The Running Diaries – PKF Francis Clark

Plymouth Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival

Run, sprint, jog, however you do it over the coming weeks we will be shining a light on some of the fabulous fundraisers we have running for St Luke’s at Plymouth Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival on Sunday 28 April.

South-West chartered accountants and business advisors PKF Francis Clark have shown their support by not only choosing to make St Luke’s their Charity of the Year, but members of the team will be by lacing up their trainers and taking on the races at the end of the month.

A team challenge

16 members of their Plymouth office will be taking part in the running festival, with 6 running the 5km, 5 tackling the 10km, and 5 braving the half marathon.

Running for compassionate care

Martin Atkins, partner at PKF Francis Clark said: “We are incredibly proud of our team for taking on this challenge.

“Not only are they showcasing their dedication and resilience, but they are also making a significant contribution to a cause that is close to our hearts. At the start of each year, our staff in each office nominate a local charity to support. This year, St Luke’s was chosen by the Plymouth office. This charity holds a special place in our hearts as it has provided invaluable support to many of our family members, friends, and colleagues. By participating in the Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival, we aim to give back to this remarkable organisation that continues to make a profound impact on our community.

“In a show of solidarity with the team and the cause, I will be personally stepping up to the challenge of the half marathon, further highlighting the firm’s united effort to support St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.”

Where will running take you?

This year we have more than 60 runners who will be running for St Luke’s at Plymouth Britain’s Ocean City Running Festival. It costs £11 million to provide our services each year and the majority of that is down to contributions from the local community. By choosing to run for St Luke’s, you will be making a direct impact on the vital funds we need, allowing us to continue to provide compassionate care and support for local families.

Whether you put your best foot forward in Plymouth or at any race across the country or further afield, you’ll be raising much-needed funds to help us reach people living near you when their time is running short. With your support, we can ensure they live well to the end of their lives, making precious memories with those dearest to them.

Get in touch today

If you or your organisation are interested in running for St Luke’s either independently or as a team, then please get in touch today. Keep an eye out for more stories coming in our Running Diaries over the coming weeks…

Related articles

, ,

Cultivating care: The volunteers who keep our hospice gardens blooming

If you ever visit our specialist unit at Turnchapel one of the first things you will notice are the carefully cultivated gardens surrounding the hospice building. Every Wednesday a group of 6 volunteers have been giving up their time to dedicate some care and love to our gardens, keeping them pruned, de-weeded and full of life. Their hard work creates a peaceful, welcoming space for patients, families and staff to enjoy - a place where nature offers comfort and calm during difficult times.
, ,

BLOG: Why paramedic Jess swapped emergency sirens for hospice calm

Life as a paramedic was fast-paced, stressful and involved critical decisions every single day for Jess Timbrell. After several years of training and hands-on service on the road, she was both confident and qualified to respond in emergencies and make split-second choices to save people’s lives. But something was missing. “I always had an interest in palliative care,” said Jess. “As a paramedic, you go out to a lot of people who are at the end of life, but you can’t spend the time you want with them because emergency demand is so high. “It was so disheartening sitting with someone in an ambulance queue outside the hospital for hours, knowing they didn’t have long to live. And then when I did drop them off, I would never find out what happened to them.”
, ,

BLOG: Ben and Sean’s two-wheeled adventure for hospice care

Sean Holland and Ben Connex are taking on an epic adventure: riding from Land’s End to John O’Groats and back - a staggering 3,200 miles - on learner-legal 125cc motorcycles! This challenge is in memory of Sean’s brother, Colin, an avid motorcyclist, who was cared for by St Luke’s. Sean and Ben met back in 1998 on the Southwest clubbing scene and have since become firm friends and fellow riders. “We have always shared a love for two wheels and when the clubbing stopped, we became born again cyclists,” said Sean, Creative Director at NexPay, our card payment provider for all our shops.
, ,

BLOG: Santa, songs and smiles: Making Christmas memories at St Luke’s

St Luke’s was overflowing with Christmas spirit last Friday as staff went above and beyond to create a warm and joyful evening for current patients and their loved ones, as well as families who will be missing someone special for the first time this year. Team members from across our organisation came together, giving up their own time to create a magical occasion featuring sparkling decorations, festive refreshments, Christmas music and live seasonal songs from the Burraton Boys and a raffle with super prizes.
, ,

BLOG: Lighting up the season: TEC Construction brings Christmas cheer to Turnchapel

Our specialist unit at Turnchapel was filled with festive cheer last week as the kind-hearted TEC Construction helped us to light up our beautiful Christmas tree - standing tall enough for our patients to enjoy its sparkle from their windows. Thanks to TEC Construction and their local subcontractors at LTC Access Platform and ACD Electrical - the night’s sky was lit up with hundreds of multi-coloured lights and a shining star sitting atop of the impressive tree - watched on by our nurses, patients, family members and members of our community including children from Hooe Primary Academy who graced everyone with a selection of beautifully sung Christmas carols.
, ,

BLOG: Community spirit shines bright as Plympton street supports St Luke’s

Residents of Redvers Grove in Plympton, Plymouth have come together to light up their street in a dazzling display of festive cheer - all to raise vital funds for St Luke’s. Each of the neighbours on the street have adorned their houses and gardens with illuminating white Christmas lights, a tradition which started 24 years ago and has since grown as more and more people have moved to the street.
, ,

BLOG: Running for care: Darite’s festive dash

Darite Primary Academy near Liskeard brought the festive cheer to the moors with their amazing Rudolph Run! From Reception to Year 6, every child loved decorating their antlers, getting active in the fresh air, and raising money for a cause close to their hearts. Supporting St Luke’s means so much to this small but mighty school community, where families know first-hand the compassionate care we provide for loved ones at the end of life.
, ,

BLOG: Decking the Halls at Turnchapel

A sprinkling of Christmas cheer has brightened up our specialist unit this week. A group of kind-hearted volunteers from Land Registry, Plymouth volunteered their time to decorate the Christmas trees that have generously been donated to St Luke’s by Blue Diamond Endsleigh Garden Centre Ivybridge. The team spent the day adding touches of tinsel and baubles to the entrance, reception and on the wards, bringing some festive joy to not only the people staying with us, but their families, visitors and all our staff and volunteers.
, ,

BLOG: Coping at Christmas

Bereavement is hard at any time of year, but the festive season - and Christmas itself -can feel particularly challenging for anyone experiencing grief. No-one understands this more than us. As well as providing specialist end-of-life care for people with terminal illness, we offer their family members bereavement support too. This week (2-8 December) is National Grief Awareness Week, in association with The Good Grief Trust. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of grief, highlight the support on offer and to normalise conversations around it.