St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is sad to announce the immediate closure of our b.kinda coffee shop off the Ridgeway in Plympton.
Unfortunately, financial challenges, including large and rising overheads, have made it challenging to make the coffee shop commercially successful, in spite of all the hard work and dedication of its staff and the loyal support of local customers.
When our commercial arm opened the business 15 months ago, the aim was to explore a new, sustainable income stream with all profits going towards funding the end of life care we provide for patients and their families.
These days Jenny works part-time, three days a week. In her spare time she loves to go on adventures with her husband, Mark, in the campervan he converted himself.
“I love to travel and my husband flies paragliders, so we often end up going to flying sites around Wales, Cornwall or Scotland, and sometimes abroad to The Alps.”
Jenny doesn’t fly these days, but she especially enjoys long walks with her dog, Dylan the labradoodle, who she describes as “adorable”.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Jen-Blog.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2024-12-29 06:18:192024-12-20 06:24:08BLOG: Jenny’s 30 years of making someone’s day a bit better
As modest as he is kind, Andy Campbell would never describe himself as a ‘hospice hero’, but having reached the milestone of 35 years’ dedicated service with St Luke’s – making him the team’s longest serving current employee – it’s a title that could not be more deserved.
Behind the doors of St Luke’s you will find an intricate web of volunteers keeping our charity running.
This week is Volunteers’ Week (3-9 June), a chance to celebrate the wonderful team of volunteers that keep the cogs of St Luke’s turning. From working in our fleet of shops, to volunteering at our specialist unit, our volunteers are the backbone of our organisation.
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.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Running-Diaries-Blog-Header-2024-Francis-Clark.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2024-04-10 05:41:222024-04-09 12:44:18BLOG: The Running Diaries – PKF Francis Clark
Nick Thomas, a highly experienced NHS senior manager, has been announced as the new chair of St Luke’s Board of Trustees.
The retired deputy CEO of University Hospitals Plymouth is passionate about quality and believes St Luke’s has a pivotal role to play in raising the standards of end of life care across the wider local system, while maintaining its own well established commitment to service excellence.
He takes over the voluntary role from Charles Hackett, who had been chair since December 2022 and previously served as a member of the board for five years.
“It is a massive privilege to take on a role such as this because St Luke’s has such a huge reputation,” said Nick, who has enjoyed a rich career encompassing multiple aspects of health and care at UHP, including planning, IT, estates and finance.
“You can stop almost anyone on the street in Plymouth and they will have a story to tell about St Luke’s and it’s always positive, which is remarkable. I cannot think of a more prestigious charity to be involved with.”
Originally from Llanelli in South Wales, Nick has lived and worked in Devon for nearly 30 years, becoming part of the community in Ivybridge and in Plympton, where he and his wife now live.
He first came across St Luke’s in the late 1990s as part of a Common Purpose development initiative for board level managers, building a network around how Plymouth is run as a city through core areas like housing and health.
“That is when I first discovered the impact the work of St Luke’s has on end of life care. Then, during my time at Derriford, I became much more aware of St Luke’s.
“At a workshop to discuss health care of the elderly, virtually every example of best practice in end of life care related to St Luke’s; which is remarkable.”
Over the years his attention has returned again and again to the importance of end of life care and a deepening appreciation St Luke’s values around death and dying.
A very personal experience shone the spotlight even further on the importance of everyone having the chance of a “good death”.
“When my father-in-law was coming towards the end of his life he was admitted into hospital. They said he was responding well to treatment and gave the impression he was getting better. No one mentioned the ‘d’ word.
“When I pulled the doctor aside and asked what the prognosis was, he said my father-in-law might recover from his current infection, but then there would be another and maybe another and eventually he would run out of physiological reserve and die. I remember thinking that we need to talk in a different way about this and not give false hope on the premise that it is somehow ‘kinder’. My mother-in-law needed to prepare herself mentally for the inevitable and this sort of ‘kindness’ simply delayed the inevitable reality.
“A pathway coordinator said that he would be discharged into residential care, adding, ‘I’m sorry, but he’s not close enough to death for St Luke’s’. I’m not sure what that meant, but he died a week later.
“I think part of St Luke’s responsibility is to show what good looks like and help others to attain those heights.”
An accountant by training, Nick has most recently been involved in making business cases and business plans and putting commercial projects together.
