When You Wish Upon a Star

Who we are

About When You Wish Upon a Star

When You Wish Upon a Star is a UK charity with a simple but powerful mission: to grant the wishes of children living with life-threatening or terminal illnesses. Since our founding in 1990, we have brought joy, hope, and unforgettable memories to thousands of children and their families during some of the most difficult times in their lives.

From magical trips to Lapland to meeting a favourite celebrity or experiencing a dream adventure, every wish we grant is uniquely tailored to bring smiles, lift spirits, and provide precious moments of happiness and togetherness.

In 2025, we celebrate our 35th birthday, three and a half decades of wish-granting magic made possible by the dedication of our supporters, volunteers, and staff. As we look to the future, we are more ambitious than ever to grow our impact, reach more children across the UK, and continue delivering life-changing moments that truly matter.

By joining our team, you’ll become part of a passionate, child-focused charity that believes in the extraordinary power of a wish.

Our culture and values

Behind Every Wish – Our Values 

Memorable wishes, built on hope, trust, and compassion - made to inspire. 

 Hope 

• Employer: A guiding principle to keep the organisation focused on a brighter future and resilient in challenges. 

• Employee: A source of motivation that fuels perseverance and belief in making a difference. 

• Stakeholders: A sign of commitment that the organisation is working toward lasting positive change. 

• Wish Families/Beneficiaries: The spark that creates the confidence to bring joy, healing, love, and new beginnings. 

Trust 

• Employer: The foundation for building a reliable, inclusive and transparent culture that sustains long-term success. 

• Employee: Confidence that one’s contributions are valued equally, respected, and supported. 

• Stakeholders: Assurance that their investment and partnership are managed with integrity. 

• Wish Families/Beneficiaries: Belief that promises made will be fulfilled with care and honesty. 

 Compassion 

• Employer: A leadership commitment to empathy, fairness, and people-centred decisions. 

• Employee: A practice of kindness and understanding that strengthens teamwork and morale. 

• Stakeholders: A visible demonstration that impact is driven by genuine care for communities. 

• Wish Families/Beneficiaries: Feeling truly seen, heard, and supported through life’s challenges. 

 Memorable 

• Employer: Creating meaningful experiences that leave a lasting legacy for the organisation. 

• Employee: Pride in contributing to moments that people will cherish forever. 

• Stakeholders: Evidence that their support translates into unforgettable impact. 

• Wish Families/Beneficiaries: Special memories that provide lifelong comfort and joy. 

Inspire 

• Employer: Leading with vision to motivate and energise the entire organisation. 

• Employee: Being encouraged to innovate, grow, and make a meaningful difference. 

• Stakeholders: Witnessing transformation that motivates continued support and advocacy. 

• Wish Families/Beneficiaries: Feeling uplifted with renewed strength, courage, confidence and optimism. 

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

We are an inclusive organisation that embraces equality and diversty principles. 

We have always had a relativey small but diverse workforce. 

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion is embedded into our strategy.