Latest news
We create a home where families can make the most of their time together and create happy memories during their children’s short lives.
A unforgettable day out at Millets with the Elephant Club
Earlier this month, we spent the day with the siblings team and the Elephant Club as they celebrated National Siblings Day at Millets ... Read more
Toby’s Story
'Helen & Douglas House gave us the chance to become active parents again, which is somethingthat we had not thought possible ... Read more
Three bereaved mum’s skydive in memory of their children
On Sunday 24th March, three incredible mums - Nicky, Rachel and Mary - took part in a tandem skydive at Hinton's Hedges Skydiving ... Read more
An incredible day at London Marathon
A massive THANK YOU to each and every one of the remarkable individuals who ran and raised money for Helen & Douglas House at the ... Read more
Join the London to Paris Bike Ride: a journey of charity and adventure
Are you and your colleagues searching for an exhilarating challenge that also supports a local charity? Look no further! Introducing ... Read more
Running for a cause: inspiring stories from our London Marathon runners
As the London Marathon approaches, the excitement isn't just about the race itself; it's about the incredible individuals who are ... Read more
A Day in the Life of a Siblings Worker
We primarily care for children living with life-shortening and terminal conditions. But, we also provide support for siblings too. ... Read more
Meet Carissa – Assistant Catering Manager at Helen & Douglas House
We'd like to introduce you to Carissa, our assistant catering manager here at Helen & Douglas House. She's been with us for 9 ... Read more
An Egg-cellent Easter party at the hospice
Last Sunday, the hospice hosted a sunshine-filled day of festive fun for the children and their families. There were lots of laughter, ... Read more
Meet Harry – a physiotherapist at Helen & Douglas House
Harry is a physiotherapist at Helen & Douglas House. For the last nine years, Harry has specialised in paediatric physiotherapy ... Read more
Conquer the Peaks: 7 Reasons to take on the Brecon Beacons 10 Peaks Challenge
Are you ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure amidst the stunning landscapes of the Brecon Beacons? If you're pondering ... Read more
Mother’s Day Sahara trek in memory of daughter Grace
Mum Rebecca Gaskell and daughter Imogen will be raising money for Helen & Douglas House on a Sahara Trek on Mother’s Day this ... Read more
The magic of Sensory Play
A massive thank you to Claire from Embracing Arts for putting on an incredible sensory show at the hospice last week. We were joined by children and their families who use Helen & Douglas House services. It was a sensory-tastic afternoon! Read more
Jasper’s Story
Jasper, from Windsor, was born prematurely at 29 weeks old on 17th December 2014. He was born by emergency C-Section after doctors ... Read more
Magical Christmas visit to Clarence House 2023
Her Majesty The Queen hosted a magical Christmas visit at Clarence House on Wednesday 6th December, for five children and their ... Read more
Helen & Douglas House achieves ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission
Helen & Douglas House is rated as 'outstanding' by the CQCWe're thrilled to share that Helen & Douglas House has ... Read more
Daniel’s story
Daniel was diagnosed with Sarcoma Cancer in December 2020 – he was 15, nearly 16. It all started with an achy leg, which the family ... Read more
Meet Jane, our new CEO
Meet Jane, our new CEOWe are thrilled to officially welcome and introduce our new CEO Jane Long to Helen & Douglas House. Jane ... Read more
Meet Lucy – a nurse at Helen & Douglas House
Lucy Butters is nurse on our care team here at Helen & Douglas House. As no day is ever the same, we asked her to talk us through ... Read more
Empowering Ivy: A journey of self-discovery through volunteering
Meet Ivy Ivy started as a volunteer at the Wokingham Helen & Douglas House charity shop in September 2022. Within nine months she ... Read more
Neve’s story
We began caring for Neve and her family in October 2020 after she was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour. She was referred to Helen House for palliative care to help with her symptoms, and then for more support once it was apparent that her treatment was not working. Neve continued to visit Helen & Douglas House until her death, at home, in April 2023. Read more
Home Volunteers of Helen & Douglas House
We care for terminally ill children and their families at our hospice in Oxford, in hospital and at home. The families that we help to ... Read more
Taking on new heights
Christopher Hurdman and Phil Hobbs, took on an epic climb to raise vital funds for two charities, Helen & Douglas House and RE:ACT Disaster Response. Read more
