St Luke’s has opened the doors to its brand-new flagship store at Charles Cross – claiming the title of Plymouth’s biggest charity shop.
We have relocated our flagship furniture store from the former Toys ‘R’ Us building at Western Approach to a prime city-centre location, just yards away from shopping hub Drake Circus.
There to cut the ribbon were members of our Urgent Care Team, who are committed to providing our compassionate end-of-life care and bespoke support to people at home.
At St Luke’s we’re an intentionally inclusive organisation, encouraging and supporting a wide mix of people to feel comfortable and confident to be themselves when they are working or volunteering for us.
As part of this year’s National Inclusion Week – and embracing the retail theme for next week’s Hospice Care Week – we’re shining a light on our charity shops and how our managers welcome and support volunteers with learning disabilities and mental health issues, not only to help them add to their skills and stretch their horizons, but to feel truly valued as members of St Luke’s one big team.
This week (6-12 February) is National Apprenticeship Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.
As an employer of choice, St Luke’s invests in developing people. We offer apprenticeships across the organisation to give individuals the opportunity to step into a career progressing role and develop their passion.
We wanted to share some stories from our current apprentices and celebrate them and their roles within St Luke’s.
Selina Rogers is one of our Trainee Nursing Associates, working with our St Luke’s Urgent Care team, delivering end of life care in the community, supporting our patients to die within their own homes.
Having worked her way up through different health care settings to become a Senior Health Care Assistant, she decided to develop her career further and when the position within our urgent care service came along, she jumped at the opportunity to do the apprenticeship with St Luke’s and progress within a team she feels passionate about.
“My background since leaving school many years ago has always been within health care,” she says. “I have always wanted to be a registered nurse but had my son at a young age, so I put my effort into raising my son and put my career on hold.
“The apprenticeship has given me the chance to progress without becoming in debt. In gaining a Foundation Degree at Plymouth University, I have had the chance to experience lots of different working environments within the health care service I would not get the chance to do otherwise, such as a GP practice, a private hospital and community nursing to name a few, so they helped hugely in gaining knowledge in my progression to become a Registered Nursing Associate.
“I take great pride in working for St Luke’s and the amazing work the hospice does as a whole for our local community, giving our patients the best possible care and end of life experience for the patient and their family is so important and so special.
“It’s an absolute privilege to be able to do that for a person.”
As part of our Urgent Care team, Selina and her colleagues work alongside our teams in the community, at Derriford hospital and our specialist unit at Turnchapel to ensure a seamless provision of specialist care to people when they have days or weeks left to live.
“The end of life team is extremely special, so many people want to die in their own home, surrounded by their loved ones in their own environment. It is such an amazing thing to be able to do, the team of HCAs and RNs along with the community nurse specialists all work together in ensuring our patients have the best possible experience, bringing some love and laughter along with compassion and empathy. It’s just the best job. I have such great job satisfaction and never wake up not wanting to attend work, who gets to say that, not many! I feel very lucky to have found this opportunity within St Luke’s.”
Selina credits the apprenticeship with giving her a career stepping-stone and helping her to achieve her dream of becoming a registered nurse.
“For people thinking about doing the apprenticeship, do it. It is not easy, it is hard work and I have had times where I thought I cannot do this but your university cohort, employer and colleagues, along with family and friends give you that support.
“It gives such fantastic opportunities and a stepping-stone to becoming a registered nurse which I myself hope to do in the near future and hope to remain with the amazing St Luke’s team when I do so.”
To find out more about our apprenticeships click here or contact our People Services team.
This week (6-12 February) is National Apprenticeship Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.
As an employer of choice, St Luke’s invests in developing people. We offer apprenticeships across the organisation to give individuals the opportunity to step into a career progressing role and develop their passion.
We wanted to share some stories from our current apprentices and celebrate them and their roles within St Luke’s.
Lewis Kendall, 26, is our Accounts apprentice and joined the organisation in May 2019. An avid golfer for Thurlestone Golf Club, Lewis originally studied Accounting and Finance at University in Swansea, leaving for personal reasons in his second year. However, he soon came across the opportunity to study Accountancy through an Exeter College Apprenticeship with St Luke’s and applied straight away. At the end of last year, he successfully passed his apprenticeship course and last month he also passed the final exam of his Association of Accounting Technicians Diploma.
