Pilgrims Hospice
Pilgrims Hospices is a UK-registered charity providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care across east Kent through three hospice sites, community home-based services, and a 24-hour advice line, serving patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersCanterbury, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Pilgrims Hospice does
Pilgrims Hospices is a registered charity (charity number 293968) and company limited by guarantee (company number 2000560) providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care across east Kent. Founded in 1983, the organization operates three inpatient hospice sites in Ashford, Canterbury, and Thanet, supplemented by community-based Hospice at Home services, therapy centres offering wellbeing programs, and a 24-hour advice line. It serves adults with life-limiting and incurable illnesses, their families and carers, bereaved relatives, and healthcare professionals in east Kent (population approximately 750,000). Additional services include bereavement support (Stepping Stones), complementary therapies, spiritual care, advance care planning, and education and training for healthcare professionals through the Ann Robertson Centre.
The business model is a hybrid charity model. Annual operating costs are approximately £17.2-17.5 million, with NHS/Government funding covering approximately 20% (~£3.4-3.5 million) and the remaining ~80% (~£11 million) raised through voluntary community donations, fundraising events (Pilgrims Way Challenge, Sunflower Memories), retail shops across east Kent, a hospice lottery, gifts in wills, corporate partnerships, and trusts and foundations. Services are provided free of charge to patients and families. The organization has 22 direct employees plus an extensive volunteer network.
The technology stack includes the EMIS electronic clinical records system for patient data management, integration with the Kent and Medway Care Record (KMCR) for cross-provider information sharing, and an internal pilot of Microsoft Copilot AI with human-in-the-loop safeguards and completed Data Protection Impact Assessment. Other technology-mediated channels include virtual reality and video-link systems for patient connection. The organization is governed by a board of trustees and is not owned or controlled by any parent company or external investor.
Pilgrims Hospice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pilgrims Hospice
- Legal name
- Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent
- Website
- https://pilgrimshospice.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pilgrims Hospices is a UK-registered charity providing specialist palliative and end-of-life care across east Kent through three hospice sites, community home-based services, and a 24-hour advice line, serving patients, families, and healthcare professionals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pilgrims Hospice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hospice and Palliative Care Services
- NAICS
- Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- SIC
- Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)
Keywords
Where Pilgrims Hospice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Canterbury
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Pilgrims Hospice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- NHS/Government Funding: NHS covers approximately 20% of operational costs, with the remaining 80% (~£11 million annually) raised through voluntary community donations and fundraising activities.
- Donations and Fundraising: Major fundraising events including Pilgrims Way Challenge, lottery programs, retail shops, memorial programs (Sunflower Memories, Memory Trees, Trees of Love), corporate partnerships, schools fundraising, trusts and foundations, and individual donations including gifts in wills.
- Retail Operations: Network of charity shops across east Kent selling donated items, including vintage stores and discount stores. Also includes furniture donation collection service.
- Hospice Lottery: Weekly lottery program with prizes, gift vouchers, wedding favours and scratch cards. Social responsibility in gambling practices in place.
- Education and Training Services: Training courses and education programs for healthcare professionals, with the Ann Robertson Centre offering rooms for hire and professional development.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels11 records
Pilgrims Hospice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pilgrims Hospices is a registered charity that delivers specialist palliative and end-of-life care to adults with life-limiting illnesses across east Kent. Services are provided free of charge through three inpatient hospice sites (Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet), community-based Hospice at Home care, therapy centres offering wellbeing programmes, a 24-hour advice line, bereavement support, and education and training for healthcare professionals. The organisation also operates charity shops, a hospice lottery, and extensive community fundraising programmes to cover approximately 80% of its £17.2-17.5 million annual operating costs.
Product overview
Pilgrims Hospice is a hospice charity providing end-of-life care and support services across east Kent from three hospice sites (Ashford, Canterbury, and Thanet), as well as in patients' own homes. The organization offers a 24-hour advice line and runs fundraising events. Services include wellbeing programs, therapy centres, complementary therapies, counselling, spiritual care, end-of-life care options (Hospice at Home, ward care), bereavement support (Stepping Stones), education and training for professionals, community engagement initiatives (THINK campaign, Death Cafes), and an After Wards blog. Pilgrims Hospice is not a technology or software product company—it is a healthcare charity whose 'products' are care services and community programs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Inpatient Hospice Care
Quantifiable outcome
- CQC Outstanding overall rating for Pilgrims Hospice Ashford (October 2025)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Pilgrims Hospice
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Pilgrims Hospice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
Pilgrims Hospice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Westerleigh Group (Barham and Herne Bay Crematoriums)minorPartnership with Barham Crematorium and Herne Bay Crematorium of the Westerleigh Group to bring Sunflower Memories commemorative services closer to supporters. Special services hosted at crematorium locations for planting sunflower markers.
