Tag Archive for: charity work

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BLOG: The story of a St Luke’s collecting can

The story of a St Luke’s collecting can

What’s orange and black and (hopefully) full of cash? It’s me, of course. I’m a St Luke’s collecting can. I sit on the counter in shops, pubs, clubs, cafes, garages, pharmacies, betting shops and takeaways – anywhere with generous customers who like to fill my tummy with their spare change.

I don’t suppose you think about me much. I’m just there, instantly recognisable, wearing my distinctive St Luke’s logo with pride, as people kindly pop a few coins, and occasionally a paper note or two, through the slit in my head, knowing that their donation is going to support local families at a really difficult time in their lives.

That’s all you probably need to know, but there’s actually a lot more to discover about me and my hundreds of friends who are at this very moment dotted all over an area of more than 700 square miles around Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall.

We don’t just hang around in one place, you know. We’re vital cogs in St Luke’s well-oiled community fundraising machine and we’re constantly on the move. So, what does go on in the life of a collecting can like me? As I can only speak from my own experience – and I really do love almost every minute of it – I decided to spend a bit of time with someone who knows the ins and outs of the whole journey.

It usually starts with me and some of my mates in a big bag in a car boot (where I can feel a bit queasy, to be honest). But for one day only I was allowed to sit up front next to Ray Satchell, St Luke’s esteemed can collector, to follow him on his rounds and ask a few questions about the bigger picture.

Ray’s our boss. I’ll never understand how he keeps tabs on us all, but he’s very organised and has lots of charts and tick boxes and tools to work out when and where he needs to pick us up or drop us off.

Anyone can tell that he’s passionate about his job. Starting off as St Luke’s official can collector back in 2015, he hangs out with us three days a week, and then, as part of his new title of supporter adviser, he spends a fourth day out and about delivering leaflets and posters to promote St Luke’s big fundraising events, like Midnight Walk, Tour de Moor and Men’s Day Out. I’m not sure his brain ever switches off.

Ray always has his eye out for new supporters and one thing that really puts a smile on his face is delivering a St Luke’s can like me to a place that’s never had one before. He’s done that 78 times in the past year, and that’s 78 more opportunities for me and my friends to fill up with cash to support the heartfelt and comforting end of life care our organisation provides.

Like everyone else, we’ve just been through a bit of a tough patch. It was all going great guns until something called Covid put a spanner in the works. When all the shops, pubs and restaurants shut, and people had to stay indoors, it was pretty lonely – and hungry – for us cans. I know my stomach was rumbling.

Four years ago, we brought in £87,000 in 12 months. After Covid, our totals had dropped 25 to 30 per cent. Ray was a bit worried about how more people using contactless cards rather than carrying cash would affect donations, but he’s delighted that the cans are rattling well again now, and the amounts are starting to creep up.

He’s hoping this year’s can collection total will be around £60,000 – that’s enough to care for around 60 St Luke’s patients and their families at home. How brilliant is that?

But it’s not just about the money. We are the familiar face of St Luke’s that people see most often when they’re out and about in their local communities. We remind them that our wonderful hospice care teams are there to help when they need it most.

Quite often we’ll find ourselves sitting next to a can from another national or local charity, like the Air Ambulance or the lifeboats. I don’t mind that too much. It stirs up a bit of friendly rivalry and a certain satisfaction if you fill up faster than your neighbour, but we definitely fare better on solo duty!

Ray has divided the huge area he covers into 17 distinct patches, with a total of around 1100 businesses with cans displayed at any one time. There are between 700 and 800 cans in the city of Plymouth alone, with a few outreach areas – places like Looe and Torpoint, Kingsbridge and Salcombe on the fringes of St Luke’s catchment area. Each day he’ll make 20 to 30 visits with the aim of bringing back at least 15 full cans.

