Tips to launch your fundraising

  • Tell your story – this is your chance to tell people why you are taking part in the Shooting Star Space Race, what challenge you are taking on and why you have chosen to support Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.
  • Share your JustGiving page on Facebook to spread the word – it is really easy to do if you visit your page via your phone. Plus, we have a handy guide to help you improve your JustGiving page.
  • Join our Facebook Group - meet your other intrepid Space Racers and get hints, tips and ideas for fundraising as well as support from your fellow Space Racers as you launch your Mars mission. Post photos, videos and see how the rest of the team are doing throughout the month.
  • Connect Strava to your JustGiving pageit’s really simple to do and will ensure your mileage gets added to the leader board and our overall mission total.
  • Shout about it! - post photos and videos of you out and about taking on your miles. Don’t forget to include your JustGiving link!
  • Team up – teamwork makes the dream work or in this case, gets the rocket to Mars! This is a great way to introduce a bit of friendly competition between you and your friends, family, and colleagues. Visit our Teams page for everything you need to know to set your team up.
  • Get started by sponsoring yourself - why not launch your fundraising by sponsoring yourself? Research shows that the earlier you receive your first donation, the more you will go on to raise.
  • When getting social, make sure you use #TeamShootingStar and tag us! We are @SSChospices on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
  • Celebrate and share your success every time you reach a milestone – this could be related to your fundraising or mileage completed. You’ll automatically earn badges on your page for fundraising, so it’s even easier to show off your success to others and encourage further support.
  • We know it can often be difficult to ask people for money but it’s amazing how quickly those pounds can add up especially when you’re taking on such a fantastic challenge for your local children’s hospice. Give something up for a week like your daily take-away coffee (£4) or afternoon cake treat (£2.50) and encourage others to do the same and donate the money that would’ve been spent.

Mars mission motivations

Look the part!

Set your page up and receive an exclusive Shooting Star Space Race T-shirt!

Become a Space Ranger!

Raise £100 and receive our very special Space Ranger medal.

Get a beanie

Raise £250 and receive our BRAND NEW Shooting Star Children’s Hospices beanie hat!

How will my money help?

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had an undeniable impact in terms of the care that we can provide and our ability to fundraise, which means we need your support now more than ever before.

£5 could cover the cost of a jingly jangly musical instrument, giving the children we support a chance to get creative and enjoy themselves with guidance from our Music Therapist.

£10 could cover the cost of a story time session in the sensory room. Our sensory rooms are equipped with musical floors, fibre optics, mirrors, lights, bubble tubes and water beds and are the perfect environment to lose yourself in a story.

£15 could cover the cost of a memento teddy bear that reminds children of their sibling when they’re not with them.

£25 could pay for a child’s name to be engraved on a star or leaf to hang on the memory trees in our bereavement gardens, giving families somewhere to visit and remember.

£35 could pay for hand and foot casts and a memory box giving families somewhere to keep and treasure precious moments and memories.

£50 could fund the annual servicing costs of a cold blanket ensuring it is always available for families who want to say goodbye in their own time after their child has died.

£70 could pay for a valuable 1-2-1 dramatherapy session allowing supported children and siblings to identify and express their emotions by engaging in guided play. They can develop resilience and learn new coping strategies.

£100 could help pay from a crisis visit for a Community Nurse during a medical emergency.

£120 could allow a family to stay in a family bedroom at the hospice giving them the chance to say goodbye in their own time.

£250 could pay for a month’s worth of supplies for art therapy sessions, allowing children to explore their thoughts and worries in a safe and suitable environment.

£500 could pay for a specialist nurse to talk through the transition period from hospital to hospice, or alternate provisions for end-of-life care, covering all the options to ensure the family is supported through the process.