He believes his experience chairing two other local charities: the Eddystone Trust supporting people with HIV and other blood viruses and Plymouth Access to Housing working with the homeless and people at risk of becoming homeless, will stand him in good stead at St Luke’s.
His other experience includes being a non-executive director at Plymouth Science Park, a member of the Scan4Safety and Quality Improvement national advisory boards, treasurer of Elfordleigh Golf Club and board advisor to Plymouth CIC Engaged Communities.
Trustee and deputy chair Martin Walker said: “All the trustees were delighted to formally approve Nick’s appointment as our new chair. During his application and interview, his leadership skills, charisma and broad experience stood out. Nick brings a wealth of experience from senior NHS management roles, commercial projects, and several positions in the charitable sector. We all look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”
Outgoing chair Charles Hackett added: “I can’t think of a better person to succeed me as chair of the board. Nick is fully in tune with the organisation’s values and the bigger picture of what St Luke’s incredible expertise and strong reputation can offer the broader healthcare system in Plymouth and beyond, and passionate about quality of care.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Nick-Thomas-Chair-Announcement-2024-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2024-02-12 05:00:452024-02-09 13:52:20BLOG: Introducing Nick Thomas, the new chair of St Luke’s board of trustees
When accounts assistant Lewis Kendall posed for a photo in his gown and mortarboard outside Exeter Cathedral recently, it wasn’t only his long-awaited college graduation he was celebrating.
The occasion also marked the official end of his time as a St Luke’s apprentice and acknowledged his role as a fully-fledged, permanent member of our Finance Team.
This week is National Apprenticeships Week (5-11 February), a chance to shine a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.
Lewis, from Plympton, is now a proud ambassador for St Luke’s apprenticeships, speaking up about how they allow you to learn on the job as well as support you to study for relevant qualifications.
It proved to be the perfect option for the 27-year-old who was thrilled to find an alternative route into his chosen field of finance and accountancy.
He explained: “I didn’t really know what to do after A levels. I got three Bs in Maths, History and Business and went to university at Swansea for a while. I liked the course and the subject, but I didn’t get along with the university style of teaching, so I decided to come home and work for a bit.
“If someone had told me at the time that there was a really good apprenticeship scheme, rather than going to university, then I would have jumped at that.”
Lewis struck lucky when he spotted an advertisement in May 2019 for a finance apprentice at St Luke’s.
“I had a really good interview and was taken on by St Luke’s as part of the finance team, with a day of study leave each week to work towards professional qualifications with the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) through Exeter College.
“I would definitely recommend apprenticeships. I liked the way I could be taught on day release because you are not just studying, you have work responsibilities too. You pick up practical skills in the workplace – stuff that you would not learn in the classroom. I also felt really supported, not like Uni where you can feel like you are on your own.
“And because St Luke’s were so generous in paying for my course, I felt a good pressure to do well.”
Lewis did do really well in his Level 2 and 3 AAT studies, despite having to study mostly online because of Covid restrictions, so St Luke’s gave him the opportunity to carry on to Level 4 – the top AAT qualification.
“This time I had to travel up to Exeter every Wednesday and St Luke’s were kind enough to cover the cost of my fuel, and in January this year I heard that I’d passed Level 4.”
The icing on the cake was the chance to receive his certificates at a graduation ceremony at Exeter Cathedral last month, watched by his mum and dad and his girlfriend, Eloise.
“It was a great day celebrating achieving my qualifications. My mum and dad were really proud, especially because I had previously withdrawn from university.”
Numbers might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but Lewis loves them and he’s proud to be part of a background team that is absolutely essential to the smooth running of the organisation.
“We are quite an unseen specialist team that makes sure the hospice is financially stable,” he explained. “I think the best thing is knowing that the hard work that we put in helps support the services that all the people at front of house provide – our care teams, our fundraising team, our shops.”
Before qualifying Lewis’s role was mostly dealing with day to day income and financial queries around donations, working closely with fundraising and supporter care.
“My team is great. St Luke’s recognised my qualification and experience and had a reshuffle so I could have a place in the finance management side of the organisation.”
As a fully qualified Accounts Assistant he spends more time now working with Management Accountant Nicola Willcocks.
“The work I do now is really satisfying in that we are dealing with lots of income and expenditure, putting together all the backroom financial information, helping the management accounts team make decisions about, and analyse, budgets.