At quick win locations we cans are jam-packed within a couple of weeks – corner shops like Costcutter, Premier and the local Co ops are all reliable, apparently. In a lot of places it will take three to six months, or longer, before we’re ready to collect.

People’s generosity never ceases to amaze Ray, he says. The average amount inside a full collecting can is £25. In corner shops I’m used to people popping in their change when they come in to buy a paper or a pint of milk. Children can be really big-hearted too, giving me the 20p or 30p left over when they buy their sweets or crisps.

In the pub sometimes a group of pals will spot me and start chatting about a friend or family member who was cared for by St Luke’s before they died and then they’ll decide to show their appreciation by stuffing me with five and ten pound notes. I fill up pretty quickly then, I can tell you! People do feel very strongly about supporting their local hospice and that’s great for me.

Today Ray and I are on one of the long-distance runs, starting just over the Cornwall border in Launceston. A full can often weighs more than 3kg, so when Ray parks up in a town centre like this where there are quite a lot of stops, we get to ride on the trolley he keeps in the car. It certainly saves his back on a day when he could end up hauling around 30-40kg.

There are some lovely loyal supporters all around this North Cornwall community. At Westgate Greetings Cards a full can is waiting out the back and there’s another out on the counter with plenty of coins in.

Owner Trish Sampson agrees that St Luke’s is really popular with her customers.
Around the square at Finlay’s newsagents another of my pals is almost brimming over. They only ever collect for St Luke’s in there, apart from supporting the Poppy Appeal each autumn.

The local Coop, where they keep a can beside each of the two tills, the White Hart pub, the Co-op Garage on Western Road, and Greenaway’s Garage at Newport all hand over a full can and Ray replaces them with empty ones.

Of course, there’s always one of us on the counter in St Luke’s own shops, like the big store at Hendra Way in Launceston. Ray pops in there for a chat with staff member Colette Hardy and comes away with another of my well-fed mates.

With his heavy load safely locked in the boot, Ray drives us across into Devon and along the old A30 to Lifton’s Strawberry Fields farm shop and café where they hand over three weighty cans – an excellent result.

Our next stop is a trip down memory lane for me. I’ve enjoyed a couple of happy stays on the counter at Lewdown Village Stores in my time. It’s a fabulous, old-fashioned little sweet shop and grocery with a post office counter, and it’s great to see owner Elizabeth Copper still collecting for St Luke’s. She and her husband David have been running the place since 1969!

That’s 13 years longer than St Luke’s has been going! After a quick break to stretch our legs, get a breath of fresh air and say hello to the ponies in the beautiful and dramatic landscape of Dartmoor, we reach Princetown post office, our final call, and our last full can changeover.

As we drive back towards Plymouth and St Luke’s HQ at Turnchapel, I feel sad that my special adventure is coming to an end, but there are still a couple of important elements of my story to tell you about.

After Ray has locked us away safely at the hospice, trusty finance office volunteer Otto will come and relieve us of our heavy cargo, tipping out all the coins and notes – not to mention the occasional unwanted boiled sweet or bus ticket – bagging and totting up the cash, and recording the total for each can. It’s important that all our supporters know how much their cans raise and our supporter care team sends each of them a personal thank you letter.

Once Otto has emptied our bellies, we wait patiently in big plastic bags for Ian and Sue to fish us out. By the time these hard-working volunteers get their hands on us we can be pretty grubby, to be fair. It’s an amazing feeling when they give us a wash and a spruce up, with fresh labels ready for our next assignment.

These two clean around 2,500 cans a year, and they’ve been doing it for ten years now, getting through 60 or 70 collecting cans a day, as well as fitting in some of the big buckets that go round at events like Men’s Day Out.

That’s it, then… we’re back to the beginning of the story and we’re back in the boot of Ray’s car (feeling a bit queasy), excited to represent St Luke’s out in the community, each of us making a small but significant difference as part of the big fundraising jigsaw.

