Halfway up a wild and wet Mount Snowdon, George Fletcher felt a tap on his shoulder and turned around to find a little girl aged around seven or eight waiting to hand him a £10 note.
She wasn’t the first or last to approach the 85-year-old from Ivybridge as he embraced the enormous challenge of climbing the highest mountain in Wales, accompanied by his son Marc, and family friend Mark Buckham, to raise funds for St Luke’s.
At St Luke’s we appreciate our wonderful staff and volunteers every single day of the year, and always aim to support their health and wellbeing.
But this Christmas we thought they deserved a very special thank you on behalf of all the patients and families who have benefited from their compassionate care and hard work in 2023.
Our CEO George Lillie and his senior management colleagues Sue Cannon, Mike Dukes, Adrienne Murphy and Tricia Davis have been out and about delivering personal gifts for each member of our superb team.
A bright and colourful Christmas card, designed and generously shared by our patron Brian Pollard, showing a wintry Plymouth Hoe full of ice skaters, was first out of the bag. Nestled in the envelope was one of our unique Christmas robin pin badges, bringing the good cheer and spirit of remembrance these hardy little birds represent.
The icing on the cake was a colourful bespoke gift pack containing three different flavours of fudge, lovingly handmade by the Devon Fudge Company. Chief executive George even popped into the company’s Plymouth kitchen to give the copper pot a festive stir.
Our healthcare assistants, nurses and doctors are, of course, the incredible individuals on the vital frontline delivering specialist care to patients and families, but we never forget there’s also an army of special people behind them who make it possible for our services to keep running.
Our retail teams, receptionists, patient and family support team, fundraising and event organisers, maintenance workers, finance wizards, educators, cooks and domestics, and many more, all make an essential contribution that deserves to be celebrated.
After stopping by our shops on Plymouth’s Barbican to deliver gifts, George said: “It’s really nice for me to get out and meet the shop staff and volunteers, and it’s important for them to be recognised for all the fantastic work they do.”
One thing is certain – that acknowledgement won’t stop when the New Year turns. All through 2024, we’ll be demonstrating how much our staff and volunteers are valued with an ongoing package of benefits that includes Simply Health cashback, wellbeing initiatives, mental health support, free independent financial advice, and yoga sessions.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/North_Prospect_Launch_Blog_Header-1.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-12-12 14:48:522024-01-29 14:01:25BLOG: A special Christmas thank you to St Luke’s staff and volunteers
St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s end of life Urgent Care Team ventured across the Tamar last week to visit their first patient at home in East Cornwall as part of a pilot service running until the end of March 2024.
We followed senior health care assistant Bee Daniels and nurse Jo Davis as they went to meet a very grateful Paul Treeby and his daughter, Jude Kitt.
It’s less than half a kilometre from one side to the other but crossing the Tamar Bridge represented a significant milestone for St Luke’s pilot East Cornwall Urgent Care Service.
Until last week it had been a bridge too far for the hospice’s “at home” teams who already clock up more than 80,000 miles a year taking our specialist care to the doorsteps of patients in Plymouth and surrounding areas of West and South Devon.
In a ground-breaking move, a four-month trial service has been launched to visit end of life patients and their families at home in a largely rural stretch from Saltash to Torpoint and the Rame Peninsula, up the Tamar Valley towards Callington and Launceston and across to Liskeard.
Patients in this area have benefited from St Luke’s care at Derriford Hospital and in the charity’s specialist unit at Turnchapel, but there has previously been no service available to support them either to remain at home or to care for them on discharge from hospital.
Senior healthcare assistant Bee and nurse Jo were thrilled and proud to be pioneers on a mission to make a positive difference to people’s lives, working closely with NHS healthcare colleagues across the water.
“The whole team are really excited to go there,” said Bee, in the driving seat as they passed the Welcome to Cornwall sign in the centre of the bridge. “It’s another big area for us to cover and it’s going to be a lot more rural nursing, but we’re all up for the challenge.”
That stalwart can-do attitude certainly came in handy as they turned off the A38 to snake through the Cornish countryside to meet Paul Treeby, the team’s first patient on the service’s first day.
Beneath bleak black clouds and intermittent heavy downpours, Bee drove carefully, bumping along increasingly muddy lanes until she hit Tarmac with grass growing down the middle, her view hemmed in by high hedges on either side.