Lewis reflects back on his first interview with St Luke’s, “I jumped at the opportunity when I saw the apprenticeship as I really enjoyed my time and course at University. My interview with St Luke’s went really well, they gave me a great overall picture of the charity as well as a brief tour of the departments and a chance to meet the team I’d be working with. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to be a part of this great charity and the wonderful service it provides.”
Lewis works within our finance department, the team that are vital when it comes to processing the generous donations we receive.
“When I started I was doing more financial admin tasks, like processing online donations on the fundraising database,” he explains. “As my apprenticeship has gone on my role in the team has evolved to better suit this development. An example of this would be one of my roles now is consolidating data and producing performance reports that are used in the monthly management accounts that are sent to department heads.
“Working for St Luke’s definitely gives me a sense of satisfaction that I don’t think you get if you don’t work for a charity. I feel like the work I do helps to monitor, evaluate and improve the financial position of St Luke’s, therefore contributing to the continuation of the Charity. In terms of the bigger picture I guess the work the Finance Team and I do helps maximise the care we can afford to give to our patients and the support to their families.”
Lewis describes how the apprenticeship has given him the opportunity to learn ‘on the job’, embedding what he learns during his course into his daily practice.
“It’s given me the opportunity to ask questions and apply knowledge learnt from my study leave in the workplace. It’s also been helpful that in asking these questions, my manager and head of department have been able to see how my progression has been going and present me with new responsibilities that coincide with what I’ve been learning. It’s a relationship that’s worked very well and kept my role in the Accounts team really interesting.”
For many school leavers and graduates, the idea of working for a hospice can sound fairly depressing, but working for St Luke’s has given Lewis an insight into the care and services we provide for so many local families.
“I know St Luke’s is extremely admired and respected in the service it provides, but before I started working here I (honestly) will admit I hadn’t had been aware of St Luke’s and the incredible work it does to support end of life patients. In the time I’ve been here I couldn’t commend St Luke’s more in the way it helps its patients and helps support their families and I feel proud that I’ve played a (small) part in it.
“Working at St Luke’s has provided an interesting perspective on my profession. I was the only student in my class that worked outside of a practice so applying the knowledge was sometimes harder than it might have been for others working in another industry or an accountancy firm.
“Since starting, I’ve helped volunteer at our Men’s Day Out and Midnight Walk events. It’s also made me aware of all the ways people raise donations, their enthusiasm in fundraising for us and the stories behind it.
“You feel incredibly proud working for a charity so fondly thought of by so many people.”
If you’re considering a career change or looking to take the next step in developing your role, get in touch with our People Services team to learn more about our apprenticeships and placements. We are currently looking for an IT Apprentice to work alongside our IT team, click here to find out more and apply.
“With the experience I’ve had with St Luke’s I would absolutely recommend an apprenticeship to others, especially if you’re uncertain about going into further education or pursuing a career after GCSE’s and A Levels,” Lewis adds. “It’s the best mix of practical workplace experience and learning I could have hoped for.
“I’ve always felt supported by both my employer and training provider and encouraged to achieve the best results I can in any exams while my knowledge and opinion have been tested in the work place, preparing me for extra responsibilities or the next stage of my career.”
Look out for more of our apprentice’s stories this week…
This week (6-12 February) is National Apprenticeship Week. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of apprentices and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.
As an employer of choice, St Luke’s invests in developing people. We offer apprenticeships across the organisation to give individuals the opportunity to step into a career progressing role and develop their passion.
We wanted to share some stories from our current apprentices and celebrate them and their roles within St Luke’s.
Rachel Marriott, 43, has been one of our Health Care Assistants (HCA) working at our specialist unit at Turnchapel for the last few years. A mother of three, she has always had a passion for helping people at the end of their lives. She first became a HCA 17 years ago, before joining St Luke’s in 2019. She is currently finishing her two-year apprenticeship as a Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) through Plymouth University.
In amongst her daily family life, Rachel spends one day a week at university for lectures and clinical skills, 12 hours a week at our specialist unit as a HCA and then 18 hours working in her trainee nursing role at both Turnchapel and on placements.
“I am supernumerary when working as a Trainee Nursing Associate,” she explains. “I have shadowed the nursing team to learn the roles of the nurses which consists of patient care, admissions and discharges, medications, continuing care, future care planning, working in teams, wound care and learning how to liaise with the multi-disciplinary team within St Luke’s. There are no two days the same, so every shift I work is a learning experience.”