Before I go, I’d just like to remind you that however large or small the donation you drop into a can, we treat it with the care and respect it deserves, knowing that every penny counts when there’s such important work to be done.If you know someone who would welcome a collecting can like me for their business, just give St Luke’s Supporter Care a call on 01752 492626, email info@stlukes-hospice.org.uk or send us a direct message on our social media channels.

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BLOG: Look after your loved ones this Make a Will Week.

 

Making a will is often a task we put off for another day. But recording your wishes is actually a very straightforward process, as well as an act of kindness for those you leave behind. With that in mind, St Luke’s is inviting people to take advantage of their Make a Will Week, which runs from 15 – 21 May 2023.

Community-spirited local solicitors are giving their time free of charge during the week to create wills, in return for a donation to our charity, with an option to also leave a legacy for St Luke’s. The funds this raises will allow us to continue our valuable end of life care and support services for families in Plymouth and surrounding areas for years to come.

Having a will in place can bring you peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that your wishes will be followed through after your death. For your loved ones, having an official record of what you want to happen will make an already distressing time a little bit easier for them. A will spells out exactly how you want your estate to be distributed, rather than everything you own being shared in the standard way specified by law, which might not match up with what you would prefer.

It’s especially important to make a will if you have children, grandchildren or other family members who depend on you financially, or if you want to leave a gift to people or organisations you care about. It’s also crucial to update your will when personal circumstances change, for example, if you get married or divorced, purchase a property, have children or grandchildren, or if a partner or other family member dies.

The generous companies taking part in St Luke’s Make a Will Week include GA Solicitors, Bright Solicitors, Windeatts Solicitors, Roper James Solicitors, SWLaw and Woollcombe Yonge Solicitors and they are available for face-to-face pre-booked appointments during the week of 15 – 21 May 2023.  We have also teamed up with the online will writing service Farewill, which will provide a convenient and quick way of recording your wishes without having to even step out your door.

St Luke’s Head of Fundraising Penny Hannah said: “As we get older it is easy to overlook recording our wishes for when we’re gone, but our Make a Will Week is an ideal opportunity to make or update your will and bring peace of mind for the years to come.

“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 can choose to leave a legacy to a cause close to your heart. For St Luke’s, it is the funds we receive through legacies that help us plan for the future so that no-one in our local community who has a terminal illness will have to miss out on compassionate care at the end of their lives.

Penny Hannah said: “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 15 and 21 May, quoting ‘St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth Make a Will Week’.

Book your appointment today!

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BLOG: Marking volunteer Margarethe’s silver service at St Luke’s

Back in 1998 Margarethe Marsh walked into her local St Luke’s charity shop and offered to help once a week. Twenty-five years on, she’s still volunteering at our Saltash branch and loving every minute of it.

This week shop manager Hayley Pollard was joined by St Luke’s head of retail Mike Picken and retail area manager John Saunders to congratulate Margarethe on her inspirational long service and present her with an engraved plaque, a certificate of recognition and flowers, as well as plenty of cake to share with her shop colleagues.

When Margarethe began volunteering, the Saltash St Luke’s shop was at the top of Fore Street, virtually next door to the opticians where she worked part time. Looking for something worthwhile to fill her time after her two daughters had grown up and left home, she popped in to ask her friend Brenda, then the shop manager, if she could lend a hand.

“And the rest is history,” laughed Margarethe, 74, whose infectious smile and ready humour light up the whole shop. “I knew Brenda socially and I had heard about St Luke’s, Dr Sheila Cassidy and the history of how it all started.

“I didn’t have any personal family reason for getting involved – I was very lucky then to have a healthy family – but it was a way for me to give something back.”

Living locally with her husband, she has been a stalwart of the volunteer team at Saltash once a week ever since, moving with the shop when it relocated to more modern and spacious premises closer to the Tamar Bridge around eight years ago.

Turning her hand to anything that needs doing, from serving customers and manning the till to sorting through donations, steaming clothes, pricing items and putting them out for sale on the shop floor, Margarethe says nothing much has changed over the years, apart from people’s attitudes to charity shops.