Lord Blair of Boughton’s speech from the Christ Church Christmas concert
Good evening. Thank you all for being here tonight. My name is Ian Blair and I have the very real privilege to be Chair of the Board ... Read more
Helen & Douglas House celebrates 40 years of children’s hospice care
On 30th November 1982 Helen House was officially opened by HRH The Duchess of Kent as the world’s first children’s hospice. This ... Read more
Tillie’s story
Tillie, from Oxfordshire, was born in January 2021 during lockdown. She was her mother’s fourth child and had a healthy birth. But, a ... Read more
Outreach Nursing – Caring for children at home
One of the special things about our care at Helen & Douglas House is that we’re able to offer it to children in the place they ... Read more
Volunteers Week 2022: A thank you to our volunteers
To celebrate Volunteers Week, we would like to say a huge thanks to all of our volunteers who help us care for local families at the ... Read more
New partnership between Helen & Douglas House and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
A partnership between Helen & Douglas House and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is set to help children and young ... Read more
Lily-Mae’s story
Lily-Mae, from Witney, was born in 2013. At two years old she was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, which caused regular seizures and other complications Read more
Makaton – using signs, symbols and speech at the hospice
Communication is an essential life skill and, because speech is not always possible for many of the children who we care for, it is ... Read more
Taylor Wimpey renovates and furnishes The Garden Room
Last month we were excited to finally open our recently refurbished Garden Room. The new space, designed with parents and relaxation ... Read more
Ella attends special Oxford United football match
Ella and her family are big Oxford United supporters, and they met the club’s Football Manager, Karl Robinson, who has become an ambassador for our charity, at the match on Saturday 12th February. Read more
Running the Oxford Half: Emily’s Story
Emily, whose daughter Neve has brain cancer comes to the hospice for short supportive stays, ran the Oxford Half Marathon in 2021 and ... Read more
Pippa’s story
Pippa, from Maidenhead, was born in 2013. She was born with Down’s syndrome and, as she got older, developed other conditions that cause seizures and further complications. Read more
Hospice school: Back to school
Did you know that we have a school at Helen & Douglas House? Some of you might as we did an update a few years ago on our blog. If ... Read more
From volunteer to member of staff
‘Volunteering enhanced my skills and reminded me why I went originally went into nursing before I had my children. I loved being back in the care environment. So, when I found myself with more time, I joined the care team as a member of staff, which I am so pleased about.’ Read more
Christmas celebrations at Helen & Douglas House
We’ve been looking forward to celebrating Christmas this year with our families this year as we weren't able to celebrate in person last year. Find out what special activities we got up to at our Christmas parties and which member of the royal family we visited. Read more
Baby Loss Awareness Week to remember babies we have lost
Baby Loss Awareness Week 9-15th October is an opportunity to remember babies we have lost. To honour every little life lost, we will ... Read more
Inspired young supporter setting new heights for fundraising
Once a supporter gets a taste of fundraising they often go on to do bigger and better challenges each time raising more vital funds ... Read more
Opening the Helen & Douglas House Garden
Her Royal Highness, the former Duchess of Cornwall visited Helen & Douglas House on Tuesday 13th July to meet families supported by the hospice in the garden to learn how they have been coping with the pandemic. Read more
Her Majesty The Queen Visits Helen & Douglas House
Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall visited Helen & Douglas House on Tuesday 13th July to meet families supported by the hospice in the garden to learn how they have been coping with the pandemic. Read more
How Oli celebrate’s Father’s Day
‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Read more
How we support siblings
‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Read more
Nathan meets Rob Brydon
Earlier this month mum Jenny told you about her son Nathan and about the care and support he needs from the hospice. To give something ... Read more
Spring fashion trends: Fresh spring finds from Helen & Douglas House charity shops
We’re delighted to introduce you to our Helen & Douglas House seasonal trend picks which is a round-up of the top items selected ... Read more