Suddenly a beautiful rainbow and a glimmer of blue sky appeared in the distance beckoning Bee and Jo to one of the small farming communities that pepper the hinterlands between Liskeard and Callington.
“It’s a typical journey, really,” said Jo. “We’re based in the city, but we have a lot of isolated people to visit out in the countryside. We keep going come rain or shine, grass or gravel!”
St Luke’s Urgent Care is a healthcare assistant led service, so Jo wouldn’t normally be out visiting patients herself, except when there’s an urgent need for her nursing expertise.
“I put myself down for the first shift so that I can see what the challenges are and support the team while they are getting used to the area,” she explained.
With the satnav out of range, they managed to arrive in roughly the right place, but Paul’s tucked-away home wasn’t easy to find in the pouring rain, despite his instructions. Luckily, he lives in a friendly hamlet where everyone knows everyone, and hardy folk who walk their dogs in all weathers were eager to point Bee in the right direction.
There was an almost palpable sense of relief as Paul’s daughter, Jude Kitt, opened the door of her father’s bungalow and, along with black Labrador Harvey, welcomed Bee and Jo inside.
Any apprehension Paul had felt before their arrival vanished immediately as they asked him gently about himself, how he was feeling and what they could do to help.
“We build a rapport with patients very, very quickly,” explained Jo. “Going in on a daily basis you can quickly see how someone is and if there is escalation of symptoms you can deal with that. The patient can get what they need from us in a timely manner. We make sure everything is as easy as possible.”
Their role is also to liaise with the other health professionals involved in his care, including his GP and the NHS Cornwall palliative care nurse who gives Paul and Jude advice over the phone.
Paul, 75, has been living with prostate cancer for 10 years. After an operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, he was put on long-term chemotherapy to control the disease. But, in July this year – just a month after his dear wife Elizabeth’s death from leukaemia – Paul’s oncology team told him that the treatment had run its course and there was nothing more they could do.
It means the world to him to now be able to spend his remaining time at home in the community he knows and loves, with reassuring support from St Luke’s.
“I’ve been a country lad all my life. I was brought up on the farm. I was born at Blunts, down the road. Dad was killed in a tractor accident and Mother had three of us to look after so she took a job as a housekeeper for another farm at Menheniot. That was tough, but you just got on with it. When I was old enough, I went out to work and started digger driving, which I loved,” he said.
Paul and Elizabeth brought up their family on a smallholding near Trewidland – a tiny hamlet between Liskeard and Looe – and he made a living operating diggers for several local companies.
“We had around 40 acres and kept sheep through the winter and cut hay in summer. When we couldn’t cope with that any more, my son Tim took it on and bought us this bungalow to retire to.”
Paul was quick to praise Bee and Jo at the end of their visit.
“I was very impressed with St Luke’s team. It’s good to have them coming in to help me with any problems I’ve got. I think it will be a big benefit having them down here in Cornwall,” he said. “I think it’s something that’s got to be done. There’s a massive demand.
“They came in and made me feel at home. They talked about my tablets, and they took me in to have a wash. It was all very relaxed and no stress. That suits me down to the ground because I don’t do well with stress. That’s why I wouldn’t want to go back to hospital again.”
Jude, who lives four miles away at Pensilva, has been juggling her own family life with caring for her dad, with no real chance to grieve for her mother, who was the first person she would usually have talked things through with.
“It feels like a huge relief already. Dad deserves the best care and now we have got somebody coming every day who can help us. I feel like I have a team behind me now,” she said.
“The main thing is the continuation of people coming in so they will get to know Dad and recognise any day to day deterioration. I feel like it’s all been on me, and it’s been a bit overwhelming at times.”
Jo added: “There must be a lot of families who have been struggling up until now and it’s good to be able to tell them there is help on the way.”
The final word goes to Bee, who said: “Dying is a massive part of life. Everyone deserves to have the best death they can have, and we can help with that journey.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Urgent-Care-Service-East-Cornwall-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2023-12-13 16:15:462023-12-14 09:09:19BLOG: Pilot service takes expert St Luke’s hospice care to Cornish doorsteps
Hundreds of ladies tickled Plymouth pink on Friday night, as they walked across the city to raise vital funds for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.