“They don’t have the stigma they used to,” says Margarethe. “There’s certainly nothing musty or smelly about this place and we’re very lucky with the donations and support we get here. Because St Luke’s is local, people are very generous.”

One of the aspects she enjoys most is the chance to spend time with a wide variety of people and she has a special camaraderie with her fellow volunteers and a great relationship with manager Hayley, as well as regular customers.

“It gives me friendship and a reason to be out,” adds Margarethe, whose activities have become a little restricted by a degenerative eye condition. “I can’t read, the TV is blurry and I’ve had to give away all my craft materials because I can’t see well enough any more. But there is always something useful for me to do here.”

She especially enjoys meeting the younger volunteers. “It’s lovely because you can be cheeky and fun with them. You can give them the benefit of your experience and you can learn a lot from them too.”

Find out more about volunteering with St Luke’s here.

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BLOG: Reflections from CEO Steve

With my retirement as St Luke’s Chief Executive coming up on 4 May, I want to take this opportunity to say what an immense privilege it has been to serve at the helm of our hospice for the past six years.

It would be far too difficult to home in on just one or two memories that I will take with me from my time as CEO, and my years as Deputy and HR Director before that, so instead I’ll share the overriding feeling I am left with as I approach retirement.

It really has been way more than a job – it has been the most incredible journey, working alongside our amazing staff and volunteers, and I speak from my heart when I say I am very proud of what we have achieved together, always putting the best interests of our patients and their families at the centre of what we do.

I want to say a huge thank-you to everyone I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with at St Luke’s. The dedication all our staff and volunteers show to our community day in, day out is second to none, and I say this recognising that maintaining such a high calibre of service is often very challenging in the face of growing demands on our hospice team. I am so grateful to have ended my career at a place where everyone cares so much and is working towards the same, shared goal.  

The decision to step away has not been an easy one, but I am retiring at the time that feels right for me, professionally and personally, and with the assurance of knowing that St Luke’s incoming CEO, Christina Quinn, is absolutely the best pair of hands to receive the reins from me.

She will be supported by the same great group of senior management colleagues I have been fortunate enough to work alongside.

For those of you who don’t already know, until last November Christina was Chair of our charity’s Board of Trustees. She comes with not only her trademark dynamism and many years’ experience at senior level within the NHS, but also the knowledge, wisdom and insight gained from six years of leading our governing body, during which time we have weathered the pandemic and gone through transformation.

I want to thank current Chair of Trustees Charles Hackett (and former Chair Christina), and every other member of our board for their support over the years. Being a trustee is a massive responsibility and they work tirelessly to steer our charity safely towards our vision. We could not do what we do without them.

As I prepare for my retirement (I’m still getting used to that word!) and then ‘decompressing’ from the huge responsibility of running a hospice, I want to let you know that I am not thinking of this as ‘goodbye’. While I won’t be interfering in the running of St Luke’s, I’ll be following St Luke’s with interest and great affection – and you’re bound to see me pop up, getting muddy at Tour de Moor and no doubt volunteering at Midnight Walk.

In signing off this last message as St Luke’s CEO, I want to say thank you again to everyone for their support in making sure St Luke’s continues to be the safe haven our community needs for anyone diagnosed with, or affected by, life-limiting illness.

Thank you.

Head Teacher
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BLOG: Meet the former Head Teacher blossoming as part of our team

Head Teacher

Meet the former Head Teacher blossoming as part of our team

Until recently, Dave Cantin was a teacher in a large Plymouth primary school, where he focussed on creating the right conditions for students to achieve their potential. His 33-year teaching career also includes Deputy Headships and Headships of two Cornish primary schools. Now, he’s two months into his new role working more outside than indoors, and in a completely different sector where our team all go the extra mile to help ensure people at the end of their life get the most out of each day.

