternal support organization providing information, advice and support to carers and the people they care for in North Yorkshire.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

St John's Hospice competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Queenscourt Hospice: Southport-area hospice offering inpatient, day therapy, and community palliative services. Direct Last Days Matter partner with overlapping referral networks in the North West.
Pendleside Hospice: Burnley-based hospice serving East Lancashire. Direct Last Days Matter partner, comparable service portfolio (inpatient, hospice at home, bereavement) and similar charity-funded operating model.
St Catherine's Hospice (Central Lancashire): Direct UK hospice peer covering Preston, South Ribble and Chorley. Collaborates with St John's on the Last Days Matter programme and offers a comparable inpatient, community, and bereavement service mix to a nearby Lancashire population.
Trinity Hospice (Blackpool and Fylde): Direct UK hospice peer operating on the Fylde Coast. Also a Last Days Matter partner, providing inpatient and community palliative care in an immediately adjacent catchment to St John's.

Broad incumbents

Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity providing palliative and end-of-life support services. Overlaps with St John's patient population (cancer is a primary diagnosis) and competes for community donations in the same geography.
Marie Curie Hospice: National charity operating multiple hospice sites across the UK. Larger incumbent with overlapping palliative and end-of-life services and a competing brand for donations and legacies in St John's catchment.
Sue Ryder: National charity running hospices and palliative care services across the UK. Comparable breadth of services and a major competitor for community fundraising, legacies, and volunteer recruitment.

Regional players

Hospice at Home West Cumbria: Regional hospice-at-home provider operating further north in Cumbria. Comparable in-home palliative model but does not overlap geographically with St John's core Lancaster/South Lakes catchment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

St John's Hospice financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

St John's Hospice leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

St John's Hospice subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries1 record

St John's Hospice funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

St John's Hospice M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about St John's Hospice

What does St John's Hospice do?

Is St John's Hospice a public or private company?

St John's Hospice is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was St John's Hospice founded?

St John's Hospice was founded in 1986. It employs 101 to 250 people.

Where is St John's Hospice based?

St John's Hospice is headquartered in Lancaster, United States, in the North America region.

How does St John's Hospice make money?

Six revenue lines are on record. NHS/Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are community Donations and Events, charity Shops, legacies and Wills, lottery and courtyard Café.

Who are St John's Hospice's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Queenscourt Hospice, Pendleside Hospice, St Catherine's Hospice (Central Lancashire) and Trinity Hospice (Blackpool and Fylde). Broad incumbents are Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Hospice and Sue Ryder. Hospice at Home West Cumbria is listed as a regional player.

Does St John's Hospice have an API?

No public API is recorded for St John's Hospice.

What industry is St John's Hospice in?

St John's Hospice's product category is Hospice & Palliative Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAK, Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support. Its NAICS code is 62161 and its SIC code is 8082.