“But I don’t just sit at a desk and play with numbers. I like talking people through the numbers if they need any help with that. Giving them all the information they need enables them to make decisions. I gather the data that helps inform those decisions.”
Underpinning everything Lewis does at St Luke’s is a sense of pride in the organisation.
“St Luke’s provides such a unique and great service. I live in Plympton, and it feels good to see our cars going out to see patients, knowing that our team helps to make that happen. It’s wonderful that people in the community look so fondly on St Luke’s and get so excited about fundraising for us.”
When he can, Lewis likes to help out at some of St Luke’s flagship fundraising events.
“Volunteering at Midnight Walk is probably one of my favourite things to do. It’s great to see so many people who are working a full day and then are prepared to walk miles around Plymouth until two in the morning to raise money for St Luke’s. I do the donations side, making sure the money collected gets safely back to Turnchapel. And I am there afterwards giving out tea, coffee, prosecco and chocolates.
“It’s great being sat at a computer with the numbers but actually seeing people out like that is wonderful. It fills you with pride.”
Outside work, Lewis lives at Chaddlewood with Eloise, and in his spare time he’s a keen golfer and one of the current captains of Thurlestone Golf Club.
“I absolutely love it. St Luke’s was the club’s charity of the year last year, which was wonderful – they raised a lot of money for the organisation.”
As a hospice, St Luke’s can offer a number of different apprenticeships like Lewis’ to both internal and external candidates. Apprenticeships can range from administration to events management, retail logistics to health and social care, roles in finance to leadership and management. We pride ourselves on ensuring that all our apprentices are part of the St Luke’s family benefiting from our values and support.
If like Lewis, you would be interested in an apprenticeship at St Luke’s you can find out more here.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Lewis-Blog-1-2-24-1.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2024-02-04 09:01:322024-02-05 13:33:43BLOG: Lewis flies the flag for finance and St Luke’s apprenticeships
Creating happy memories has always been a special part of Matt and Kelley Avery’s life together. A formidable, fun-loving team, they’ve certainly collected a bumper package of magic moments over the past 17 years, despite weathering some very tough times.
The couple have shared numerous incredible holidays in the UK and around the world, on their own, with friends, and with their children. They’ve danced the night away at family and friends’ weddings and been the life and soul of countless dinner parties and new year celebrations, as well as murder mystery and hot tub evenings they’ve hosted at home.
And who could forget the romantic hot air balloon adventure that former Miss Plymouth Kelley booked as a surprise that confirmed she and Matt were made for each other?
But they certainly didn’t expect to be adding to their positive standout memories when Matt was admitted to St Luke’s specialist unit a few weeks ago, weak and in terrible pain.
Nevertheless, there were a few big surprises in store for the carpenter, funky house DJ and Rat Pack fan and his wife – not least him feeling well enough to go home to Sherford, where he’s now spending precious time with Kelley, their daughters Madison, 15, and Lacey,11, son Harrison, six, and spaniel Chester, nearly 13.
On top of expert care, the whole family – including the dog – felt welcomed, supported and thoroughly spoilt by St Luke’s friendly and understanding teams who all went above and beyond to create a positive experience.
There was an impromptu birthday party for Matt, Halloween fun with pumpkins, quiet times with his parents in the hospice gardens, arts and crafts sessions for the children and a unique Plymouth Argyle treat that put the icing on the cake.
“Four weeks ago, I was up in bed in complete pain thinking that was it. I went into St Luke’s at Turnchapel with worries because you think ‘Am I going to be able to come out?’ Some people don’t. But there are people who do, and I am one of them,” said Matt. “I had such a good experience in there, the way they looked after me and reassured me all the time.”
Matt was first diagnosed with a rare form of cancer – GIST or gastro intestinal stromal tumours – when he was 31, back in 2009. The news came just five weeks before he and Kelley were due to get married. Matt had started chemotherapy treatment, but the wedding went ahead as planned at Plymouth’s Continental Hotel, with 140 guests – and more in the evening, when a Rat Pack singer sang some of Matt’s favourite songs. “The best wedding present was being told that he was responding to treatment,” said Kelley.
After a successful operation on his bowel and liver at Derriford Hospital, Matt has continued on slow release chemo treatment ever since, enjoying months and years of feeling fit and well, interspersed with sporadic bouts of ill health.