So, what was it that motivated Dave to resign from his teaching job and make the leap to become one of our Maintenance Assistants, caring for our beautiful gardens at Turnchapel and contributing to the smooth-running of all St Luke’s facilities, from our specialist unit to our charity shops?

Dave, who is 55 and lives on the Plymouth side of the Saltash Passage, explains: “While I enjoyed my career in teaching and school management, after 33 years I knew it was time for a change otherwise I might always be left thinking, ”What if?”. I’ve always loved being outdoors and have a real passion for gardening, so when my wife saw the job with St Luke’s advertised she just knew she had to show it to me. I’d reached a time in my life where I was able to re-evaluate and choose a new direction if I so wished.

head Teacher

“I wasn’t put off by the idea of working for a hospice. It’s not depressing or distressing – in fact, the opposite is true. I already knew this because when my mum received hospice care in another part of the country, I witnessed not only great warmth and sensitivity in the way she was looked after but the uplifting atmosphere and camaraderie between the people working there. The same is absolutely true of St Luke’s – you only have to read all the heart-warming stories local families share about the precious memories the team helped them and their loved one create.

“It’s natural to feel a bit apprehensive when starting any new job, never mind one so far removed from what you’re used to, but I can honestly say I’ve felt at ease from day one. Everyone is so friendly, and there’s no ‘them and us’ feeling between the staff and volunteers – it’s one team made up of people with different skills, strengths and experience, where each person is valued for who they are and what they bring.

“At the moment, I’m mostly working in the gardens, which I feel is a privilege because they aren’t just ‘any’ gardens, they’re a haven for Turnchapel patients and a special place bereaved families often return to because they find such comfort there. With the remodelling of the workspaces that’s under way inside the building, I’m also looking forward to getting stuck into some of the decorating that will need doing there.”

“I hope my story shows that it’s never too late to change direction and embrace a new challenge, especially if – like me – there’s a job you have always wanted to try. Being a Maintenance Assistant at St Luke’s has highlighted to me that it takes a multi-skilled team to provide such great hospice care, with dedicated people behind the scenes as well colleagues working directly with our patients.”

Learn more about our current job opportunities.

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Skydive for Grandad

Leaping 15,000 feet from a plane is an exhilarating way to raise funds for our patient care, but what motivates someone to embrace a challenge many would find too daunting?

For nursery worker Rosie Pryce, 23, it is the memory of her much-loved grandad David, who was looked after at Turnchapel before sadly, he died last November, aged 86. Thanks to the outstanding quality of the care David received after he was transferred from hospital to our specialist unit, Rosie is taking on a skydive as her way of thanking our charity for making his last days of life so peaceful and comfortable.

She said: “Grandad was very frail and his condition was deteriorating so he chose not to have anyone visit him at the unit except my grandma Sylvia and their three children, including my dad Kevin. While it was very hard knowing he was so poorly, it was such a comfort hearing from them that he was being looked after by nurses they described as ‘angels’ whose care they said was ‘perfect’.

“I was so reassured to know grandad was in the best possible place for him, with the privacy of a room where grandma could stay by his side day and night. They were childhood sweethearts and married 64 years so spending this precious time together in such an uplifting environment really made a difference to them both at a difficult time.

“The St Luke’s team made sure grandad was pain free, and the nurses were so kind. They turned his bed so he could enjoy the wonderful views out across the water because they heard how he was mad about all things coastal and once owned a boat.

“I have happy memories of days spent with him by the sea, and his love of outdoor swimming was legendary, so it means a lot to know that he could take in a view that was so meaningful to him.”

“When I heard about the opportunity to do a skydive to raise money to give something back to St Luke’s, it really appealed to me. I’m quite a thrill-seeker anyway and felt like I wanted to do something remarkable for grandad because he was such a kind and special person who always had time for me.

