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Big hearted b.kinda coffee shop will support St Luke’s care

Big hearted b.kinda coffee shop will support St Luke’s care

The first b.kinda coffee shop is on course to open in Plympton early in 2023, marking the start of an exciting new venture from the commercial arm of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.

Aiming to bring in vital funds to support our compassionate end of life care across the city and beyond, it’s part of our ongoing mission to establish additional, sustainable income streams, expanding on the traditional models of retail and fundraising.

St Luke’s has taken on the lease on a property in the centre of Plympton, previously the home of the Finla independent cafe, as our flagship b.kinda brand coffee shop, with a view to opening more in other locations in the future.

Open for business seven days a week by April, following a major refit, all profits from the business will go directly towards the care and support the we offer patients and their loved ones, at home, in hospital and at our specialist  unit at Turnchapel.

Mike Dukes, Commercial Director at St Luke’s, said: “We need to raise millions of pounds each year to provide our care for local families, so there is no room for complacency when it comes to seeking new ways to help fund what we do. As per St Luke’s strategy, we are constantly assessing the commercial environment around us, keeping an eye on developments that could impact our income as well as scanning the horizon for ways to diversify our income streams so we can channel profits into our hospice care. b.kinda is a great example of how we are thinking outside the box.”

 

The coffee shop project follows on from our b.kinda mystery online clothing box enterprise established earlier this year. Style-conscious women who sign up via the website at www.bkinda.co.uk receive four items of hand-picked, pre-loved womenswear – beautifully presented in an eco-friendly package and delivered by post for just £15.

The b.kinda coffee shop, off The Ridgeway, will also have its heart and eco credentials in the right place, focusing on environmentally friendly and sustainable quality – from the design and materials used to kit out the premises to sourcing the food and drink served.

It will cater for customers who are fussy about their coffee, its taste and its provenance and the operation will prioritise Fair Trade and local South West producers. Key suppliers will be the award-winning Owens who have been fresh roasting their organic and ethically sourced coffee beans at their custom-built premises near Ivybridge since 2010.

Recognising that excellent service is incredibly important in this competitive sector, the b.kinda coffee shop will be run by professional paid staff to ensure standards are consistently high. It’s currently recruiting an experienced manager and later will take on skilled and trainee baristas to deliver coffee brilliantly and serve up a menu of bespoke locally pre-prepared tasty eats, including cakes, bakes and savouries.

Mike Dukes acknowledges that breaking into this sector is a challenge and, inevitably, comes with some risk, but he is confident that there is a gap in the market to be filled by aiming higher than the current offer from larger coffee shop chains.

He said: “Even though money is tight for many people, all our research shows that coffee is now part of our culture in the UK and people have high expectations. While they may cut back on meals out, a really good cup of coffee is a small treat they are willing to pay for, and that’s what we’ll be providing, along with comfortable and classy surroundings. The premises we’ve chosen will also be a great hub for the local community.

“Our commitment to being eco-conscious is genuine and we are walking our talk in terms of using environmentally sustainable and recycled materials, even though that has meant spending more on our refit to a spec by great local designers.

“This first b.kinda coffee shop is an extremely exciting step in our quest to find new and sustainable ways of bringing in additional income to support St Luke’s services.”

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BLOG: Big-hearted Citybus Plymouth backs local hospice care

St Luke's nurses with CityBus Plymouth managing director

Big-hearted Citybus Plymouth backs local hospice care

Community-spirited Citybus Plymouth is helping St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth keep the wheels of our vital service turning by showing support in our 40th anniversary year.

With yesterday, 25 January, marking the day that 40 years ago we welcomed our first patients, Plymouth Citybus unveiled the bus it has decked out in St Luke’s branding to highlight our charity reaching such a special milestone.

Featuring some of the friendly faces of St Luke’s team, and the message of the hospice providing compassionate care for the community for 40 years, the bus will cover routes across the city throughout the year.

From humble beginnings at Syrena House in Plymstock to the multidisciplinary service we provide today, looking after terminally ill people at home, in hospital and at Turnchapel, St Luke’s cares for up to 300 patients at any given time and supports their families, too. We can do this at no cost to those we help, thanks to local individuals and organisations who fundraise, donate and volunteer to help keep our service going.

