Rainbows

What Rainbows does

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People is a UK-registered charity (No. 1014051) founded in 1994 and headquartered in Loughborough, delivering pediatric palliative care to babies, children, and young people with life-limiting conditions across five East Midlands counties. The organisation operates an inpatient hospice in Loughborough and has extended its reach through three distinct clinical delivery models: facility-based hospice care, a Nurses in Hospitals programme launched in 2020 that embeds specialist nurses inside NHS hospital trusts, and a Hospice at Home service launched in October 2023 that brings end-of-life and respite care into family residences. In addition to clinical care, Rainbows provides therapeutic services, bereavement support, and family liaison.

The organisation is funded predominantly through voluntary income rather than statutory contracts. Government funding covers only the equivalent of approximately seven weeks of operations per year (18% of income), while Gifts in Wills contribute roughly 20%, with the balance drawn from community fundraising, corporate partnerships, and a retail network of 12 charity shops. Rainbows serves approximately 750 babies, children, and young people annually with a workforce of 101–250 staff.

Rainbows was the first children's hospice in England to be rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission across all five inspection domains, a clinical quality signal that materially strengthens its fundraising proposition and NHS referral pipeline. The current CEO, Jane Burns, was appointed in September 2023, coinciding with the launch of the Hospice at Home service and a renewed period of service model diversification.

Name

Rainbows

Legal name

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People (Cope Children's Trust)

Website

https://rainbows.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rainbows is a UK pediatric palliative care charity serving 750 babies, children, and young people annually across five East Midlands counties. It operates an inpatient hospice in Loughborough alongside Nurses in Hospitals, Hospice at Home, and bereavement support services, funded primarily through voluntary donations and a 12-shop retail network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Hospice and Palliative Care Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Pediatric Hospice & Palliative Care (HLADAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK), Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH), Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Non-Hospice Serious-Illness / Community-Based Palliative Care (In-Home) (HSABAFAF)

Keywords

• Pediatric palliative care
• Children's hospice services
• End-of-life care
• Bereavement support
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Loughborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Primary revenue stream from individual donations, community fundraising events, challenges, and supporter activities.
2. Gifts in Wills (Legacies): Legacy gifts fund approximately 20% of Rainbows' work. Various types including residuary gifts, pecuniary gifts, specific gifts, and life interests.
3. Charity Retail Shops: Multiple charity shops across the East Midlands selling donated items, plus online shops via Vinted, eBay, and Depop.
4. Corporate Partnerships: Long-term corporate partnerships including Charity of the Year schemes, Cause Related Marketing (percentage of sales), Business Club membership, and event sponsorship.
5. Lottery: Rainbows Lottery providing regular income through weekly draws with prizes.
6. Statutory Funding: Government funding covers approximately 18% of annual costs, with annual statutory funding only keeping Rainbows open for 7 weeks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People is a registered charity delivering specialist palliative and end-of-life care for babies, children and young people (0-25) with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions across the East Midlands. Services are delivered across three care settings: a hospice facility in Loughborough, Clinical Nurse Specialists embedded in acute NHS hospital trusts, and a Hospice at Home service. Care is provided free of charge to eligible families referred by healthcare professionals.