“He was a practical joker and that fun-loving side has rubbed off on all our family. Although it’s a big leap, I think the skydive will be great fun so it’s a fitting way to remember grandad and do good for other local families who need the help of St Luke’s.”

Thank you, Rosie – we really appreciate you taking the plunge for our charity!

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New year, new challenges for 2020!

With this week, being not just the start of the new year but a whole new decade, many will be looking to set goals for themselves or even take on an exciting challenge for 2020 – or beyond!

What better way to push yourself out of your comfort zone than by getting involved in a challenging and exciting event that also benefits your community? We are urging you to put your best foot forward, take a leap or even scale the world’s longest manmade structure to raise funds that ensures care in our community

Today, we have launched not just one but two of our most popular flagship events, Men’s Day Out and Midnight Walk, giving people the chance to celebrate the lives of their lost loved ones while raising much-needed income that helps families make memories together when time is running short.

Men’s Day Out, is loved for the rugby, banter and camaraderie and the unity of walking together raises thousands for St Luke’s. Officially, the region’s biggest men-only sponsored event for charity is back this Saturday 28 March. The event, which is Powered by IU Energy, will see guys gather for a day to remember, striding the city streets before they return to Plymouth Albion RFC for a well-earned pasty and pint and the not-be-missed clash between the home team and their Richmond rivals.

Meanwhile, St Luke’s is inviting ladies to turn Plymouth pink on Saturday 11 July, when its popular Midnight Walk returns. This year, the much-anticipated event, which is sponsored by Nash & Co Solicitors, includes a new challenge – 20 miles for 2020 commencing at 20:20 hrs – in addition to the new 5 and 10-mile routes. That’s not all that’s new, because this year walkers will set off from Home Park (Plymouth Argyle FC) and all will be wearing Midnight Walk’s signature bright pink t-shirts. As always, it promises to be a great night out with the girls, with many walking in memory of loved ones.

Nina Wearne, Community and Events Fundraising Manager at St Luke’s, said: “Whether you take part in Men’s Day Out or Midnight Walk as a personal challenge or to celebrate the life of someone special, please know that St Luke’s could not do what they do without the support from you, our kind-hearted community. Perhaps this is your first time, or maybe it’s an event you enjoy year after year; these events are a fantastic way to have loads of fun whilst making a vital difference for local families.”

For those who’d prefer to take the plunge to show their support for St Luke’s, there are opportunities to take part in an exhilarating skydive on Saturday 21 March sponsored by BT Local Business. The 15,000ft leap is free for those who raise a minimum of £395 in sponsorship.

Looking further ahead – a once-in-a-lifetime challenge – The Great Wall of China Trek is taking place from 6 to 14 November 2021, offering participants an unforgettable adventure. Those who are interested are invited to attend an information evening on Tuesday 11 February 2020 to find out more but don’t hold back as registration is already open.

Nina Wearne said: “As well as being a mesmerising experience hiking along one of the most famous structures in the world, this is an opportunity to soak up China’s vast variations in landscape, culture, wildlife and heritage – not to mention cuisine! It’s a fantastic way to do something different and also make a difference.”

Details of these and all St Luke’s flagship fundraising events are available here.

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BLOG: A Spotlight on a hospice Communications and Marketing team

When news came that a patient at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth who desperately wanted to spend precious time with her horse would see her wish fulfilled, the charity’s Communications and Marketing team sprang into action to ensure the horse’s visit to the specialist unit’s grounds to be with his loving owner was captured on video, just as she and her husband wanted. You can read the story here.

Viewed by over 500,000 people online, this moving film not only meant a great deal to the patient and her family, it perfectly illustrates the way the skills of the team dovetail to create impact for St Luke’s, telling our stories both internally to colleagues and externally, including to new audiences as well as loyal supporters.

As with all departments across our charity, it is always ‘patients first’ for this very busy team, led by Head of Communications and Marketing, Robert Maltby, who has been with the charity for over six years. No matter what other work is scheduled, they recognise that prioritising the needs of those in our care is an essential part of making sure they feel special despite their very difficult circumstances.