Setting off from Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park stadium, women and children of all ages joined together to celebrate the charity’s 40th anniversary year by taking part in the hotly anticipated mass participation fundraising event, Midnight Walk.
This year’s event saw all ages join together to walk in memory of their loved ones, with the introduction of a brand new QR code trail adding an interactive element to the shorter 2.5 and 5 mile family friendly routes.
Born in the 80’s, celebrate in the 80’s
The theme of the night was 1982, the year the hospice first opened its doors to patients. Four decades later and St Luke’s is still providing compassionate care and support to the terminally ill and their families. For the last 40 years, the charity has held a prominent place in the hearts of many Plymouth families, with Midnight Walk being the perfect occasion to unite in sharing cherished memories.
The 1982 theme proved popular with participants, Kelly Allmett, from Saltash, works at Derriford Hospital in the haematology department. She said:“Born in the 80’s, celebrate in the 80’s. You can see how much loss there is around us, but it is such a supportive, fun environment to celebrate people that we have lost. I lost my sister in December and wanted to do something in her memory for a local charity that does so much for our community.
“St Luke’s plays a massive part at Derriford, they’re not just a place for family and patients, they support everyone around them, providing somewhere for patients to go and be looked after, not only in the last days of their lives but in support of treatment too.”
Samantha Hetherington, from Widewell, said: “It’s nice to get together as a community and support a good charity, cancer touches a lot of people’s hearts, it affects so many of us in different ways. I’d just like to do my bit. I lost my friend Kate 8 years ago, she was only 32, but she died of bowel cancer and last year my dad died from an aggressive form of lung cancer. To be able to walk and remember our loved ones and help those ones that are currently living with it and trying to fight it, means a lot.
“The atmosphere tonight is uplifting, everyone sharing their experiences and being with other people who have shared that grief and maybe even going through it themselves.”
Samantha set herself the challenge of completing the 15 mile walk. She said:“To push through a bit of pain for what people go through is minimal. St Luke’s is iconic, everybody knows what good things St Luke’s does and hopefully we can keep raising money to help them make those people’s lives a little bit better.”
Sponsored by Drakes Jewellers, the annual flagship event saw participants walk either the 2.5, 5, 10 or 15 mile route in memory of lost loved ones, having fun and making new memories as they celebrated the lives of people special to them who will never be forgotten. This year, walkers were invited to bring a copy of a favourite photo of their lost loved one and add it to the charity’s Memory Wall on the night, so that their legacy could live on for all to see.
Michelle Homeyard and her 10-year-old daughter Iyla, from Thornbory, were walking the 2.5 mile route in memory of Iyla’s grandad, John Homeyard. Iyla, who added his photo onto the Memory Wall, said:“My grandad sadly died a couple of months ago from cancer and St Luke’s provided end of life care to him.”
Michelle added: “St Luke’s helped him feel very comfortable near the end and were very supportive of the family. He wanted to be at home, where he was comfortable and around his family, so they came to the house. They made the process, as hard as it is, a bit smoother and easier for him and the family as well, providing us with reassurance.
“A massive thank you to St Luke’s, they do so much. We have a lot of respect for them.”
The pink-clad participants were treated to a fun and energetic warm up by the Plymouth based fitness class Cheezifit before embarking on the walk, which took in landmarks including Smeaton’s Tower and the Barbican.
The money raised through sponsorship by participants helps keep the St Luke’s team on the road 365 days a year, giving their compassionate care to patients in the comfort of their own home and supporting their families. Walkers can pay in their sponsorship money online and see their times here or they can pay it in at one of the St Luke’s charity shops.
Shelley Martin from Weston Mill has been taking part in St Luke’s Midnight Walk for the past decade and this year brought her 12-year-old daughter Shania along.
Shelley said: “It is a humbling and emotional evening, hearing what others have experienced and how St Luke’s have been there for them. St Luke’s are an amazing charity. They were an amazing support to my husband’s family when he lost his uncle and to me when I was losing my god mum and auntie Barbara and just knowing that they were on the end of the phone, that no matter what, meant a lot. I’m in my 40’s and I have never known a Plymouth without St Luke’s.”
