You can take the lady out of St Luke’s but not St Luke’s out of the lady

19th October 2025

A heartfelt reunion, 40 years in the making

St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth has reunited with one of its earliest caring hearts during a surprise visit for this special lady on her 95th birthday.

Brixton Venn Court resident Joy Ridley, one of St Luke’s first-ever nursing auxiliaries in the 1980s, was visibly moved when Jess Timbrell, a paramedic with the hospice, arrived with flowers and a birthday card for her this week. Although the two women had never met before, they quickly recognised in each other the same unwavering compassion for families affected by terminal illness.

While Jess cares for St Luke’s patients and families of today, Joy was part of the small team working for the hospice in its first home, Syrena House in Plymstock, four decades ago. It was at the former town house, which St Luke’s converted – thanks to funds raised by the community – that the charity first began delivering its specialist end-of-life care. Ever since then, the hospice has continued innovating to keep pace with the changing needs of local patients and their families, looking after them at home and at its specialist unit at Turnchapel.

It was in the early days of getting to know Joy that Helen Fellows of LiveWest, the housing association which manages Venn Court, picked up on her pride of having worked for St Luke’s. Helen said: “When I met Joy a year ago, it wasn’t long before she started telling me some of her history. Something that was clearly important to her was that she’s worked for St Luke’s and been part of its early years at Syrena House.

“Joy has lived at Venn Court for 24 years. She loves telling us her stories about the hospice, and it obviously means so much to her. Arranging a surprise visit from St Luke’s for her 95th birthday was us showing her how loved she is by us all.”

For Joy, the visit from Jess was emotional. She said: “I enjoyed my time at St Luke’s so much and have great admiration for every person working as part of the team. Syrena House was such an uplifting place – we all worked together, laughed together, and did everything we could to make it a home from home for our patients.”

Joy still recalls the early days vividly – from carrying mattresses up the stairs to the comforting presence of the hospice cats. She said: “If a patient couldn’t sleep, a cat would curl up at the back of their knees and purr until they drifted off. It was very moving to see.”

With a hug, Jess passed on heartfelt gratitude to Joy for all the kindness she showed to patients while working for the hospice. She said: “Joy talked about it being a privilege to care for people, and that’s exactly how we still feel. She helped shape the heart of St Luke’s, and it was an honour to be able to say thank you in person and celebrate such an incredible milestone.”

As the celebrations came to a close, Joy – never short of words but visibly moved – summed up the day perfectly: “You’ve made me feel a very special person. Thank you to each and every one of you.”

Work for St Luke’s

Related articles

, ,

BLOG: How schools can support grieving children and parents

St Luke’s Compassionate Schools programme encourages and empowers conversations in schools and colleges about death and dying so that staff and pupils can help support and comfort children and young people, and their families, when they are facing the loss of someone close. Figures show that one in 29 children in the UK are affected by the terminal illness or loss of a close family member – that’s roughly one child in every classroom. Through our close contact with local families in times of crisis, we know how important it is for grieving children to feel well supported not only by their class teachers, but also by their fellow pupils and other school staff. Adopting the Compassionate Schools ethos means better understanding of bereavement and the emotions associated with it, and an attitude of caring and kindness becomes an integral part of the school day.
, ,

BLOG: Step inside: Explore our specialist unit with our new hospice virtual tour

The prospect of coming to a hospice can be a daunting and scary one. We have tried to ease any uncertainty with our brand-new virtual tour. Thanks to local company Made Snappy 360 who created the virtual tour, you can now step inside the doors of our specialist unit at Turnchapel from the comfort of your home. Whether you are coming to the hospice building yourself, from home or hospital, or visiting a loved one, we hope that by exploring the rooms and gardens any anxiety can be lessened. Many of you, including young children, may have never even stepped foot inside a hospice, so will be unsure of what to expect, but thanks to the virtual tour you can now explore the rooms ahead of time, including the family play room!
, ,

BLOG: A brush with Christmas: Brian Pollard’s festive designs for St Luke’s

It might still be October, but at St Luke’s we’re starting to embrace the festive spirit - and what better way to start than with our brand-new charity Christmas cards, available in all our shops now! This year’s exclusive design has been painted by celebrated local artist and long-time supporter of St Luke’s, Brian Pollard, whose joyful winter scene captures the magic of Plymouth in the snow. We caught up with Brian to hear more about his inspiration and his special connection to St Luke’s.
, ,

