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

21st July 2026

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 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.

Martin Bownman, Operations Director at TEC Construction, said: “We were approached by St Luke’s to say that they were looking for someone to help put an extra special touch for Christmas. We came up with the idea of putting the lights on the Christmas tree which is straight outside the patient wards. So we approached a couple of our local subcontractors at LTC Access and ACD Electrical and together we managed to get some lifting equipment here and put the lights on the tree for the duration of Christmas for the patients.”

A local Plymouth-based company, TEC Construction are no strangers to helping St Luke’s, holding an annual winter dinner and dance at Boringdon Park Golf Club, which this year raised an impressive £14,000 for our patient care.

Martin added: “It’s great to see the local community getting involved and supporting St Luke’s. It is a small thing we can do, but it is such a big thing for patients and families to actually be able to look out the window and feel the magic of Christmas.”

Pupils from Key Stage 2 at Hooe Primary Academy made the trip to the hospice, to help bring some Christmas cheer to the evening. For many of the children, it was the first time coming to a hospice, which can often be a daunting prospect.

Mr Sullivan, Key Stage 2 Lead at Hooe Primary Academy, said: “Speaking to the children around things that happen not just on a global scale but also on a local scale – I think sometimes the things that are a little bit closer to home can get missed. We talk about lots of global issues but actually having this as an opportunity to come up and visit some people who unfortunately are going to pass away at some point.

“It’s important for the children to have an experience of that and I think to do it in an age-appropriate way that’s not scary for them and not something that’s going to make them feel upset or uncomfortable or worried is really important as well, reducing that taboo and letting them know that actually it’s okay to come to somewhere like this and it’s not somewhere you have to be scared of. It’s quite a warm pleasant place to come and giving them that positive relationship, may put a positive idea in their head that it’s not somewhere they need to be fearful about.

“To be able to bring a little bit of Christmas cheer is really important to us, but also to the children to understand that not everyone is as fortunate as them and to just bring that little bit of a smile to a few people’s faces.”

Thank you to TEC Construction, LTC Access, ACD Electrical and Hooe Primary Academy, together you have helped to create a magical start to the season, bringing light, joy, and a true sense of community to our hospice.

Our care at Turnchapel

Related articles

, ,

St Luke’s appoints new Chief Executive

St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth welcomes Will Warrender as its new Chief Executive from April 2027, bringing extensive leadership experience and a longstanding connection to the charity.
, ,

Connection, community and giving back: Why Caroline loves volunteering for St Luke’s

A chance visit turned into something special. Discover how volunteering at St Luke’s has brought friendship, laughter and a sense of belonging to Caroline and her son Clayton.
, ,

Nearly 1,000 cyclists saddle up for St Luke’s Tour de Moor challenge

Nearly 1,000 cyclists took on Dartmoor for St Luke’s Tour de Moor 2026, with 952 riders tackling three challenging routes. From families enjoying the Mini-Moor to seasoned cyclists conquering Beast Mode, participants came together to raise vital funds for specialist end-of-life care, many riding in memory of loved ones.
, ,

Our Guiding Lights shine bright as auction finale raises £200,000 for hospice care

Our Guiding Lights shone brighter than ever as the spectacular auction finale raised an incredible £200,000 for hospice care. Every sculpture found a home on the night, thanks to the generosity of our passionate supporters and everyone who helped make this unforgettable campaign possible.
, ,

Dave’s reason to ride: Making every mile matter

Dave will take on Tour de Moor for the fourth time this October, riding in memory of two much-loved members of his family and encouraging more friends to join him. For Dave, it’s about challenge, camaraderie and helping St Luke’s continue to make a difference.
, ,

Anna Gelderd MP backs fairer end-of-life care

Cornwall MP visits St Luke’s and backs fairer end of life care on both sides of the Tamar.
, ,

Tourist sisters travel from Essex to see Guiding Lights shine

Essex sisters Maria and Emma travelled to Plymouth for the first time, drawn by their love of charity art trails and St Luke’s Guiding Lights.
, ,

How our community is taking St Luke’s Guiding Lights to heart

A month into St Luke’s Guiding Lights, thousands have taken to Plymouth’s streets to explore the trail. Discover the incredible community spirit behind the sculptures and what’s still to come.
, ,

Sanctuary: a lighthouse beaming with love, care and compassion

The best artworks aren’t just beautiful to look at - they tell a story. Artist Alice Nimmo’s Guiding Lights design, Sanctuary, does both.
PreviousNext

Our Care

Support us

Courses

Information

Community spirit shines bright as Plympton street supports St Luke’sRunning for care: Darite’s festive dash