Do you work in health and social care? If so, we need your views to help shape how our services will look over the next three years.
At St Luke’s, we design our specialist care and support around the ever-changing needs of our patients and their families, and the contribution we can make as a partner in the wider health and social care system. Our community is so important to us, we trust and value your views and want to provide a service that suits you.
We’re putting together our three-year strategy. Would you help us get this right by taking part in our survey, answering key questions about what we do now and how we could best develop in the future? We will listen to all your feedback, together with that of patients and their families as well as our staff and volunteers.
Thank you so much – we really appreciate your insight and time.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Healthcare-Professionals-Survey-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2024-02-07 12:44:482024-02-07 13:20:19BLOG: Help shape our services in your community!
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
If there’s one gift you can give us over this new year, it’s five minutes of your time to share your thoughts about our services.
We’re proud of the compassionate end of life care we provide for our patients and their families. But we’re always seeking to improve and make sure we’re meeting the needs of our local community, where progressive frailty is overtaking cancer as a major factor in our ageing population.
That’s why we’d like your feedback as we look ahead to the kind of services that we should be providing over the next three years. Whether you’ve had experience of St Luke’s care, you support us through fundraising or you’re a customer in our shops, your opinion matters to us.
Would you answer a few key questions to confirm that we’re heading in the right direction?
As a thank you, we ran a draw to win tickets to a Plymouth Argyle match of your choice and we are pleased to announce the winner is Peter Wilson. Thank you to everyone who has completed the survey already.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Strategy-Survey-Call-to-Action-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Robert Maltbyhttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgRobert Maltby2024-01-02 11:48:062024-01-18 14:25:14Survey: Please will you help us shape our future?
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
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
Kind-hearted sponsors play a huge part in enabling St Luke’s key fundraising events to happen year after year, bringing in hundreds of thousands of pounds to support our compassionate end of life care.
Members of Plymouth’s independent business community whose generosity helps make our flagship fundraisers such a rip-roaring success were invited to our Turnchapel headquarters to receive a huge heartfelt thank you on behalf of everyone at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth and those whose lives we touch.
It was an opportunity not only to receive personal thanks from St Luke’s Head of Fundraising Penny Hannah, events lead Georgina Mayhew, events advisor Chloe Symons and new partnerships advisor Kim Dover, but also to meet each other and reflect on how and why they support the hospice and what it means to them.
Jackie Spiers, widow of Michael Spiers, founder of the renowned Plymouth based jewellery retailer, attended the reception with marketing and PR manager Fiona Spear, proudly standing close to the Memory Leaf the family sponsors in memory of her husband.
Michael was cared for at Turnchapel and at home before his death in 1999 and since then the business has supported St Luke’s in many ways. They are currently the main sponsors of St Luke’s popular Midnight Walk, which this year has so far raised more than £125,000 for patient care.
Jackie said: “St Luke’s is our favourite charity from the heart because when Michael was here, he was happy. The first time he came he was apprehensive, but the was soon very content flirting with the nurses who were all lovely. There is a lovely family feel here.
“I won’t say Michael loved coming here, but he wasn’t worried or anxious about it because everyone was so kind. He was in the inpatient unit for about a week the month before he died to sort out his pain relief, and he later died at home.
“The staff are wonderful and do an unbelievably good job and that’s why we support St Luke’s and we will carry on sponsoring Midnight Walk.”
Gordon Maunder, company chairman of Marchand Petit estate agents, came to the breakfast with marketing manager Rebecca Martin. The company became co-sponsors of Midnight Walk in 2023, after Gordon’s mother, Christine, was cared for at home by St Luke’s leading up to her death in 2022.
Gordon said: “My mother always thought that giving was almost a selfish act because it makes you feel good yourself, and I agree with that. You never know when it might be you who needs St Luke’s help so, from a personal point of view, giving a little something is a good thing to do.”
Jo Young and Kerry Hogan are partners in NFU Mutual Plymouth and have been sponsoring St Luke’s Open Gardens scheme for the past three years, helping to raise £55,000 this season alone.
Jo and Kerry said: “Although we don’t have a personal connection to anyone who has been cared for by St Luke’s, a lot of our customers and members do and it’s a charity everyone knows about.
“For our business it’s about wanting to give something back to the community. We share the same values and the same geographical area as St Luke’s and our relationship with Open Gardens is a perfect fit for our business.”
