Patron Sir Cliff Richard OBE visits Hospice

Music legend, Sir Cliff Richard OBE visited Shooting Star Children’s Hospices this August to meet children and families supported by the children’s hospice charity.

Sir Cliff Richard, who is celebrating 20 years supporting the children’s hospice charity this year, visited their west London hospice, Shooting Star House, in Hampton.

During the visit, Sir Cliff got involved in some wonderful ‘Cliff-inspired’ arts and crafts including creating and colouring some red double decker buses. Sir Cliff was also treated to special Makaton version of his renowned song Summer Holiday, which he enthusiastically joined in with. Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people communicate, which many of the children at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices and their families use.

Sir Cliff’s support of Shooting Star Children’s Hospices as Patron, began 20 years ago, performing the ‘Topping Out’ ceremony at the charity’s Hampton hospice Shooting Star House in 2004.  Since then, Sir Cliff has undertaken many activities as a Patron over the two decades, including visits to the hospice to meet with families as well as attending and supporting fundraisers.

Sir Cliff Richard OBE said, “It was lovely to visit Shooting Star Children’s Hospices today and was amazing to hear more about the continuing work they do supporting families and to meet some of the courageous families benefitting from their services.  Hospices need donations to fund their work, so visits like mine hopefully help to highlight all their positivity emotionally and practically in very difficult circumstances for the children, parents and their siblings.”

Karen Sugarman MBE, Executive Vice-President at Shooting Star Children’s Hospices said, “Sir Cliff’s amazing support of our work over the last 20 years has been phenomenal. His generosity and kindness devoting his time at our hospices and performing to raise vital funds has made such a difference and we simply cannot thank him enough. It was such a pleasure to welcome Sir Cliff to Shooting Star House to meet with families and staff.”