Registration success for Southern Area Hospice Services (NIC101906)

Southern Area Hospice Services (SAHS) has become one of the latest charities to be listed on Northern Ireland’s growing register of charities.

The charity, which provides palliative care to patients with terminal illness living in the Southern Health Board area, was listed on the register after successfully applying to the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

Commission Chief Executive, Frances McCandless, commented: “Charity registration is now compulsory in Northern Ireland, providing a new way for the public to undertake simple checks on the charities they are supporting.

“I would like to congratulate SAHS on their registration status which I hope they will wear as a badge of honour, a public acknowledgment they are an authentic, open and accountable charity.”

Founded in 1989 as a six bed unit, today SAHS provides a range of services and facilities, including a 12 bed in-patient unit and out-patient clinics at Craigavon, South Tyrone and Daisy Hill Hospitals and St Johns House in Newry. 

The charity was registered by the Commission on 23 April 2015 and has been listed on the new register of charities with the charity number NIC101906. 

Anne Cooney, Chief Executive of SAHS commented: “As all our services are provided free of charge, we are heavily reliant on fundraising to continue providing vital support and specialist care services to terminally ill patients, their friends and families.

“We are delighted that our registration application has been successful and we are listed on the register of charities, where anyone can find out more about the hospice and the vital services we offer.”

Under charity law, it is now compulsory for all charities in Northern Ireland to register with the Commission, regardless of their size, income or whether or not they have charitable tax status.

The Commission began the process of registering Northern Ireland’s thousands of charities in December 2013.

According to estimates, there are between 7,000 and 12,000 charities operating in Northern Ireland with the Commission managing registration by calling charitable organisations forward in tranches to apply for registration. 

Once this primary registration process is completed, the register of charities, which currently has over 1,500 charities listed, will be the definitive directory of all charities in Northern Ireland.

For more information on charity registration, including how your charity can ensure it is meeting its legal duties and is prepared for compulsory registration, please click here.

ENDS 

For more information please contact Shirley Kernan, Charity Commission for Northern Ireland Communications Officer, on telephone: 028 3832 0169, mobile: 07827338978 or email: shirley.kernan@charitycommissionni.org.uk 

Notes to editors

The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland is the independent regulator of charities in Northern Ireland, established under the Charities Act (Northern Ireland) 2008. 

Under charity law, an organisation must apply for registration as a charity in Northern Ireland, regardless of its income, size or whether or not it has received charitable tax status from HMRC, if:

• it has exclusively charitable purposes 
• it is governed by the law of Northern Ireland 
• it has control and direction over its governance and resources. 

To find out more about Southern Area Hospice Services (SAHS) please visit www.southernareahospiceservices.org