How we’re ‘Showing a Little Love’ throughout February
‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Read more
The therapeutic value of cuddling and stroking a therapy cat at our children’s hospice
At Helen & Douglas House we love to welcome animals into the hospice to complement and support the palliative care we provide, ... Read more
Aliza-May’s story
Aliza-May was born in June 2017 with a rare syndrome called Edwards. For the first week of her life Aliza-May’s Mum Emma-May and Dad Ross lived in the special care baby unit where every test under the sun was done. Read more
No New Clothes For A Year
Guest blog from sustainable personal styling expert Victoria Lochhead from Frankie & Ruby. No New Clothes For A Year? Here are ... Read more
Our Helen & Douglas House Children help decorate Clarence House Christmas tree via video link
Ten of our children from Helen & Douglas House joined Her Majesty The Queen to decorate the Christmas tree at Clarence House on ... Read more
Mum Ellie becomes a fundraising inspiration on social media
‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Read more
How we support older children at the hospice and beyond
Emma is our Youth and Transition worker at Helen & Douglas House. She told us about her role at the hospice and how she supports the older children we care for, from the ages of 13-19, until they move on to adult care with other healthcare providers. Read more
Hospice announced as a beneficiary of The Captain Tom Foundation
On 17th September some of the team from Helen & Douglas House met with Captain Sir Tom Moore and his family when they officially ... Read more
How our hospice staff helped other Oxfordshire patients in a healthcare collaboration
Earlier this year, when we went into lockdown, some of our staff with expertise in palliative care were redeployed to help others. ... Read more
How young fundraisers used ‘pedal power’ to raise vital funds
This summer a group of school friends from The Blake Primary School in Witney took part in a sponsored cycle challenge to raise funds ... Read more
David Beckham visits Helen & Douglas House
On Wednesday 8th July, Jasper, who stays at Helen & Douglas House for respite care, enjoyed a special visit at the hospice from ... Read more
Jasper’s hour on BBC Radio Oxford
One of our children, Jasper, has had a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to interview David Walliams and David Beckham on a Zoom call, ... Read more
Wolfson Foundation make generous funding award
We are so grateful to The Wolfson Foundation for their very generous award. We originally applied to seek funding to allow us to ... Read more
Her Majesty The Queen and the Princess of Wales mark Children’s Hospice Week with a joint video call with Helen & Douglas House
We are delighted to announce that Her Majesty The Queen and the Princess of Wales have hosted a joint video call with three of their ... Read more
How we have continued to care during a pandemic
This is Dr Emily Harrop, our Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Care & Medical Director at the hospice. We found out more about ... Read more
Wardrobe Detox: Your 5 point plan to re-organising your wardrobe
Try detoxing your wardrobe and you’ll find the rewards are liberating and utterly worth it. By donating your discarded items to your ... Read more
Make a virtual gift this Father’s Day to help children like Toby
‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Read more
How Patrick’s family raised over £10,000 in just six months
‘Helen & Douglas House has given us the opportunity and space to create special memories to treasure during the most difficult of times. As they are a charity, we felt it was so important to raise funds for them to ensure they can continue to care for children like Patrick, and to support families like ours’. Read more
Tandem skydive: how it feels to fly whilst raising vital funds for a charity
Imagine standing on the edge of an open doorway in an aircraft flying at 13,000 feet. As you experience the noise of the engines and ... Read more
Children’s hospice magical Christmas visit to Clarence House
Her Majesty The Queen hosted a magical Christmas party at Clarence House on Thursday 12th December, for five of the children and their ... Read more
Non-verbal communication: ‘My boys cannot talk but they communicate to me with their eyes’
As a children’s hospice, we welcome a variety of children of differing ages, abilities and living with a range of conditions through ... Read more
Hospice school: How we help the children keep up with their schoolwork
You might be surprised to discover a schoolroom at our children’s hospice. Here, every day, we have a teaching assistant to help our ... Read more
8 reasons why our summer pirate party rocked (the boat!)