Head of Fundraising at St Luke’s, Penny Hannah, said: “We are delighted to bring our Midnight Walk 1982 in 2022 to celebrate 40 years of care for your local hospice. It is such a warm and loving event giving the city the chance to remember their loved ones and make many people proud.
“I would like to thank every single walker for your compassion and kindness. This year we opened the event to younger people, plus we added a wheelchair and push chair friendly route, of 2.5 miles, which has been a popular addition. Our kind sponsor, Drakes Jewellers have been complete diamond supporters, everyone involved from volunteers, to the event village venue Argyle, we could not run this event without their kindness, so thank you.
“The event means we can continue caring for future generations to come at home, in Derriford or our specialist unit at Turnchapel. Thank you again to everyone involved.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MNW22-POST-EVENT-BLOG-HEADER.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2022-07-25 17:00:382022-07-26 18:56:21BLOG: Plymouth tickled pink for hospice care | Midnight Walk
Thinking outside the box: introducing brand b.kinda
Cheap, trendy and disposable, fast fashion is ruining our planet. Find out how a new venture supporting St Luke’s compassionate care is a style-savvy, purse-friendly way of fighting back.
Since our earliest days, in the 1980s, St Luke’s has been an innovator – a leader rather than a follower in the hospice sector, setting the bar high not only for patient care but in our fundraising, retail operations and the specialist education and training we provide for health and social care professionals, all of which generates vital income for our charity.
Did you know, though, that we also have St Luke’s Ventures (SLV), a trading company we established in order to make profits that support our compassionate care? For example, our popular weekly lottery is part of this. Excitingly, over the past year SLV has been developing a new brand – b.kinda – as you might’ve seen from social media posts about the launch of its ground-breaking, environmentally friendly ‘mystery box’ concept, which having gone live nationwide is already exceeding expectations.
How the b.kinda mystery box works
For a fee of just £15, the concept – believed to be the first of its kind in the country – enables each style-conscious women who signs up via the website at www.bkinda.co.uk to receive four items of high-quality, pre-loved womenswear by post, beautifully presented in an eco-friendly package complete with a handwritten note thanking her for her recycled purchase. The twist is that the items she receives are ‘sight unseen’, having been handpicked for her by the b.kinda team in accordance with the details she provided via a simple questionnaire before placing her order online.
Taking note of her clothing size, the age-range to whose style she gravitates and the colours she does not warm to, the team – Victoria Lammie, Gemma Axworthy and Sharon Clemens, assisted by volunteers – scans rail upon rail of second-hand womenswear options, all of which despite being of excellent quality (many with the tag still on!), have not sold when displayed in our charity shops.
Each b.kinda customer is sent clothes carefully selected for her to love and keep. If, however, there’s an item she decides she doesn’t like, we’re encouraging her to fully embrace the circular economy by clothes swapping with friends or donating the item to charity rather than throwing it away.
So, as our ‘new kid on the block’, just how did b.kinda and our mystery box idea come about? Mike Dukes, Commercial Director at St Luke’s, explains: “As a charity needing to raise millions each year to provide our service for local families, 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 dent our income as well as scanning the horizon for ways to diversify our income streams so we can channel profits into our hospice care.
“While our network of charity shops continues to generate significant income for St Luke’s, which is really good news, the high level of donations – particularly womenswear – means there simply isn’t enough space to display it all. Over the past five years, we’ve incorporated larger retail premises into our portfolio, but to keep adding more charity shops would simply be too expensive.
“Having already increased with regard to income from our shops and from fundraising, we came up with our mystery box concept because it builds on the recycling we already do so well through selling second-hand goods. As well as being a natural progression, it also provides the opportunity for us to sell donated womenswear nationwide rather than solely on our own patch, greatly increasing our income potential.
“As with any new venture there is always an element of risk, but the mystery box concept is underpinned by our robust market research, which shows that as well as wanting to support a worthy cause by shopping for pre-loved bargains, women who visit charity shops are also motivated by the thrill of ‘the find’. We have gone for a dedicated website rather than listing each item of clothing on our eBay store because with 6,000 donated items of womenswear at any one time, we could never photograph each item, let alone write up the individual descriptions required!