Jonathan Philpotts, director of Plymouth Golf Centre, is a new sponsor who recently came on board to support St Luke’s corporate Golf Days and attended the breakfast with golf operations manager Sam Stephens.
Jonathan said: “I have always been very much in awe of what St Luke’s does. It is just incredible, and the staff always have a smile on their faces. St Luke’s has been very helpful to a lot of friends of mine. Then in 2019 my business partner John Spry had end of life care from St Luke’s at home.
“We had already supported St Luke’s for about ten years with little prizes here and there. When we were asked to come on board with the rebranding of St Luke’s Golf Days we thought it would be brilliant to get involved. As well as a support package we are giving a prize package worth around £1,200 for Golf Days held in aid of the hospice.
“We like to do our bit. I have always taken part in Men’s Day Out… and never made it back to the rugby club once!”
Karl Welburn of Print Copy Scan has sponsored our Tour de Moor cycle challenge for the past six events, as well as taking part himself.
“If you live in Plymouth you will know someone who has a relationship with St Luke’s. The events are good fun alongside something that is so sad. I just really enjoy it and the people you get to work with.”
Darren Toms, managing director of Jem Scaffolding is a familiar face for many people at St Luke’s, especially at Christmas time when he becomes a “secret Santa” donating gifts and festive food for patients and their families.
His company are long time sponsors of Men’s Day Out, St Luke’s most successful annual event which this year raised more than £140,000.
Darren became involved after his father, Jim, was cared for by St Luke’s at home and in our specialist unit in 2018.
Paul Montgomery, aka Sir Fix-a-lock Ltd, supports several of St Luke’s flagship events at once by sponsoring all the signage used for Men’s Day Out, Tour de Moor and Midnight Walk, as well as flying the charity’s flag in a host of other ways through the year.
St Luke’s Penny Hannah said: “You are all so important to us. In the past year you have helped us to raise more than £600,000 and that represents a huge amount of care for our patients and their families. We can’t thank you enough.”
If your business would like to get involved, there’s a host of opportunities available to support St Luke’s and our events through sponsorship and regular giving, and we’re always ready to listen to your ideas. Please contact our fundraising team at partnerships@stluke-hospice.org.uk
Lifelong Plymouth Argyle fan Ray Rogers became a VIP for the day when he was treated to prime seats for the match against Blackburn Rovers last weekend thanks to a heart-warming new regular guest ticket arrangement between St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth and the club.
The 77-year-old grandfather, who is receiving care at home from St Luke’s specialist nursing team, was the first to benefit from the new initiative set up in memory of much-missed club ambassador and commentator Gordon Sparks, and sponsored by PLG Consultants, Devon-based disability and accessible property specialists.
In a move that makes it possible for fans like Ray to witness their team in action at Home Park, two privileged accessible seats have been reserved for a St Luke’s patient or family member and their guest for every Argyle home game in the 2023-24 Sky Bet Championship season.
Not only will they have a great view from PLG’s wheelchair accessible branded viewing platform in the Beacon Electrical Lower Mayflower stand, but they’ll also have the dedicated services of volunteer Elliott Darcy to make sure their visit goes smoothly, plus vouchers for refreshments, and regular check-ins on the day from St Luke’s nurse specialist and Pilgrims’ fan Debbie Hutchinson.
Ray, who lives at Southway, has been an Argyle fan since he was a child and his dad used to take him to Home Park. He’d been a regular season ticket holder until this year when his health deteriorated, and he was thrilled to be able to attend a match again.
“It’s difficult for me to get there now. I can’t handle the steps,” said Ray, who has been treated for colon cancer. He was accompanied on Saturday by his youngest grandson, Dylan, 19.
“Just being there was great. And they had a good result as well – 3-0 against Blackburn Rovers. I really enjoyed the day and the fresh air. I had a nice comfy chair. I shared a pasty with Dylan and had a cup of hot Bovril. Everything about it was wonderful.”
Ray also got to meet and have his photo taken with former Argyle Captain Gary Sawyer and was given a match programme.
Ray’s wife, Wendy, said they were delighted when St Luke’s clinical nurse specialist Alex Chapman visited them at home and told them Ray could have the tickets.
“She said they were VIP tickets and that he would be met, and they would provide a wheelchair,” said Wendy, who drove Ray and Dylan to the game. “Everyone was so helpful when we got there, including the car park attendants who found us a space. Elliott was a very nice chap and Ray was really well looked after.”