Cancer was part of his and Kelley’s everyday reality, but they didn’t let it stop them living life to the full or affect their dreams of adding to their family. Lacey was born in 2012, Matt trained hard and ran the Plymouth Half Marathon in 2015 in just two hours, and in 2017 the couple welcomed Harrison into the world.
Kelley, a former Miss Plymouth, who worked for an estate agency, said: “I thought the best thing to do was to keep to a routine with the children, with work and with life in general. Of course, the focus is going to be on the person who is poorly, but you have to be the glue holding things together.
“The week leading up to each check-up appointment would be filled with stress and tears, then that would be it for another three months. It was time to put worries to the back of our minds and we lived like that for years. It was hard going, but we had some great times.”
As a family they enjoyed lots of caravan holidays in Cornwall, heading for Polzeath, where Matt could indulge in his love of surfing and the children became confident “water babies”. Another favourite has been Center Parcs, where they relished adventures on two wheels.
Matt added: “We are quite positive people and that is what has got us through. We gradually got into a routine. I looked fit and healthy and normal and generally life was manageable.”
But despite additional expert input from Cambridge GIST specialist Dr Ramesh Bulusu, eventually the cancer spread to Matt’s bones, and he started radiotherapy treatment.
In January this year the doctors told Matt there was no more they could do to treat him and in October his health took a turn for the worse. He was unable to eat and was losing weight fast. He and Kelley had been referred to St Luke’s and they called clinical nurse specialist Debbie Hutchinson for advice.
“We got the doctor out and Debbie came too. For pain management’s sake they said let’s get you into Turnchapel,” recalled Matt. “I was not ready in my mind for that. I don’t know how it’s going to be down the road, but my feelings then were, ‘I’m not ready for this but I need it’.
“They made me feel so welcome. The care they give you is so different. I got to know all the nurses and staff and you are on first name terms with everybody, including the doctors. They are so friendly and so polite.
“They started off trying to control my pain and my nausea. I hadn’t really eaten for weeks. When I was on chemo it was a form of treatment that made me put weight on – and I liked a pasty too. But I’d gone down from 15 stone in January to 11 stone.
“When you are medicated up, days just go by and you don’t even know if you’ve been fed or not. Then, when you are feeling like you can get up and do stuff, they are still there and you realise what they have done for you.”
A week after he was admitted, it was Matt’s 46th birthday and the St Luke’s team pulled out all the stops to help make it a memorable day for him, Kelley, the children and their close family.
Matt said: “We’d had a meal out booked for the Saturday with family and friends, but we couldn’t do that. The staff rallied round and got pizza and balloons and we had a family gathering. It was just a lovely thing for them to do.” They also surprised him with a cake and a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday.
“It was very important for the occasion to be marked, especially for the children. That personal touch was just lovely,” added Kelley, who has nothing but praise for the support they received from the whole inpatient team and individuals like Debbie, and support worker Lisa who is part of the team on the Patches programme that helps patients’ children and grandchildren.
“St Luke’s have been amazing for me, Matt and the children. Patches has been great. They have provided arts and crafts and fun stuff the children can do.”
At Halloween, Kelley, Madison, Lacey and Harrison brought in Chester the dog, along with some pumpkins, and spent time together carving them into ghoulish faces in the unit’s family kitchen. “Matt was given a really, really small pumpkin to carve. Then we came out into the garden and it was all lit up. We were able to put the pumpkins out all in a row. To share that moment together was very, very important. It was an opportunity to make memories that we might not have had,” said Kelley.
Perhaps the most spectacular memories the family made together was when football fan Debbie told Matt she had two tickets for him for Argyle’s match against Middlesborough on 4 November.
“I’ve always been an Argyle fan. I’m from Plymouth so it’s going to be my number one team. I couldn’t thank her enough… and then it escalated,” recalled Matt.
Argyle player Finn Azaz, one of St Luke’s regular volunteers, went to meet Matt in his room at the hospice with volunteer Elliott Darcy, who coordinates Argyle visits for St Luke’s patients and their families. A 20-minute visit turned into an hour and a half.
“I could have been sitting in the pub with them having a chat. We got on really well,” said Matt. “Then Finn asked what is your son called and does he like football?”