With a background working in care homes, Rachel is no stranger to working in palliative care, even completing our Six Steps+ programme in end of life care in 2008, which she describes as igniting her passion for helping those living with a terminal illness. Working alongside our nurses on a daily basis gave Rachel a glimpse of what their roles are like and she knew it was something she wanted to be involved in.
“I have always enjoyed learning and used to watch the nurses eagerly when working alongside them as a HCA and felt that I wanted to further my knowledge and this apprenticeship seemed to fit perfectly for this. It would give me greater responsibility and keep my mind busy. My children are all grown up and it seemed the perfect time for me to better myself.”
Like with any further education course, Rachel has had to put in a great number of hours and hard work and has been truly dedicated to her learning, alongside her family life and role as HCA and at times has felt the pressure and encountered challenges, especially when moving between roles.
“I did not anticipate how hard the course was going to be,” she says. “12 modules divided between two years was a lot to do as well as working full time. It was hard to find the right balance. It has been a challenge changing my role when working as a TNA then working as a HCA. I want to constantly learn and work alongside the nurses, when working as a HCA you have to step back and not be as involved which I have found frustrating at times. I am very grateful to be at the end of this course and looking forward to starting my new role as a registered professional. I am lucky that within St Luke’s the TNA role is recognised and understood whereas some of my fellow cohort colleagues have struggled to help others understand their role.”
While challenging at times, Rachel’s passion for learning and being able to make a difference to patients when they really need it, has given her an incredible amount of satisfaction, both in a professional and personal capacity.
“I love working in a hospice. Being able to make a patient feel good about themselves, make them smile or give them the extra time and care they need. A good day for me is being able to understand the needs of the patients and working out what can be done to make that patient person centred and individual to their needs. This could be from helping them dress, assisting them to have a soak in the bath, washing their hair or just sitting and chatting to them.
“I want patients to feel comfortable and happy when in my care. I never underestimate how a patient feels, I just try to make them feel that bit more special and contented in any way that I can.
“I do get a lot of job satisfaction in my role. Friends and family ask how I do my job but I always turn around and say that I love my job. The hospice is not a depressing or morbid place to work, there is generally laughter heard and the nursing and HCA team all go above and beyond to leave any problems at the door and give their very best to the patients.
“The team is like a family, I have never seen such a closeness in any of my previous jobs. If you need help you ask and someone will always go the extra mile to help each other out.”
To find out more about our apprenticeships click here or contact our People Services department.
Look out for Lewis’ and Selina’s stories coming soon…
Charles Hackett steps up to chair St Luke’s Board of TrusteesCharles Hackett has been announced as the incoming chair of St Luke’s Board of Trustees. A dedicated member of the board for nearly five years, he promises to hold the ship steady as the organisation settles in a new chief executive in 2023, following the forthcoming retirement of Steve Statham.
Charles takes over with immediate effect following the departure of highly-respected previous chair Christina Quinn last month. He brings a rich combination of leadership experience and skills to this important role, honed during a long career in the pharmaceuticals industry and in Plymouth as chief executive of the transatlantic Mayflower 400 cultural project. He is currently CEO of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
“It’s my mission to bring in a great new chief executive to take the reins of the organisation, and I will be here to make sure it all goes well,” said Charles.
“St Luke’s is in really good shape – it’s not an organisation that’s looking for someone to come and fix it. The board and I will not be looking for someone to sweep in and change everything, although we know there will always be evolution in providing the best service possible for our patients, their families and the community.”
In an unusual twist, Charles first became acquainted with St Luke’s when he applied for the chief executive’s job back in 2016, at the same time as Steve Statham, who will retire in April.
“Needless to say, I didn’t get the job – and that was absolutely the right choice – but I was still very interested in the organisation,” he said. “Having had a chat with Steve to congratulate him, a little while after, he and Christina came and asked me if I would join St Luke’s Board of Trustees and I said ‘yes’ immediately.
“I’ve invested a lot of time and effort into understanding what St Luke’s does. It’s the very best type of volunteering I could do, with the highest value. And from a career development point of view, it’s given me great experience of working with a charity.”
Charles is comfortable steering organisations and is well versed in finance and management. As a trustee he has worked mostly within income generation.
“I am no expert in palliative care and that side of what the organisation does, but we have excellent people on the board with very strong clinical experience. As chair it’s about knowing what is important and leading the group to ensure we achieve the very best for the patients and the community.”