Support from local businesses is critical to ensuring St Luke’s resilience so we can reach more people who desperately need specialist care at the end of their lives.

Richard Stevens, Managing Director of Plymouth Citybus said: “Many of our team members and customers have been touched by St Luke’s in one way or another. Branding the bus for the charity is our way of saying thank you for superb care given and helping to make sure the whole city is aware of the brilliant work St Luke’s has done over the past 40 years.”

Steve Statham, Chief Executive of St Luke’s, said: “A big thank-you to Plymouth Citybus. Our eye-catching branded bus will raise more awareness of St Luke’s specialist service and the support from our community that makes it possible. The more local businesses who get behind our charity, the more families we can help over the next 40 years and beyond.”

 

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St Luke’s 40th Anniversary – The Mini Documentary

St Luke’s 40th Anniversary – The Mini Documentary

It’s our birthday!

Proud to reach our 40th anniversary today, we couldn’t let such a special milestone pass by without saying a HUGE thank-you to all our supporters, as loyal now as you have always been.

From welcoming our first patients to Syrena House in Plymstock on this day in 1982 to our service of today, looking after people at home, in hospital and at Turnchapel, we simply couldn’t do as much as we do, as well as we do it, without the unwavering kindness of our community.

Your hearts full of compassion got St Luke’s started and they still keep us going.

Read more about our history here.

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Men’s Day Out: The power of hundreds of men on the move

Men's Day Out blog header image

The power of hundreds of local men on the move

We’ve launched Men’s Day Out, one of our flagship fundraising events, inviting men to gather together outdoors and go the extra mile to do good for local families going through the toughest of times.

Men’s Day Out is one of the city’s most iconic annual charity events. It raises vital funds to support the compassionate care our hospice provides for terminally ill people 365 days a year at home, in hospital and at our specialist unit at Turnchapel.

Walking in memory of loved ones no longer with them, who will never be forgotten

Places for Men’s Day Out on Saturday 23 April are expected to sell out quickly. This is due to the popularity of the event, which sees hundreds of men walking a 12km route that starts and finishes at Plymouth Albion RFC. The sponsored walk through the city’s streets and along the waterfront takes in sights such as Plymouth Hoe and the Barbican. Many of the men walk in memory of loved ones no longer with them, who will never be forgotten.

Sponsored by local company Jem Scaffolding Limited, Men’s Day Out is renowned for being a day of fun and banter. Those taking part will enjoy a pasty and a beer as well as a not-to-be-missed clash between the home team and Taunton Titans.

Registration for the event is £35. This covers logistical costs including a t-shirt, pasty, beer and entry to the rugby match.

“We could not do what we do as well as we do it without the support of the big-hearted community around us”

Nina Wearne, Partnerships Manager at St Luke’s, said: “Whether you take part in Men’s Day Out as a personal challenge or to celebrate the life of someone special, and whether you do it for the first time or as an event you enjoy every year, what matters is just that you walk.

“While St Luke’s gives specialist end of life care, free of charge to patients, this does not come cheap to our charity. We could not do what we do as well as we do it without the support of the big-hearted community around us. Being part of Men’s Day Out is a fantastic way to have loads of fun while making an important difference to local families who would otherwise miss out on the specialist care and support they need.”

Sign up for Men’s Day Out by clicking here.

Register for our Golf Day

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St Luke’s 40th Anniversary – The Trailer

St Luke's 40th Anniversary date.

On 25 January 2022, it will be the St Luke’s 40th anniversary. A whole 40 years since we welcomed our first patients. Our charity heralded the arrival of a completely new concept for the city – specialist care for terminally ill people as in-patients in a home-from-home environment, rather than in hospital, to ensure their comfort and dignity at the end of their lives. From this, grew the St Luke’s of today, looking after the majority of patients at home and at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, with only those with the most complex symptoms needing admission to Turnchapel.

What has not changed since its beginnings though, is our need to rely on the community to keep providing our specialist services at no cost. That’s why, as well as reflecting on four decades of compassionate care, we are using our 40th anniversary to express heartfelt thanks to all our supporters for their support.

“Quite simply though, we would never have come into existence – let alone still be helping local families four decades on – without the unstinting support we receive from the community around us.” – Current CEO, Steve Statham

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