The seeds for the new scheme were sown when Sparksy was receiving care last year from St Luke’s both at home and in the hospice’s specialist unit. He chatted to clinical nurse specialist Ali Griffiths about their mutual love of Argyle and how he wanted to make it possible for patients who are Pilgrims fans to get to the club’s home games. Almost a year after the popular BBC Radio Devon broadcaster’s death the idea has now blossomed into reality, with the help of key partners and a willing volunteer.
Daniel Pippen, Argyle Supporter Relations Manager, said: “Our teams are passionate about delivering the very best experiences for our supporters, and this initiative will help us to do exactly that for those cared for by St Luke’s. We know this will make a real difference to those who will visit us through the scheme and hope it will stand as a fitting legacy for our beloved Sparksy.”
Phill Gill, PLG Consultants Managing Director, added: “We have been looking at ways of supporting the club in a way that fits the work we do. Having listened to and been friends with Sparksy for many years and seen the tremendous help St Luke’s gave to my best friend’s sister earlier this year it felt like a great initiative to be a part of.”
Purely by chance, 28-year-old volunteer Elliott, a boxing coach from Plympton, contacted Argyle to volunteer at exactly the right time to help get the programme off the ground. A keen Pilgrims supporter, he had been moved by the story of young Sunderland FC fan Bradley Lowery who had terminal cancer and was helped to get to as many games as possible, and he said he was keen to support something similar in Plymouth.
“I contacted Argyle to suggest this, and Dan told me about the scheme being set up in memory of Gordon Sparks. I never expected it to get to this point – it’s great that it is actually happening. I’ve agreed to be there on a voluntary basis for every home game to meet the St Luke’s guests and look after them from start to finish,” said Elliott. “Kindness costs nothing, but I haven’t done anything like this before, so it’s very new to me and I’m finding my feet. It was really great to meet Ray, and Dylan did a fantastic job looking after his granddad.”
St Luke’s Head of Fundraising, Penny Hannah, added: “This is very special! If someone is a fan and have been for years, they do not want to miss out and often one of their last wishes is to be at Home Park. All of us at St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, and especially our nurses, are overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity shown by Argyle and PLG, by creating this gift to the patients in our care and their families who wish to get to a match, just as Sparksy wanted.”
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/PAFC-Sparksy-September-2023-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2023-09-05 14:22:082023-09-05 14:33:09BLOG: Sparksy’s legacy for St Luke’s Pilgrims fans
Nurses’ hands aren’t only for delivering compassionate care. A band of community-minded military nurses put their green fingers to good use recently on voluntary weeding and seeding duty in the grounds of our specialist unit at Turnchapel.
It’s hard graft every day on the wards of Derriford Hospital for the members of the Joint Hospital Group South West, so it was a breath of fresh air for them to roll up their sleeves and lend St Luke’s garden team a hand last week.
When they’d finished outdoors, they spruced up the Memory Tree in the conservatory at Turnchapel, polishing the leaves so that each one shines brightly for the special loved one they honour.
The enthusiastic Armed Forces group were pictured at the end of their afternoon session along with St Luke’s maintenance worker Dave, maintenance volunteer John, and specialist unit nurse Rachel.
Laura Champion, lead for the JHGSW group said: “We really enjoyed the experience and it’s something we would do again. In fact, we would like to make it a regular thing.
“We’d had end of life training, learning about what to do when someone dies on board ship. We decided we wanted to do something useful for St Luke’s for our team building session, so we emailed to offer our services.”
Laura, who toured the specialist unit with group member Poppy Archer-Dunne as part of their first ever visit, added: “We do get patients who go on to be cared for at St Luke’s specialist unit and it really helps to be able to picture where they are coming to.
“We were aware of St Luke’s excellent work in Derriford, but it was so beneficial to get a better understanding of the unit and find out how St Luke’s operates in the community.”
Poppy said that as well as giving St Luke’s a helping hand, the nurses got a lot back from by their visit.
“It’s lovely and peaceful here – it has a very nice vibe. I found it really therapeutic. We were very lucky with the weather, and we were very well looked after.”
Plymouth is the base port for all the nurses – a mix of Royal Navy and RAF personnel. They keep their skills up by working at Derriford in between deployments.
“A lot of the nurses are a long way from home, with many living at HMS Drake, and they don’t know Plymouth very well. It was great for us to get out of the city a bit and enjoy the amazing views here.”