“I firmly believe the timing is right for what we are doing. Due to more people turning to online shopping during the pandemic, they are now far more comfortable purchasing what they need this way. It has become the norm, so it makes good business sense for us to turn this to our advantage. The early signs are really encouraging, but we’re focussing on growing slowly so that we maintain the quality of our offer. The potential is really exciting – over the next five years, our mystery boxes could generate at least half of the retail income we achieve now from shops.”
Taking on an epic challenge in aid of local hospice care
Six big-hearted adventurers from Devon and Cornwall are going further than the extra mile to raise money for St Luke’s by taking on a challenge like no other – they’re going over 5,000 miles!
On Friday 1 July, Jackie Giles and Lewis Philips from Plymouth, Claire Lemasurier from Tavistock, Sophia Wilson from Torpoint, and sisters Chloe Reeves and Holly Fulford from Looe set off on the trip of a lifetime to Malawi in eastern Africa, having already raised more than £28,000 between them for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, thanks to sponsorship from family, friends and colleagues.
The group – all of whom are covering the cost of their trip themselves – are determined to raise even more money to help St Luke’s continue its specialist service for local families affected by terminal illness. Pushing themselves mentally and physically, they are doing this by taking on the epic challenge of climbing Malawi’s highest peak, 10,000ft (3,000m) Mount Mulanje, in just three days.
While in Malawi, one of poorest countries in the world, the group will learn about its culture and use their skills to help make a difference by volunteering with local communities, including in schools, children’s centres and hospices.
For Holly Fulford and Chloe Reeves from Looe, taking on the Malawi Challenge for St Luke’s is their way of saying thank-you to us for looking after their mother Beverly with such compassion before sadly, she died in December 2018, aged 59.
Holly said: “Our mum was such a special person, who meant the world to us. She spent the last 11 days of her life at Turnchapel, where not only was she given amazing care, the team made sure we always felt welcome as a family, even letting us stay over with mum.
“St Luke’s helped us all at an unbelievably difficult time so when Chloe and I heard about the Malawi Challenge in aid of the hospice, we leapt at the chance! Doing something epic is our way of giving back to St Luke’s and helping families like our own.”
To raise sponsorship, the sisters organised a dance-a-thon, a jazz day and a collection on the Torpoint Ferry. Chloe said: “I don’t think there’s anything more important than end of life care, and we don’t talk enough about how amazing hospices are.
“Thank you to everyone who has sponsored us. When we reach the top of Mount Mulanje, we’ll be thinking of our wonderful mum.” Sponsor Holly and Chloe
For Sophia Wilson from Torpoint, the Malawi Challenge appeals to her sense of adventure and desire to support a really worthwhile local cause.
Sophia, 33, said: “I’ve always been passionate about Africa, and the opportunity to raise money for St Luke’s by taking on a tough mountain climb was too good to miss!
“As a dietician at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, I work alongside the St Luke’s team that ensures patients with terminal illness receive the bespoke care they need at the end of their lives. It’s given me insight into the vital work of the hospice.
“I’ve put lots into training for the Malawi Challenge, so a huge thank you to everyone who’s got behind me. Every penny of sponsorship raised will help keep St Luke’s doing what they do so well for families across the community.” Sponsor Sophia.
Our thanks to Sophia, Holly, Chloe, Claire, Lewis and Jackie for taking on such an epic challenge, and to every person who has sponsored them. Your kindness counts more than you may ever know!
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Malawi-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2022-07-04 18:31:242022-07-04 18:36:44BLOG: Taking on an epic challenge in aid of local hospice care
St Luke’s goes back to where our retail success began
In our 40th anniversary year, we have cut the ribbon at premises on the same city centre street where we opened our first-ever charity shop nearly four decades ago.
When St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s new retail store in New George Street welcomed its first customers on Monday 4 July 2022, it was a case of the present echoing the past. Having launched our very first shop elsewhere on the same road in the 1980s, our charity has come full circle back to where its retail success began.
Located between Greggs bakery and the large corner unit that formerly housed Poundland, our new St Luke’s shop is stocked with good quality, pre-loved homeware, including cushions, curtains, throws, glassware and crockery – the kind of items that have been much harder to find in the city centre since the closure of department stores such as Debenhams and British Home Stores. Also on sale are clothes, books and bric-a-brac all donated by our St Luke’s supporters.