- Kent and Medway Care Record (KMCR)corePilgrims Hospices participates as a partner organisation in the Kent and Medway Care Record, an electronic care record linking health and social care information across provider systems to one platform. This enables health and social care professionals to access up-to-date information to ensure coordinated care.
- Hospices across England, Scotland and WalescoreCollaboration with hospices across England, Scotland and Wales through the 'This is Hospice Care' initiative to protect the future of hospice care.
- East Kent Hospitals University Foundation TrustcorePartnership for education and training resources, including the Library and Knowledge Services Handbook for healthcare professionals.
- Hospice UKcoreNational hospice charity providing resources, advocacy, and support for hospice care across the UK.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pilgrims Hospice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- ellenor: Kent-based hospice and bereavement charity serving Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley. Operates a similar inpatient + hospice-at-home + bereavement model in a neighbouring Kent geography, making it a direct regional peer competing for overlapping donors.
- Demelza Hospice Care for Children: Kent-based children's hospice offering respite, end-of-life, and bereavement services. Operates in the same regional donor market as Pilgrims but serves a paediatric population, making it a regional ecosystem peer rather than a direct service competitor.
- Farleigh Hospice: Mid Essex hospice providing inpatient, hospice-at-home, bereavement, and therapy services funded primarily by community donations — closely comparable operating model in a different UK region.
- Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice: Surrey hospice providing inpatient, hospice-at-home, and bereavement care funded largely by community donations — comparable operating model in a different UK region.
Direct peers
- Sue Ryder: UK charity running hospices, neurological care centres, and bereavement support — overlapping service mix and multi-site community-funding model makes it a strong direct peer.
- St Christopher's Hospice: London-based hospice widely recognised as the founder of the modern hospice movement; offers inpatient, home, and bereavement care plus education — directly comparable in service breadth and clinical leadership.
- Marie Curie: One of the UK's largest end-of-life charities, operating multiple hospices, a national nursing service, and an advice line — directly comparable to Pilgrims in mission, multi-site model, and reliance on community fundraising.
- Trinity Hospice: Single-site London hospice with 24/7 inpatient, community, and bereavement services — directly comparable in care model and voluntary-funding dependence.
Broad incumbents
- Macmillan Cancer Support: Major UK cancer charity with overlapping palliative-care funding streams and a large fundraising infrastructure; not a direct hospice operator but competes for charitable income and NHS partnership opportunities.
- Hospice UK: National umbrella body representing UK hospices; sets standards, advocates for statutory funding, and runs sector campaigns such as 'This is Hospice Care' in which Pilgrims participates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pilgrims Hospice social profiles
Digital presencePilgrims Hospice compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Pilgrims Hospice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pilgrims Hospice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Pilgrims Hospice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pilgrims Hospice M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pilgrims Hospice
What does Pilgrims Hospice do?
Pilgrims Hospices is a registered charity that delivers specialist palliative and end-of-life care to adults with life-limiting illnesses across east Kent. Services are provided free of charge through three inpatient hospice sites (Ashford, Canterbury, Thanet), community-based Hospice at Home care, therapy centres offering wellbeing programmes, a 24-hour advice line, bereavement support, and education and training for healthcare professionals. The organisation also operates charity shops, a hospice lottery, and extensive community fundraising programmes to cover approximately 80% of its £17.2-17.5 million annual operating costs.
Is Pilgrims Hospice a public or private company?
Pilgrims Hospice is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pilgrims Hospice founded?
Pilgrims Hospice was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Pilgrims Hospice based?
Pilgrims Hospice is headquartered in Canterbury, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Pilgrims Hospice make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. NHS/Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, retail Operations, hospice Lottery and education and Training Services.
Who are Pilgrims Hospice's main competitors?
Regional players on record are ellenor, Demelza Hospice Care for Children, Farleigh Hospice and Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. Direct peers are Sue Ryder, St Christopher's Hospice, Marie Curie and Trinity Hospice. Broad incumbents are Macmillan Cancer Support and Hospice UK.
Does Pilgrims Hospice have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pilgrims Hospice.
What industry is Pilgrims Hospice in?
Pilgrims Hospice's product category is Hospice and Palliative Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLADAHAC, Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based), with a secondary code of HLAFAEAC, Home Hospice Agencies. Its NAICS code is 813212 and its SIC code is 8050.