At St Luke’s we welcome volunteer groups from local organisations and businesses. Our corporate volunteering days are great for team building, while supporting end-of-life care in your community. Find out more by emailing corporate@stlukes-hospice.org.uk
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Military-Nurses-Blog-Header.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2023-08-27 10:00:322023-08-24 21:38:16BLOG: Military nurses sign up for garden duty
Our avid cyclists choose to take on our Tour de Moor for a variety of reasons, including the thrill and challenge. But for many, there is a much more sentimental reason for taking part.
Callum Storr and Cameron Oakley are flying the flag for fundraising in amongst their training for the charity ride on Sunday 8 October.
The 19-year-olds from Plymouth and Lawhitton, Launceston, have not only been pounding the pedals in preparation for the big day, but they have been working hard to secure donations from friends and family as part of their fundraising journeys.
Both friends have experienced the care St Luke’s provides within their families and so decided to honour their relative’s memories by aiming to each raise at least £100 for our compassionate care on their JustGiving pages.
Callum is fundraising in memory of his great grandma, who was cared for by St Luke’s. “What’s better than doing what you love and raising money for a charity which helped my family when my great nan Pat had cancer and needed it the most?” he said. “So, I thought it was my time to give back and to help the charity that helped our family.”
Cameron will be cycling in memory of both his aunt and uncle, Sue Strohmeyer and Peter Oakley, who both received our care.
Cameron said: “My uncle Peter and I shared a birthday but unfortunately I never had the chance to meet him as he died of a heart attack before my birth. I’ve been told by my dad that St Luke’s helped him through his end-of-life process which is very comforting to hear.
“My auntie Sue, I happily had the pleasure of meeting and seeing fairly often when I was younger. She sadly had cancer and in 2012 we thought we would all go on holiday to Turkey for her last holiday. A year later she was the placed under St Luke’s care for her end-of-life care, I always remember going in and talking to her about my day or other day to day things.”
The pair will be taking on the 52km route, which has been enhanced for 2023 and will see them face plenty of on and off-road challenges to put their cycling skills to the ultimate test. Despite the unrelenting rain, they have been busy getting out on their bikes at any opportunity this summer, practising some longer rides to prepare them for the big day.
Callum said: “I’ve only just started getting into mountain biking as a hobby recently because of Cameron, who took me on my first proper mountain bike trail from Burrator Reservoir to Princetown and back where I fell in love with mountain biking. So Cameron told me about Tour de Moor and what it’s about, so I agreed to do it with him while raising money for St Luke’s and doing what I love.”
This will be the second year in a row that Cameron will be taking part in our Tour de Moor, but this year he is determined to raise as much as he can through his fundraising.
He said: “I did Tour De Moor last year for the first time but unfortunately didn’t make a fundraiser page due to me signing up so late. This year I thought I’d do Tour de Moor again but try to raise as much money as I possibly could to help others.”
While jumping on your bike is the first step, many may not realise that your registration fee only covers the costs of running the event, it is the money you raise in sponsorship for our Tour de Moor that makes the real difference. By setting up a JustGiving page like Callum and Cameron, you can help us to continue to provide compassionate end of life care, free of charge, for everyone in our community who needs it.
The inspiring duo have set themselves a goal of each raising £100, with the added challenge of doing the ride in fancy dress as a banana and flamingo if they achieve their goal.
If like Callum and Cameron, every Tour de Moor cyclist commits to raising at least £100, we’ll collectively have enough to care for 100 families at home at the most crucial of times, just like we did for their families.
What’s more if you raise over £100 in sponsorship and have paid it in by 26 November 2023 you will be entered into a draw to win an exciting prize! So don’t forget to set up your JustGiving page here and join the big-hearted bunch of cyclists taking on Dartmoor in October.
Sponsored by Print Copy Scan, a local supplier of printers and copiers, our Tour de Moor challenge is best known as an adrenaline-packed two-wheel quest that can test the skills, fitness, and endurance of even the toughest of cyclists. But it’s so much more than that. With three distances and difficulty levels to choose from, it’s the ultimate inclusive family friendly cycling adventure.
https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Pushing-Pedals-Blog-17-8-2313.jpg7731030Gabby Notthttps://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/st-lukes-hospice-plymouth.svgGabby Nott2023-08-18 12:54:562023-08-18 12:57:00BLOG: Pushing the pedals for hospice care
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