Mike Picken, Head of Retail at St Luke’s said: “Opening a new charity shop highlighting our trusted brand in – or near – one of the communities where we deliver our care is always exciting, but the launch of our latest store feels extra special.
“Back in the late 1980s, we opened our first shop to help generate more income to support St Luke’s compassionate care. We’d been deluged with items donated by a community who’d taken the hospice to their hearts. Ever since then, donations have remained high and our customer base loyal because people recognise their support benefits families in their own local area right when they need help most.”
“Our New George Street shop complements our existing outlets in the city centre – Drake, where the focus is on higher-end ladies’ clothes, and Toys R Us, which is very popular for second-hand furniture.”
At the helm of our New George Street store is Manager Julie Bickford, who previously managed St Luke’s Drake City Centre shop. She said: “Ever since we opened on Monday, there’s been a real buzz because we’ve been busy serving St Luke’s regular customers as well as welcoming new faces as word about the store spreads. What we need, though, are more volunteers to help us keep everything running smoothly in store.
“Whether you can give a day of your time each week or just a few hours, it will be so appreciated. You’ll be part of a friendly team making a vital difference with one of our city’s most respected charities.”
St Luke’s New George Street shop is open Monday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. Anyone interested in volunteering there should call our volunteer services team on 01752 401172 or email volunteer@stlukes-hospice.org.uk
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/George-St-BLOG-HEADER.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2022-07-04 17:21:482022-07-05 13:37:15BLOG: St Luke’s goes back to where our retail success began
What could be better than winning a stunning custom VW T6.1 campervan? To also have the option of donating £500 to a well-deserved charity of your choice!
We’re so touched by the generous gesture of local lady Joanna Davis, who has chosen to give her prize money to our charity in recognition of the vital service we provide for local families going a very difficult time.
Joanna’s dream scenario became reality when she found herself the proud winner of ‘Walter the Wasp’ campervan after trying her luck with Aspire Competitions, a Yeovil-based company which regularly gives away prizes worth tens of thousands of pounds.
Though she never expected to win, Joanna’s name was called out on Aspire Competitions’ live draw, after the 38-year-old professional had let the fact that she had entered slip her mind! Needless to say, that day Joanna became the owner of a camper that succeeded all of her expectations and fell in love with the prospect of freedom and travel entering her life once more.
With every sell-out camper competition, Aspire Competitions donates £500 to a charity of the winner’s choice, giving every participant the knowledge they are donating to a good cause. To date, they have given well over £60,000 to various charities.
For Joanna, there was never any question which charity she wanted to benefit from her win. With a friend working as part of our team, and knowing people who have received our care, she was keen to kindly ensure we received the donation to help our patients. She said: “The support St Luke’s gives to patients and their families is phenomenal.”
A big thank-you to community-spirited Joanna. Learn more how you can get involved.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Joanna-BLOG.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2022-04-26 14:12:312022-05-10 12:46:34BLOG: Generous Joanna backs our care
It’s straightforward to do, helps protect your loved ones after you die and ensures your estate is dealt with in the way you choose, yet many of us put off making our will.
With this in mind, St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is encouraging people to take advantage of its Make a Will Week (9 – 15 May), when community-spirited local solicitors are giving their time free of charge to create or update wills in return for a donation to the much-loved local charity. The funds this raises help the hospice continue its vital service for families across Plymouth and surrounding areas.
Having a will can help bring you peace of mind, knowing that when you die your wishes will be carried out. It is also an act of kindness for the loved ones you will leave behind because having a record of your wishes will make an already distressing time for them that little bit easier. A will also avoids everything you own being shared out in a standard way defined by law, which might not be what you want.
Making a will is especially important if you have children or other family who depend on you financially, or if you want to leave a gift to others you care about.
Speaking about the event, St Luke’s Head of Fundraising Penny Hannah said: “Our Make a Will Week is an ideal opportunity to make or update your will, especially if your marital status has changed, you have bought a house or recently added to your family.
“People often forget that it is not always about sorting out the financial aspects. A will ensures your final wishes are clear. Your possessions and property are going to the right place, and the family and children you leave behind will be looked after.”