Product overview

Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People is a charitable hospice organization providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care services. The organization does not operate a technology product platform but instead delivers a comprehensive suite of care services including Hospice Care at its Loughborough facility, Hospice at Home (launched October 2023), and Nurses in Hospitals embedded in acute trusts across the East Midlands. Its therapeutic offerings include Complementary Therapy, Hydrotherapy, Music Therapy, and Physiotherapy. The organization also operates retail charity shops, an online shop through Vinted/eBay/Depop, a weekly lottery, legacy giving programme, and 'Gifts that Give' virtual donation products. Rainbows is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and rated Outstanding. Registered charity number: 1014051.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospice Care Services Specialist palliative and end-of-life inpatient and day care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, delivered at the hospice in Loughborough. Includes family accommodation and access to therapies.
• Hospice at Home Specialist nursing care provided in the homes of babies, children and young people, enabling end-of-life and palliative care closer to families.
• Nurses in Hospitals Clinical Nurse Specialists based in acute NHS hospital trusts across the East Midlands delivering pediatric palliative care alongside medical teams.
• Outreach Services Care and support extended to families closer to home through Community Hubs hosted in venues across the East Midlands, offering family support, social opportunities, and Rainbows staff access.
• Bereavement Support Long-term bereavement support including a bereavement suite, psychological support, counselling, support groups, and remembrance services for families who have lost a child.
• Family Support Services Multidisciplinary family support including Cultural Link Worker, Spiritual Support Worker, outreach play and Music Therapy, sibling support, youth work, and transition support.
• Sibling Support One-to-one and group support for brothers and sisters aged 5-18, including up to five years of post-bereavement support.
• End of Life Care Comprehensive end-of-life support including individual care plans, pain management, bereavement suite, family accommodation, and funeral arrangement support.
• Symptom Management Expert nursing and therapeutic care for managing distressing symptoms throughout a child's life, working with community nurses, hospital teams and GPs.
• Short Breaks & Respite Planned breaks for children with life-limiting conditions, providing nurse-led clinical care with tailored personal care plans and multidisciplinary support.
• Family Accommodation Onsite accommodation with three twin en-suite bedrooms and one double en-suite bedroom, allowing families to stay together during their child's care.
• Complementary Therapy Therapies including massage, reflexology, aromatherapy and Indian head massage to improve physical and emotional health, provided in hospice, home and hospital settings.
• Hydrotherapy Warm water therapy in a regulated hydrotherapy pool meeting national guidelines, offering sensory, relaxation and stimulation experiences.
• Music Therapy State Registered Music Therapist providing sessions in a fully furnished music room using traditional instruments and assistive technology for children of all abilities.
• Physiotherapy Registered Physiotherapists providing programmes including manual handling reviews, chest clearance programmes, and symptom management for children aged 0-25.
• Single Point of Contact (SPOC) 24/7 specialist telephone advice service for healthcare professionals caring for deteriorating or dying children, with specialist nurse callbacks within 15 minutes.
• Charity Shops Network of twelve charity shops across the East Midlands (Arnold, Beeston, Blaby, Daventry, Long Eaton, Loughborough, Lutterworth, Market Harborough, Melton Mowbray, Newark, Shepshed, Wigston) selling donated goods.
• Online Shop Online retail through Vinted, eBay and Depop platforms selling donated items to raise funds for the hospice.
• Rainbows Lottery Weekly lottery with prizes supporting local families cared for by the hospice.
• Gifts in Wills Legacy giving programme allowing supporters to leave gifts in Wills, including residuary gifts, pecuniary gifts, specific gifts, and life interests, funding approximately 20% of Rainbows' work.
• Gifts that Give Virtual gift donations including Music Therapy, Hydrotherapy, arts and crafts, nursing care, and family support, with electronic certificates provided to loved ones.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% increase in referrals since launching Nurses in Hospitals programme in 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FarewillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree Will-writing partnership allowing supporters to write or update their Will online or over the phone at no charge. Supports legacy giving programme.
• Riviera TravelcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCause Related Marketing partnership where holidaymakers quote 'Rainbows' when booking and Rainbows receives 10% of holiday value. Has raised over £25,000 since 2012.
• Roseacre Pub CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCause Related Marketing partnership donating £1 per sale of the 'Rainbows dish' on seasonal menus. Has raised £40,000 through dish sales and own fundraising efforts.
• GuardsmancoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing corporate partner for over 20 years. Annual corporate golf day is a staple event. Has raised over £266,000 in support of Rainbows' work.
• Business Club MemberscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOver 50 local businesses supporting Rainbows through monthly donations (from £30/month). Funds directly allocated to nursing staff. Benefits include PR support, logo placement, hospice tours, and event access.
• NHS Trusts and Healthcare ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional partnerships across East Midlands including NHS trusts in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire for coordinated pediatric palliative care delivery.
• Together for Short LivesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity representing children not expected to reach adulthood. Rainbows participates in national committees, initiatives and contributes to publications.
• Hospice UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading UK charity supporting hospice care. Rainbows contributes to national work groups, committees, quality groups, and benchmarking initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Together for Short Lives: UK-wide charity and membership body representing children with life-limiting conditions and the hospices that support them. Listed as a strategic partner of Rainbows; comparable as a sector-level organisation rather than a direct service provider.
• Hospice UK: National charity supporting hospice care across the UK through policy, benchmarking and quality initiatives. Listed as a strategic partner of Rainbows; comparable as an umbrella / enabling organisation rather than a service competitor.

Direct peers

• Claire House Children's Hospice: Children's hospice serving North West England and North/Mid Wales, offering palliative care, respite, bereavement support and therapies. Operates an almost identical service mix and funding model to Rainbows.
• East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH): Children's hospice charity operating across East Anglia with hospice sites, hospice-at-home services and family support. Direct peer of Rainbows with an overlapping service portfolio and similar regional fundraising approach.
• Demelza Hospice Care for Children: Children's hospice operating in Kent, South East London and East Sussex with hospice, hospice-at-home and family support services. Direct peer of Rainbows across clinical, fundraising and retail activities.
• Shooting Star Children's Hospices: Children's hospice charity serving Surrey and London with hospice-based care, hospice-at-home and therapies. Operates a similar diversified fundraising model including shops, lottery, and corporate partnerships.
• Martin House Children's Hospice: Children's and young people's hospice covering Yorkshire, providing palliative care, respite, bereavement and family support. Closely comparable to Rainbows in patient population, services, and charity shop / corporate fundraising model.
• Helen & Douglas House: Children's and young adult hospice in Oxford serving families across the South East and beyond. Direct peer with overlapping paediatric palliative care, respite, and family support services.
• Acorns Children's Hospice: UK children's hospice charity providing palliative and end-of-life care across the West Midlands and surrounding regions. Closely comparable to Rainbows in mission, services offered, and fundraising-led nonprofit model.
• Noah's Ark Children's Hospice: Children's hospice supporting babies, children and young people in North and Central London and Hertfordshire. Comparable to Rainbows in service scope and reliance on voluntary income and charity retail.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RainbowsHospice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Rainbowshospice
• Facebookfacebook.com/rainbowsfanpage
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rainbows-hospice
• Instagraminstagram.com/rainbowshospice
• TikToktiktok.com/@rainbowshospice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Rainbows