As fun, laughter and creating special memories is at the heart of what we do at Helen & Douglas House, we never miss an excuse for ... Read more
Furniture trends: How to bring style to your home with second-hand treasures from our furniture shops
This year the public consciousness has turned firmly to helping the planet, so it’s only natural that sustainability is one of the ... Read more
When play therapy turns into a river adventure
Helen & Douglas House is well-known for the respite care we provide to babies, children and teenagers and the support we give to ... Read more
Spare a thought for Dad’s like Jason this Father’s Day
Here at Helen & Douglas House we’re asking local families who are celebrating Father’s Day on 16 June to spare a thought for local ... Read more
Meet Rhian, our learning disability nurse
For Rhian, one of our learning disability nurses, no shift is ever the same which is due to the nature of the care and ... Read more
Helen & Douglas House family flat designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen
A newly refurbished family flat at Helen & Douglas House, designed by Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, was officially opened on Tuesday ... Read more
Seven ‘guilty’ Oxfordshire businesswomen get locked up for a good cause in ‘Jail & Bail: Here Come The Girls’ on 13 June
Following last year's success of our first Jail & Bail event, we are bringing it back to Oxford but with a new twist. On Thursday ... Read more
What does Mother’s Day mean to Helen & Douglas House mums?
Mother's Day can be a precious time to celebrate the relationship between mother and child. On the morning of Mother’s Day many ... Read more
Dr Emily Harrop contributes to guidelines to communicate with children about life threatening conditions
Dr Emily Harrop, Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Care and Interim Medical Director at Helen & Douglas House who contributed to ... Read more
Meet Dr Emily Harrop
Meet Dr Emily, our Consultant in Paediatric Palliative Care and Lead Doctor. A few years ago, she told us about her career in medicine ... Read more
Trustees meet Her Majesty The Queen
Helen & Douglas House Trustees Elizabeth Drew and Lord Blair of Boughton (Ian) met with our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, at ... Read more
Invesco raises £184,000 for Helen & Douglas House
During 2018, Invesco raised a total of £184,000 for Helen & Douglas House. The money raised will pay for four nurses to look after ... Read more
Max’s story
Max, from Swindon, has been coming to Helen & Douglas House since 2014. Max was born in 2007 and has mitochondrial disorder, a condition which means he requires 24-hour care and support. Read more
Ollie’s and Ben’s story
Mike tells us about being a dad to twin boys, Ben and Ollie. Both boys were born with a life-shortening condition Read more
The benefits of hydrotherapy: How splishy-splashy moments ease a wide range of symptoms
One of the things Helen & Douglas House is known for is the respite care we provide for local terminally ill children. When the ... Read more
Magical Christmas visit to Clarence House
Her Majesty The Queen, Patron of Helen & Douglas House, hosted a magical Christmas party at Clarence House on Thursday 6th ... Read more
Toby’s story
Toby lives at home in Buckinghamshire with his mummy and daddy, Kim and Tim. He has a complex neurological condition called Dravet ... Read more
Limited edition ‘Duchess of Cornwall’ honey sold for Helen & Douglas House children’s hospice
500 jars of limited edition honey, produced by bees housed in Her Majesty The Queen's own private garden in Wiltshire, went on sale on ... Read more
How our hospice uses outdoor sensory experiences to help terminally ill children
Helen & Douglas House charity is known for the care we provide to babies, children and teenagers inside the hospice, but our ... Read more
How our children’s parties create memorable moments for their families
We love to throw a good party to create magical moments that really lift our children's spirits and live long in the memory of their ... Read more
Ten ‘guilty’ supporters get locked up for a good cause in ‘Jail & Bail’ on 20th September
At our very first Jail & Bail event we will see 10 ‘guilty’ supporters arrested and charged with their ‘terrible’ crimes (entirely ... Read more
Mum’s appeal for foodie fundraiser, Dine at Mine
Clare raised £664 from her Dine at Mine meal for Helen & Douglas House on Saturday 11th August. Clare’s 5 year old son Josh, who ... Read more
A message to supporters from Ian Blair, HDH Chair of Trustees
Dear supporters, Thank you for your support. The first thing I would like to say is to thank you for your support in the past and I ... Read more
The Garfield Weston Foundation donates £30,000 to Helen & Douglas House
