Our merger: the formation and vision of Southern Hospice Group
By combining the strengths and expertise of three hospices, the organisations hope to improve access to specialist palliative and end-of-life care, achieve greater efficiency, and ultimately benefit patients, families, staff and the wider communities. Our reasons for merging are:
Outstanding patient care:
We bring together a wealth of specialist clinical experience, talent and resources to enhance the level of care provided to our patients, and to provide consistency of care across the catchment areas.
Community impact:
We’re committed to maintaining an active role in the community and contributing to its wellbeing. We aim to be a trusted partner in supporting individuals and families during their most challenging times.
Improved sustainability:
The integration of resources and streamlined processes will improve operational and financial efficiency, allowing us to allocate more resources to patient care.
Meet the group
Chestnut Tree House
The children’s hospice for Sussex and South East Hampshire.
Thanks to support from the local community, children and families who know they don’t have long together have the chance to live life to the full.
Martlets
Providing essential services to people affected by terminal illness in Brighton and Hove, and surrounding areas.
Our expert teams provide the very best hospice care and support, helping patients and their loved ones live life to the full during the precious time they have together. We’re here when you need us most.
St Barnabas House
The hospice for the Worthing, Adur, Arun and Henfield areas.
Thanks to support from the local community, adults with life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones can enjoy life as fully as possible, during the time they have left together.
Nestwell Home Care
A home care agency supporting adults of all ages in Brighton & Hove and surrounding areas.
Our highly trained carers help people with personal care, daily living, companionship and respite care. All profits are reinvested back into our services and our community.
Our history
Late 1960s
Dr Gusterson launches an appeal aiming to raise money for a home for the terminally ill. We received our first donation of 10 shillings; St Barnabas House is registered as a charity and the Duke of Norfolk invited to be President.
Early 1970s
Building work begins on St Barnabas House in Columbia Drive, Worthing. The plot was bought for £30,000. The first patients are admitted to St Barnabas House in 1973.
Mid 1980s
St Barnabas’s first Hospice at Home team is established, supporting the terminally ill to remain in their own homes. The day centre was officially opened by HRH Diana Princess of Wales – initially for 10 patients, 3 days a week.
1989
The first St Barnabas House charity shop is officially opened in Rowlands Road by the Mayor of Worthing.
Early 1990s
Lancing, Rustington and Storrington shops open and family rooms are created in the hospice to allow families to stay together. Fundraising to build Martlets Hospice also begins.
1997
Martlets opened with an 18-bed inpatient unit with two ensuite rooms. Six months later, day services are introduced. Plans also begin to introduce children’s hospice services to Sussex.
Early 2000s
Martlets launched its first community service– Hospice at Home. The land for Chestnut Tree House was donated by the late Lady Sarah Clutton and a community team was launched to start caring for families in their own homes before the hospice opened.
2003
Chestnut Tree House is officially opened on Tuesday 11 November 2003 by Her Royal Highness, Princess Alexandra.
2007
Martlets Care, a commercial domiciliary care company, is introduced to provide quality care in the home and help provide vital funding for the hospice.
Late 2000s
A thousand walkers raises £170,000 in our first ever mass participation event – a night time walk around the streets of Worthing in aid of St Barnabas House. St Barnabas also launches a public appeal to fund a new building.
2011
Following completion of building work, St Barnabas House moves to current site at Titnore Lane.
2016
Henry Fitzalan Howard, Earl of Arundel, becomes President of St Barnabas Hospices and the introduction of nurses with specific disease specialties allows us to extend care services to patients with very specific and complex care needs.
2018
Martlets launches the #BeMoreSnail art trail around Brighton & Hove, raising more than £230,000 for adult hospice services.
2023
Celebrations at St Barnabas throughout the year, including a garden party for staff, and burying a time capsule. The building works on the new Martlets building complete in November of 2023 – and the inpatient ward reopens.
2024
Chestnut Tree House celebrates 21 years of children’s hospice care, and celebrates with an art trail of 30 beautiful owls perched in and around Chichester and Arundel! Work begins to merge St Barnabas and Chestnut Tree House with Martlets Hospice.
2025
St Barnabas Hospices and Martlets merger completes and new joint identity, Southern Hospice Group, is formed.
We couldn’t do this without you
It’s thanks to the amazing generosity of the local community that we’re able to support patients and their loved ones.