BLOG: You can take the lady out of St Luke’s but not St Luke’s out of the lady

St Luke's Hospice Plymouth has reunited with one of its earliest caring hearts during a surprise visit for this special lady on her 95th birthday. Brixton Venn Court resident Joy Ridley, one of St Luke’s first-ever nursing auxiliaries in the 1980s, was visibly moved when Jess Timbrell, a paramedic with the hospice, arrived with flowers and a birthday card for her this week. Although the two women had never met before, they quickly recognised in each other the same unwavering compassion for families affected by terminal illness.
, ,

BLOG: Going above and beyond – Hospice Care Week 2025

Making what seems impossible happen – even the smallest of things - can have a profound effect for those whose time is running short and their families. At St Luke’s, we believe hospice care goes far beyond the physical care – it’s about living well until the very end. Every day, our teams go above and beyond to help patients make the most of the time they have, creating space for joy, connection, and unforgettable moments with loved ones. Whether it’s a final trip to a special place, arranging a wedding, or simply sharing stories over tea, we’re here to make memories happen. This Hospice Care Week (6-12 October 2025) we are shining a light on the compassionate stories that make up St Luke’s and the staff and volunteers that make them happen.
, ,

BLOG: Pedal-powered moorland challenge Tour de Moor supports St Luke’s hospice care

Hundreds of generous-spirited cyclists pedalled with a purpose on Sunday to make this year’s St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Tour de Moor bike challenge a memorable and successful occasion. Wearing striking orange branded T-shirts, more than 900 riders turned the wild landscape of Dartmoor into a thrilling two-wheeler spectacle while raising vital funds to support the charity’s compassionate end-of-life care for local people and their families.
, ,

BLOG: Riding ahead of the pack: Meet Joseph

When 13-year-old Joseph realised that he wouldn’t be able to make it to our Tour de Moor ride on Sunday, he didn’t let disappointment slow him down. Instead, he took on the challenge a week early, determined not to miss out on the event he had been looking forward to all year. Avid bike lover, Joseph Florey, from Sherford, took part in our Tour de Moor with his dad for the first time last year. He loved it so much that he couldn’t wait to do it all over again this year and so signed up as soon as possible. However unfortunately, he is due to undergo an operation just before the big day, meaning he would miss this year’s event. But Joseph was not going to let that stop him from completing the challenge. He got out on his bike at the weekend and battled the weather to ride the 11km route and has raised more than £100 in the process.
, ,

BLOG: Mini-Moor, Mighty effort: Five-year-old Lenny rides for St Luke’s

At just five years old, Lenny Harrison from Plympton is gearing up for a challenge that’s bigger than most children his age would dream of - taking part in the 11km Mini-Moor route of our Tour de Moor. Not only that, but he has already raised over £1,300 for St Luke’s and he hasn’t even crossed the start line yet. Lenny, who turned five in April, lives with his mum and dad, Mica and Dan, and his older brother Parker, who’s nine. He has recently discovered a love for cycling that’s taken off in a big way. “Although he’s been great on a balance bike for a while,” says Dan, “he only really became confident on his current bike around April or May this year. But now it’s clicked, we just can’t keep him off it!”
, ,

BLOG: Mrs M makes her mural magic shine for St Luke’s Guiding Lights

With her signature blend of nature-inspired creativity, her passion for protecting the environment and her strong sense of community spirit, Plymouth artist Ellie Johnson, aka Mrs Murals, is a beacon of enthusiasm for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Guiding Lights art trail and auction spectacular that’s set to dazzle the city’s streets in summer 2026. As one of two launch artists, alongside St Luke’s patron and celebrated city painter Brian Pollard, in May Mrs M proudly unveiled the design she created for a small scale lighthouse that will travel to different locations across South West and West Devon and into Cornwall in the lead-up to the event, encouraging public engagement and support for the hospice.
PreviousNext

Our Care

Support us

Courses

Information

Rudolph RunBLOG: How schools can support grieving children and parents