Charles’s previous experience of health comes from a completely different perspective. For more than 18 years he worked for GlaxoSmithKline where his impressive career path began in analytics and progressed into research and development, commercial direction and general management.
“It was a wonderful career. I got to travel, and I morally liked work that I thought was important. We were making things that were changing people’s lives for the better. I was able to drive ethical programmes and change, working with development organisations.”
He finished his tenure with GlaxoSmithKline as a Vice Chairman, leading the global launch of a high-profile new medicine developed by the company, with a poignant personal connection.
“It was a long-acting dual bronchodilator for treating COPD, which was the disease that my father died from. I led that globally for a year and that was quite an important culmination for me,” said Charles.
“As you get more senior in a pharmaceutical company your impact becomes widespread and very far away from patient impact. I wanted to shift into something more community based that would let me invest in the region I am in.”
Born on Guernsey to a Dutch mother and a British Army officer father, much of his childhood was spent at boarding school in Cheltenham while his parents followed Army postings. Charles’s work had also been fairly nomadic, with periods in the UK, Ireland, Belgium and Slovakia.
In 2016, he and his wife, Miranda, an event florist, decided to set down roots in South Devon with their two children, moving to their home near Ivybridge, “down a dead-end road between the moors and the sea”.
Charles searched for a job with an organisation like the RNLI, a hospice, an air ambulance or an outward bound type organisation. After missing the St Luke’s opportunity, he was persuaded to catch a curve ball and lead the five-year Mayflower 400 project, which sadly was unable to turn out as planned, because of Covid restrictions, but was nevertheless a very positive international endeavour.
In June this year, he was delighted to be appointed CEO of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, a post he sees as complementing the knowledge he has gained being a St Luke’s trustee, and one sharing common frustrations in terms of the national health and social care system.
“Like St Luke’s, the air ambulance is a combination of charity and vital healthcare provision that would otherwise be missing. There are strains and challenges in the system, but I am an optimist by nature and I believe we have to stay true to our values and our mission and concentrate on what we are supposed to do well, which is supporting our patients and their families.
“We are people who try to live with purpose. It is challenging and it is exhausting… but it is also the biggest satisfaction in life.
“As we go into winter in a tough economic climate, more people in our community will be needing help from charities and funding income will be a challenge for maybe 18 months or more.
“But we are an innovative organisation and we have our strength in our community – St Luke’s is so loved and people know we will be careful with how we spend our money.”
Learn more about our Board of Trustees here.
For many who join our hospice team, working in an environment where death, dying and bereavement are everyday occurrences can – understandably – take some time to adapt to. For one recent arrival though, becoming part of our workforce felt a very natural transition from her former role.
That’s because before taking up her new job Healthcare Assistant (HCA) with our Urgent Care team in February, Denise Holgate worked as a Funeral Director, overseeing, directing and co-ordinating all aspects of funeral services including body preparation, visitation, services, burials and cremations, while providing caring support and advice to families and friends of the deceased.
It was a role Denise found hugely rewarding, guiding and supporting bereaved families as they planned and attended the funerals of their loved ones. So, when a period of ill health forced her to rethink her career and search for a new position, she was set on finding one that made the very best use of all the skills and experience she’d acquired and enabled her to continue to make a difference to the lives of others.
Denise takes up the story: “I have always worked in caring roles. Before qualifying as a Funeral Director I was a Healthcare Assistant at Dartmoor Prison, and worked at the National Blood Service and in a various NHS posts, as well as bringing up two children.
“As my children became more independent, I began looking into new career opportunities. Becoming a Funeral Director appealed because while it was something different, it sounded really interesting and I sensed it would be a good fit for me. Following a year of study which covered everything from greeting bereaved families to helping them arrange every detail of their loved ones’ funerals, I worked for a funeral company that’s part of a national chain and then for an independent firm.
“During those 13 years, I had such a fulfilling career supporting people at the most sad and difficult of times for them. Being a Funeral Director, you are in a position of great trust and there to ensure the family gets the funeral they wish for. Having lost their loved one, they are reliant on you to explain things clearly, patiently and kindly, guiding them gently so they know – and feel – that they are in control. Obviously, it is a very emotional time for them so listening with empathy is key.
“Each family is unique, and what many people don’t realise is that the funeral can be as individual as they want it to be as long, as it meets health and safety regulations. They can even conduct it themselves if they want to. You only get one chance to say goodbye so I always made it my mission to ensure that not only was each funeral the dignified service they wanted and needed for their loved one but an occasion that would leave them feeling they had done their very best for that person so dear to them.