The next thing Matt heard was that Finn had put Harrison forward as a mascot for the match. On the day, Matt was there in the crowd with Kelley’s dad when Finn brought the six-year-old onto the pitch in front of a huge, cheering Green Army. And that wasn’t all. Harrison was given a new Argyle kit and his sisters also got to watch the game and meet all the players.
“It was a brilliant day and we cannot thank Finn and Argyle and St Luke’s enough for all of it. It’s made the best memories,” said Matt, who is grateful to be back on his feet.
“You get that stigma about going into St Luke’s. Four weeks ago, I was up in bed in complete pain thinking that was it. They’ve sent me home with the right medication and they’ve explained everything. And we have great after care. I didn’t even know hospice care at home existed. Debbie might as well move in!”
Kelley added: “We’d felt like we were in such a hole in a way. Matt’s quality of life was quite small. When things came to the point when he was in so much pain, we thought St Luke’s would be end of life care. But there was light at the end of the tunnel and we actually got Matt back.”
She has this advice for anyone who find themself in a similar situation: “It’s important to make sure you have a good connection with someone like St Luke’s, or the Mustard Tree at Derriford.
“When they say give us a call if you need anything, do call them. Everybody needs support. You can never get through this on your own.”
The couple are also incredibly grateful to all their family – especially Matt’s mum and dad, his brother Scott, and Kelley’s parents – for being there to support them in so many ways.
Last, but not least, Matt has some special words for his children: “We are very, very proud of them. I’d like to tell them to keep being yourselves and working hard! They each have their own personalities and they are all very caring. We are so lucky.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Matt-Kelley-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-11-10 17:47:582023-12-06 14:05:44BLOG: Memories are made of this – magic moments with Matt and Kelley
Punk drummer Dave Whatmore was thrilled to be right at the heart of the action when his friends staged a unique farewell gig in his honour.
It’s not often someone gets to attend their own send-off, but the best, and only, seat in the house was reserved for Dave at the punk all-dayer held on last Saturday (14 October) at The Junction pub in Plymouth.
Featuring some of his favourite local bands, and some from farther away, it wasn’t only an epic party that everyone who came will never forget, it also raised more than £2,000 to split between his chosen charities – St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth and Macmillan.
“There’s no point having a party while you’re lying in a coffin, you’ve got to do it before you go,” said Dave, 58, a familiar face on the Plymouth music scene, who has a terminal cancer diagnosis and is being supported at home by St Luke’s.
“We held a ‘sorry to see you go’ charity gig at the Junction on Mutley Plain, a going away party type of thing. It was a nice little tribute and nice to be there and see it, rather than them doing it while I’m dead. A lot of people don’t get that chance.
“I couldn’t have wanted anything better than that. It was great fun and very nice of them to do it. There were so many people there. I sat in my seat with a circle of protectors around me. I knew pretty much everybody there. A lot of people I hadn’t seen for 30 or 40 years. It was so nice to see everyone and for them to actually be able to come and speak to me.”
At the end of April, after an episode of acute chest pain, Dave was told that he had inoperable cancer and that he might not make it to Christmas. He took a little time to digest his prognosis before his punk rebel spirit started to kick in.
“They told me I’m probably not going to see Christmas. My reaction was to buy a ticket for next February to see a band at The Junction,” said Dave, speaking at home in St Judes, surrounded by his faithful dog Poppy, his partner Alice, her two dogs Pinky and Troy, and their little cat.
He acknowledged that it was the support of St Luke’s clinical nurse specialist Debbie Hutchinson that has encouraged and enabled him to keep living in the moment and make the most out of the time he has left, to the best of his ability.
Like many people, Dave had a limited idea of what hospice care means or what to expect from St Luke’s before having a personal connection.
“I didn’t really understand what St Luke’s did and the help and love they give until I met Debbie. I thought hospice care was going in somewhere, being in a bed, shut away and you’re going to die. It isn’t anything like that.
“I get visits at home, and I get what I need to be able to do things for myself. Debbie and St Luke’s are just a phone call away if I need anything, which I have occasionally, and it’s been sorted straight away. They sorted out my medication when I would have been two days without it. Thanks to Debbie I wasn’t. I love that lady, she’s great – like a second mum. It’s a joy that there are people like Debbie and her friends who are willing to look after people and in a worse state than me.