Creating or updating your will is also a time when you might choose to leave a legacy to a cause close to your heart. For St Luke’s, it is the funds the charity receives through legacies that help the hospice plan for the future so that no-one in the local area who has a terminal illness need miss out on high-quality care at the end of their lives.
“Leaving a legacy to St Luke’s is a compassionate gesture that helps future generations and makes more of a difference to our patients and their families than you will ever know.”
To create or update your will, simply contact one of the solicitors taking part to make an appointment between 9 and 15 May, quoting ‘St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth Make a Will Week’.
A full list of participating solicitors can be found here!
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MAW22-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2022-04-27 12:43:292022-06-01 14:39:05PR: St Luke’s Make a Will Week May 2022
A multitude of men gathered in solidarity at the weekend to show their support for one of Plymouth’s best-loved charities and the specialist service it provides for local families.
St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s sell-out event Men’s Day Out, which returned on Saturday 23 April, saw 2,000 men walk a 12km route, starting and finishing at Plymouth Albion RFC. With many stepping out in memory of loved ones cared for by the charity, the annual event is the biggest men’s charity walk in the South West, if not the whole of the UK.
Sponsored by JEM Scaffolding Ltd, the day of fun and banter was enjoyed by men of all ages and fitness levels, raising much-needed funds to help St Luke’s continue its compassionate care for local people with terminal illness in their last months, weeks and days of life.
The charity, which has been providing its service free of charge to patients for 40 years, relies on the support it receives from the community to do this. Looking after people with cancer, motor neurone disease and other progressive, life-limiting conditions, the hospice team provides not only expert medical care but vital emotional support for patients and their relatives and friends, making a difference at the toughest of times.
Importantly, Men’s Day Out gives the guys who take part the opportunity to talk as well as walk, supporting each other and sharing memories of those close to them who have died but will never be forgotten. Recognising that it is often the case that men struggle to reach out for support when they need it, this year’s event was also attended by national mental health charity Samaritans.
Participant Darren West from Plympton, who was walking in memory of his mum, said: “The atmosphere at Men’s Day Out is really relaxed, and as guys we find it easier to chat with each other over a beer. I think the event has a very positive effect in that way as well as raising money for such an important cause.”
Among the other men taking part was Jared Lovell from Derriford, walking in memory of his grandmother Sandra Cross, who was looked after by the hospice at home before sadly, she died in 2020.
Jared, who was walking with his stepdad Dean Roberts, said: “Nan was such a special person, who always saw the best in people and brought out the best in them, too. She was the matriarch of the family and the glue that held us all together.
“The care she received from St Luke’s at home at the end of her life was superb and it helped granddad, too, easing some of the pressure on him. Doing Men’s Day Out is a great way to give something back to the charity that helped our family just as it does for so many others.”
Also taking part was Antony King from Plympton, walking in tribute to his father-in-law, Adrian. Antony, who was joined on the walk by friend Kevin Wearne, said: “Adrian was an amazing man. He was very intellectual and outgoing, and he loved travelling to Italy with his wife Mary. When he got cancer, it was a such a difficult time so we were really grateful when the hospice team got involved.
“Adrian was looked after by St Luke’s at Turnchapel and then they cared for him at home because that’s where he wanted to spend his last days. St Luke’s staff are second to none and Plymouth is very lucky to have them. That’s why we support the charity as much as can through events like Men’s Day Out, Tour de Moor and Open Gardens.”
Nina Wearne, Partnerships Manager at St Luke’s, said: “There is something very heart-warming about seeing so many men turn out in support of St Luke’s, and with 2022 being our charity’s 40th anniversary year, this time it felt even more special.
“A huge thank-you to everyone who took part and raised thousands of pounds to help us meet the rising cost of providing our service for families across Plymouth and its surrounding areas. We are also very grateful to the local companies who get behind our event and, of course, to our all our wonderful volunteers, who kindly give their time to help the day run smoothly.
“Such kindness from our community has kept St Luke’s going for the past 40 years, and income generated from our events, including Men’s Day Out, will help us continue doing what we do best, looking after people with terminal illness so they can make the most of every day and create precious memories with the people who matter most to them.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/MDO22-POST-EVENT-BLOG-HEADER.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2022-04-25 11:47:222022-04-28 10:49:44PR: Guy power! – thousands of men on the march for hospice care
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