“From taking services by the sea and in people’s back gardens to helping a musician’s family organise his funeral along a festival theme – in a field and with everyone dressed the part – it was important to me to do all I could to make sure everything went smoothly, reducing any feelings of anxiety or fear for families so they could say goodbye feeling as at peace as possible.
“I really loved my work, but the hours could be very long because you can’t just clock off, and eventually a period of illness meant I had to stop. I knew though, that whatever I did next would need to be something where I could continue supporting people. That’s why joining St Luke’s appealed to me, and why – when I saw the opportunity to join as an HCA – I wasted no time in applying.
“There are so many similarities between my former role and the work I’m doing now, comforting people as well as making sure they are comfortable despite it being such a tough time for them. The only difference is that whereas my contact with families used to be after their loved one had died, now it is in the weeks and days before.
“What matters to me is being able to make a difference, whether that’s giving a patient’s partner a break from their caring duties so they can grab a shower or get some fresh air, or arranging a night sit from the Marie Curie team so they can get a decent night’s sleep.
“In both my previous job and this one, it’s that shared sense of humanity that connects us with those we support. I always want the people I’m looking after to know they are not alone and that if there is anything they need, they only have to ask. To be that shoulder for them feels very special to me.
“Having been a Funeral Director, I am at ease with all aspects of death and dying, and just like my colleagues at St Luke’s I am passionate about helping to remove the stigma that hinders the helpful, honest conversations people need to have sooner rather than later.
“As well as being really welcoming and supportive, my teammates have been curious about my previous job and full of questions that I’m only too happy to answer. And recently, for those who wanted to visit I had the honour of arranging a tour of a local crematorium so they could look around and find out more about what happens there. I think they found it helpful and reassuring, recognising that whether you are someone providing support before or after a person dies, what matters above all is compassion.”
If you are interested in joining the St Luke’s team, have a look at our current job opportunities.
Thank you to Clifford’s Family Funeral Directors for the use of the photos.
Fancy having your birthday off work?Wild swimming in Scotland, days out in London and trips to Center Parcs.
At St Luke’s, our staff are very special to us and we felt they deserved a treat. This year, in honour of our 40th anniversary, all staff members received a day off for their birthday.
Every member of St Luke’s works tirelessly to provide a dedicated service to the local community, whether one of our nurses or behind the scenes as one of our maintenance team, everyone has a key part to play.
To say thank you for their dedication and hard work, staff were able to take their birthday off and spend it however they choose. We asked some staff members to share how they spent their birthday day off.
“I had my birthday day off in January and got the train to Totnes with a friend. We went to China Blue and painted giant pasta bowls. Then we had a late pub lunch on the main street and eventually got the train home in time for one of my favourite dinners with my family, fajitas!” People Services Administrator Nancy Bennett.
“I use most of my annual leave covering school holidays so having a day that was purely for me was amazing, and felt very decadent. I popped into town, and didn’t have to rush back to the kids, or have them there asking to go to the toy shop. No big exciting event, but it meant so much to me.” HR Manager Caroline Bellamy.
“My birthday fell on the early spring bank holiday Monday in May this year, so I could take another day in place of this. The week before my birthday I went to Centre Parcs at Longleat with my daughter, my sister and her family and my mum. Whilst we were in Longleat it was also my sister’s birthday and my nephew’s birthday two days after mine so we were triple birthday celebrating!” Assistant Accountant Sarah-Jayne Hayne.
“My birthday was in March and I went swimming in the Cromarty Firth (in the Scottish Highlands) with my sister.” Moving and Handling/Ergonomics Adviser Dr Valerie Noble.
“I took the opportunity to spend a long weekend with my best friend in London, watching ‘Back to the Future’ the musical (awesome and incredibly funny), enjoying a high tea at the Claremont hotel at Charing Cross, enjoying delicious Tapas, getting in some retail therapy in Covent Garden and at the outlet shopping mall in O2, rediscovering Camden, commuting on the Thames Clipper (now Uber Boat) and generally enjoying chilling on rooftops and by the river. Thanks St Luke’s, I loved it and it was just what I needed.” Head of Facilities and Maintenance, Louisa Duggan-Smith.
St Luke’s offers an attractive employment package for employees, including seven weeks’ annual leave, pension and membership of a cashback scheme to help towards healthcare costs.