“OK, I’m going to die at some point, but that is going to happen to us all at some time, it’s just going to be a little sooner for me than I anticipated. I’m not going to be down and angry about it. I want to enjoy what time I’ve got left and enjoy my friends because, apparently, they enjoy me.”
Immunotherapy treatment has helped Dave to feel stronger in the short term, harnessing the energy and drive to make special memories.
“I know I’m going to deteriorate; it is going to get worse and worse, but until that point, until I can’t do anything for myself, I’ll keep doing as much as I can,” added Dave, whose favourite bands of all time are Stiff Little Fingers and The Stranglers. He’s been getting out to as many gigs as he can. Just a couple of weeks ago he was able to travel to Torquay to witness PiL, another long-time favourite, in action. He also has his eye on one last outing for his own precious drum kit.
Dave’s connection with the Plymouth music scene goes back four decades. He has played drums with several popular local bands, includingMad Dog McRea in the early 1990s, Bateman and Unusual Stars. Punk is in his blood, and he has been building up a great collection of live videos from gigs he’s attended, sharing them on his YouTube channel (UPK Dave) – including his own farewell party.
Friends initially wanted to take Dave to this year’s Rebellion punk festival in Blackpool. Realising he wasn’t well enough to go they pulled out all the stops to bring the party to him and let him know how much he means to them.
Called A Gig for Spotty – Dave’s nickname inspired by the green-spotted Mohican-haired sidekick of 1980s kids’ TV hero SuperTed – it featured six bands and was organised by his mates Tom Proctor and Kevin and Alison House, with Mickey Byrne and Sweary Mark on guest DJ duties.
“It is really, really lovely. They put it all together in a couple of months. They rang up the bands and they said yes. Cult Maniax from Torrington split up 20 years ago but got back together for this gig, with two original members. We were all together back in the 1980s,” explained Dave, who used to sport his own impressive red Mohican back in the day. “One band came all the way from Blackpool and there was another band from Bristol and the others from Plymouth.”
The full 2-11pm line-up featured Bus Station Loonies, Hellwigs, Wags to Wytches, The Hate, Bad Blood and Cult Maniax.
Co-organiser Kevin House wrote on Facebook: “No words to say how proud we are of absolutely everybody connected with this and I don’t just mean the people that organised, helped, bands, the venue, I mean all of you that came and supported… The party for Dave Whatmore that was the whole reason for this, I hope we did you proud Spotty…”
The last word goes to Dave: “We did this thing, we made some money, and I chose who I wanted it to go to. I’ll be happy if it helps at least one person.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Dave-Whatmore-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-10-20 17:06:582023-11-29 08:58:03BLOG: Dave lives his best life at punk party send-off
Most of us, when we look back on our career, want to feel we’ve made a difference – that the weeks, months and years have really counted and we’ve left the world better than we found it. This is a big part of what makes our lives meaningful, and it’s a great motivator to keep doing the work we do or, perhaps, change direction completely.
If you’ve never considered working as part of our hospice team – or thought about it but not yet gone ahead – it’s worth knowing our staff often tell us it’s been the most fulfilling part of their career – by far! And we’re not just talking about St Luke’s doctors and nurses here – it’s our equally dedicated people working more behind the scenes, too, from kitchen and maintenance staff to administrators, fundraisers, and finance, marketing and IT buffs. All play a vital role in the trusted service our charity provides – free of charge – so that no-one in our community needs to miss out on gold-standard care at the end of their life.
Hospice Care Week (9 – 15 October) is an opportunity for us to say an extra-big thank-you to each and every one our dedicated, hardworking crew. We see you, we value you, we celebrate you!
With demand on our services growing, it’s more important than ever that we continue to attract talent across our services, from hands-on care and bereavement support to our charity shops and fundraising events. As an employer of choice, we want our staff to enjoy coming to work. We offer a positive, supportive and inclusive environment that encourages them to thrive, and attractive benefits and rewards, including generous annual leave and a cash-back scheme to help with everyday health costs, such as dental and eye care.
So, if you’ve been on the fence about working for our hospice, the time to apply is now. It could just be the most life-enhancing move of your career.
We look forward to hearing from you! Visit our job vacancy page and set up a job alert.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hospice-Care-Week-2023-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2023-10-05 12:09:242023-10-05 12:10:51BLOG: Make every day count as part of our hospice team
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Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.
We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.
We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.
Other external services
We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.