We would like to say a huge thank you to Garfield Weston Foundation for their wonderful donation of £30,000 towards the cost of our 6 ... Read more
Helen & Douglas House Bubble Rush raised £30,000
A huge thank you to everyone who took part in Oxford’s first ever Bubble Rush on 10th June, raising money for Helen & Douglas ... Read more
The role of music therapy at children’s hospices: We love music and so does Nathan
Music positively affects us all physically, psychologically and emotionally and the health benefits of music are ... Read more
Helen & Douglas House Nurse Consultant receives top award
Karen who is a Nurse Consultant at Helen & Douglas House received The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s Award for Outstanding ... Read more
Invesco UK raise £24,885 for Helen & Douglas House
On 16th May, 15 Invesco staff set off on their survival adventure to Invesco Island, a 36-hour survival challenge on a remote Welsh ... Read more
How furry friends bring comfort and joy to Helen & Douglas House
Amate Animalia, a charity based in the Cotswolds who educate people about exotic animals & their specialist needs, recently bought ... Read more
Reed Specialist Recruitment raise £5,100 for Helen & Douglas House
Reed Specialist Recruitment, based in Seacourt Tower in Oxford, held a series of fundraising events in aid of local children’s ... Read more
How we celebrate Easter at the local children’s hospice
Easter at a children’s hospice is quite different to other children’s Easter celebrations. Terminally ill children who come to stay at ... Read more
Mother’s Day Appeal for Helen & Douglas House
Kay Lyon from Wootton is making a Mother’s Day appeal to encourage people to sign up to give a regular gift to Helen & Douglas ... Read more
Rob Brydon appeals for people to listen in to the Helen & Douglas House Radiothon
Rob Brydon, famous welsh actor and comedian, has supported Helen & Douglas House for many years and recently visited the hospice. ... Read more
Imogen’s story
Imogen died at Helen & Douglas House on 23rd January 2017, aged just 2 years old, after bravely battling a brain tumour and never failing to smile as she endured chemotherapy, only for the cancer to return. Read more
Emily’s bake sale for Helen & Douglas House
Emily Martin, aged 11, from Chesterton, near Bicester, held a bake sale at Microsoft in Reading on Tuesday 13th February, to raise ... Read more
20 friends raise £20,000 for Helen & Douglas House
Simon Kershaw, 33, from Malmesbury, and his wife Bex will be running the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday 4th Mar with 20 friends to raise ... Read more
Nayaab’s China trek in memory of her brother
Nayaab Iqbal, aged 21 from Headington, has signed-up to take part in Helen & Douglas House’s Great Wall of China Trek taking place ... Read more
Charity Lifelites donates specialist technology for our children at Helen House
The children who use Helen House Children’s Hospice in Oxford have been donated a package of specialist assistive technology worth ... Read more
Big Brother Winner Craig Phillips asks for donations to HDH instead of wedding gifts
Craig Phillips, TV DIY expert and first ever Big Brother winner, and Laura Sheriff visited Helen & Douglas House on 1st February, ... Read more
Together for Short Lives calls for a funded and integrated national children’s palliative care strategy
Together for Short Lives Statement on the Decision by Helen & Douglas House to close Douglas House leading to the removal of ... Read more
Helen & Douglas House announce plans to ensure long term survival
Helen & Douglas House is sad to announce it is to make substantial changes to the organisation because of a shortfall in funding. ... Read more
Heavy snow cancels biggest children’s hospice fundraiser
Due to heavy snow fall in central Oxford, Helen & Douglas House had to cancel the 11th Santas on the Run. This is the first time ... Read more
Frozen comes to local children’s hospice
Disney bought the magic of “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” to 10 families at Helen & Douglas House on Saturday 25th November, helping to ... Read more
Martha’s story
Sophie and Ed’s first baby, Martha, was born in a critical condition and she passed away in Sophie’s arms at 5-days-old on 26 May 2015. Read more
Shop, snap, share to WIN! Visit our shop in Newbury to enter our fashion competition
Love fashion? Let Helen & Douglas know what amazing clothes or accessories you have #foundathdh in our Newbury charity shop by ... Read more
Use our Snapchat filter for a chance to WIN prizes!
Your Snapchat photo or film can raise awareness about a great cause and help you WIN one of five Barrett & Coe’s family ... Read more
Donate now
We need to raise £3.6 million each year to care for local terminally ill children at the hospice and at home.