Robert said: “The film is a great example of the additional people skills involved in our work. It would be easy to think as an outsider a 30-second video is fairly quick and simple to produce. In reality, behind the scenes it took our team of four several days, with many interactions with the patient and their family, to build trust and deliver something that was both respectful and met everybody’s expectations. You are dealing with a situation that can change by the hour and re-purposing content for a multitude of platforms.”

“As a manager, I also have to ensure the health and well-being of my team are a priority, encouraging them to open up about the emotional challenges they may face when working on such an emotive story. It can be very emotionally challenging, but it is a real privilege to be involved with a family at such a personal and private time.”

 

Robert added, “While for many healthcare professionals there are support mechanisms in place, for example ‘clinical supervision’, St Luke’s should be praised for going over and above to support non-clinical staff. Often for every patient video or photo the wider pubic may come across, there are many more videos the team are involved in that stay private for the family. If support wasn’t in place it would ultimately take its toll.”

While the team of four spends much of their time collaborating to make sure the public and other stakeholders, from healthcare professionals to local authorities, are better informed about our vital service, through brochures, feature articles, media relations and social media, they also work hard to meet our charity’s need to engage donors and people willing to fundraise for us to ensure our work continues for generations to come.

From creating and delivering innovative, high-impact print and digital campaigns that help rally thousands to take part in our flagship events such as Tour de Moor and Men’s Day Out, to crafting creative content for Hospice Care Week and the Impact Report, Robert, Jesse (Graphic Designer), Rhianne (Digital Communications Officer)  and Paola (Communications Officer) take pride in producing work that not only boosts awareness but reflects well on the highly professional and compassionate organisation we are.

This commitment to high standards extends to St Luke’s retail network, too. Robert said: “With our chain of over 30 charity shops, as with all our print and digital materials, making sure St Luke’s branding is ‘on point’ is crucial. Our team’s work to build, enhance and protect it is an important part of maintaining the high profile and high esteem we hold in the community and attention to detail really matters. So, whether it’s shop signage, staff uniforms, web pages or leaflets, we are here to make sure the look is right.”

Read the brand and communications guidelines that are the bible behind a great Communications and Marketing team.

When you factor in that the team is also responsible for all St Luke’s social media across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, key internal communications through the intranet and St Luke’s TV screens, and working with the media to deal with their queries and promote important news about our charity, you realise that they are masters of multi-tasking and time management!

The challenges?  “I think our communications challenges are the same as every other hospice in the UK, and that is around the public’s understanding of how hospice care has changed over the years,” said Robert. “People will associate hospice care with a building. That was St Luke’s over 35 years ago. Over 50% of our care is now delivered at home with only 5% in our traditional hospice building.  Taboos around talking about death and dying, and understanding we are about more than just cancer and go beyond serving the city of Plymouth also are communications barriers. However, we are making great progress to change perceptions with stakeholders by ensuring simple key communications messages flow through all our channels at every opportunity.”

What makes a good communications and marketing strategy? “I firmly believe the key to a successful hospice communications and marketing strategy is all about storytelling and a focus on the people. It is not necessarily about the ‘ask’ to get loyal stakeholder buy-in,” said Robert. “As many of my fellow hospice communications professionals will concur, there is a lot more behind the glossy fundraising posters and social media posts. From protecting the reputation of the charity to horizon scanning for new trends and technology, many of these daily tasks happen unnoticed. The future of digital communications is exciting. As regional media declines outside our major cities, becoming self sufficient with your digital content has the potential to reach far greater audiences than relying on a traditional media release”.

Robert concluded, “It’s definitely a challenge though because not only are there so many teams needing our support, we also get affected emotionally when we are meeting patients and their loved ones and telling their personal stories to the world – that’s part of what makes us human.”

Read the stories behind St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.

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