This is just one of the reasons why St Luke’s is an employer of choice. Take a look at our current vacancies and sign up to job alerts to find your next role.
If you’re thinking of a midlife career change, there’s a lot to weigh up. But as Sally Hutchings and Kate Hillman – both in their 50s – have shown, it’s never too late to follow your heart!
Having both enjoyed long, fulfilling careers in the police, these inspirational women made the choice re-train rather than retire. Now, they’re part of our dedicated team, where each member is valued as a person and not only for what’s on their CV.
At 18, it was a strong desire to serve her community that led Sally, now 54, to join Devon and Cornwall Police as a uniformed officer. A successful 30-year career saw her rise through the ranks to Neighbourhood Inspector for Plymouth City Centre and Stonehouse and provide cover for the Chief Inspector for Plymouth.
Sally, who is married with four children and lives in Saltash, said: “I really enjoyed the variety of my police career, but – as I approached 50 – I started to feel it was ‘now or never’ if I was ever going to make the leap into nursing. I’d gained interest in the idea over the years, partly due to the many hospital visits I made with my daughter Jo, who has cystic fibrosis.
“My lightbulb moment came one night when, looking across into another ward, I saw a nurse sitting at the bedside of an elderly man I sensed was dying. I had such a powerful feeling that working in end of life care was where I was meant to be. I could carry on making a difference in my community, but in different way – helping people at the most vulnerable time of all, when what they most need is the reassurance they are not alone and to be treated with sensitivity, kindness and respect.”
Later, a conversation with Ali Griffiths – now Community Nurse Specialist (CNS) at St Luke’s but at that time manager of the ward where Sally’s daughter Jo was receiving her treatment – spurred Sally on to study full time to be a nurse. Sally said: “Ali looked me right in the eyes and said: “It’s not too late – just do it!”.”
Sally first joined St Luke’s at Turnchapel, where we look after our most vulnerable patients. She then went to work at Derriford’s Emergency Department to gain more nursing experience before joining our Hospital team. Soon, she’ll be moving across to our Community team, where – in a wonderful twist of ‘fate’ – her manager will be CNS Ali, who helped inspire her big career change!
Sally said: “Working in the police, I was used to listening to people and having sensitive conversations, and what’s so great about St Luke’s is that they recognise these transferable skills. It isn’t just my nursing degree but my life experience they see as an asset.”
“The greatest gift we can give those in our care is to remember they are people, not simply patients. It’s the little extras, too, like the wedding I helped organise at short notice for a terminally ill lady at the hospital. Seeing what it meant to her and her family felt incredibly special. When time is running short for someone, it is such a privilege to help them feel more comfortable and in control, and to ensure their families have beautiful memories they can treasure for years to come.”
For former Detective Inspector Kate, who is in her 50s and joined our Urgent Care team as a Healthcare Assistant (HCA) team in May, being in a healthcare environment is in many ways familiar territory. She said: “In the police, I had safeguarding responsibilities for children so often spent time in hospitals, and when my husband became ill and needed to be cared for at Derriford, being there with him really developed my interest in taking up a career in health.”
It was later though, when her father Mark was being looked after at Turnchapel in the last hours of his life, that Kate’s desire to work in hospice care was sparked. She said: “The team was wonderful with my dad, helping him die peacefully and supporting us as a family. It had a really big impact on me. I knew I wanted to help people in the same way.”
Having reached the stage where she could retire from the police, Kate’s journey to follow her dream began when she embarked on a six-month development programme to qualify as an HCA. Happily, she then spotted the job advert for the part-time position she now has with us. She said: “I won’t deny it felt daunting at first, being ‘the new girl’ with so much to learn, but everyone is so friendly and supportive, and I can really feel my confidence growing.
“What I love is that we can spend unhurried time with the people we look after in their own homes, doing whatever is needed to make them comfortable. While ultimately, we can’t change the outcome, there’s a lot we can do to make sure they get back to feeling more like themselves again. I find it incredibly rewarding.
“Though I left the police, all my experience of working with families through such sensitive times came with me to St Luke’s. There’s scope to develop with the hospice, too, so I’m looking forward to spending some time working with the in-patient team soon. That’s the really great thing about stepping outside your comfort zone – the opportunity to keep learning and growing. I’d recommend it to anyone!”
Find out more about working with our dedicated team – directly with patients or more behind the scenes – and check out our latest job vacancies here.
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.
“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.”
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