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As His Majesty reached out to grasp my hand, the significance of the momentous occasion suddenly hit me. There, in the historic hallows of St George’s Hall, as the sun set behind Windsor Castle, not only was I meeting King Charles face-to-face, but I was bestowed with a right royal opportunity to sing St Luke’s praises to the gothic-beamed rafters in the most illustrious company possible…
Sometimes, life is not as long as we expect, or hope it will be. Receiving a terminal diagnosis can feel shattering on every level. Yet with tenderness, the utmost sensitivity – and kindness that never wavers – the right care and support can bring peace to an anxious mind and soothe a frightened heart.
At Turnchapel, where talented artist Josie is a patient, she is surrounded by those who matter most to her: husband Laith – her ‘rock’ – and their two bright, beautiful girls, Becca, aged 10, and Sophie, 6…
For more than six years, Linda Ryder has poured love, resilience and countless cups of coffee into supporting St Luke’s. What began as her personal way of giving back after her own diagnosis soon grew into a much loved community tradition – a series of coffee mornings that brought people together and raised an incredible £7,981.35 to help others experiencing similar.
This Apprenticeship Week, we’re celebrating the people at St Luke’s who are growing their skills, building their confidence and taking the next step in their careers – all while continuing to make a difference every day.
We now have nine members of staff undertaking apprenticeships across the organisation – from our clinical and care teams to retail, admin, finance, IT and HR.
This week we wanted to shine a light on the nurses who have been leading the way for career development.
Plymouth’s business community is charting a course for hope, coming together to support St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Guiding Lights, a major public art trail and auction set to illuminate the city this summer.
Recently, representatives from local businesses and other organisations gathered at the National Marine Aquarium to select their favourite lighthouse designs from over 90 submitted by talented artists from Plymouth and further afield. Together, they cast their votes for the designs they most want to see the artists bring to life as full-scale sculptures. Their choices will help shape a trail of striking lighthouses that will shine across Plymouth and beyond this summer, attracting visitors, boosting the local economy, and symbolising the comfort, guidance and compassion for which St Luke’s is renowned.
At 102, retired nurse Rhoda Till is living proof that age is no barrier when it comes to volunteering for St Luke’s.
Giving back to her community is still hugely important for the former night ward sister, mother of three and great, great, grandmother who was inspired to join our charity shop team around 30 years ago when she saw how much her daughter, Rosemary, loved her weekly volunteering sessions.
“I didn’t think I would still be volunteering at 102 but I thoroughly enjoy every minute of it. It makes me feel useful and lets me enjoy a little bit of social life,” said Rhoda, who had the privilege of being introduced to the King when he paid a visit to St Luke’s in the 1990s. Then a couple of years’ ago he sent her a card for her 100th birthday.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
