Tag Archive for: st lukes hospice

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BLOG: Pocket hugs are a labour of love for Lyn

Sometimes all you need is a hug and a whole box full of pocket cuddles has arrived on St Luke’s doorstep recently, courtesy of a kind-hearted and talented Plymouth woman who wants to bring a little bit of comfort to people when they need it most.

Small, round and woolly little faces, with googly eyes, tiny arms clutching a heart and a loop to hang them up with, Lyn Frost has crocheted them with love in a variety of colours and wrapped them in organza bags to keep them safe until they find the right homes amongst St Luke’s patients and their families.

“When you are having a tough time, a hug is just what you need.,” said Lyn from Plymouth, who also wanted to say thank you to St Luke’s for the care her father received a few years ago. “I thought they would cheer people up and maybe they could also raise a little bit of money for St Luke’s if anyone wants to make a donation.”

Lyn has ME which limits her mobility, so crafting gives her something interesting and useful to do at home. “I can move around inside the house but when I go out and about I’m in a wheelchair,” she said. “My husband has turned the spare bedroom into craft room for me and it’s my little haven.”

She taught herself to crochet using YouTube videos during the Covid lockdown and joined an online group called Random Acts of Crochet Kindness, which gave her the idea, and the pattern, to knit the pocket hugs for the first time.

“I made a slightly bigger version for a friend who had lost her mum and she had it hanging on her memorial, so I decided to make these ones for St Luke’s,” said Lyn, who also make things for the special care baby unit at Derriford, the homeless, and fidget balls to help people with dementia or autism.

The colourful pocket hugs are available at our specialist unit at Turnchapel for patients and their families and as it says on the handwritten tag, are ‘for those times you need a little hug’.

Men's Day Out
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BLOG: Men’s Day Out: It’s good to talk

Men’s Day Out: It’s good to talk

Chat, chew the fat, put the world to rights, whatever you do, it’s good to talk.

Men, it’s good to talk. We’re masters at masking how we really feel, even when we’ve lost someone we care deeply about.

Sharing our feelings can make a big difference, and Men’s Day Out offers a great opportunity to drop the brave face and open up to others in the same boat.

Dave Gundry, 54, from Liskeard, will be striding the streets of Plymouth on Saturday 11 March along with hundreds of other like-minded men.

With two decades of work in men’s mental health, Dave has witnessed the changing face and increasing recognition of mental health in men, fully embracing the ‘it’s good to talk’ nature. He looks upon the event as the opportunity to put his skillset and background to good use, in order to help any men who might be suffering in silence.

“During my time on the walk, if someone speaks to me I may be able to help them understand more about some mental health issues that maybe they don’t understand or if they don’t know where to turn to for advice, while also sharing my experience of grief and St Luke’s.”

Like many of the men who will be making big strides for St Luke’s, Dave will be walking in memory of two special loved ones. His father and close family friend and best friend of his wife, Lianne, who was looked after by St Luke’s at our specialist unit at Turnchapel and at home, after a terminal cancer diagnosis.

“During the time we visited her and when she came home briefly in between stays, she was full of praise for all the staff and was telling us how some staff would call in to see how she was doing. Despite not being her carer for the day they would just pop in to cheer her up and make her laugh, always going the extra mile.”

Men's Day out

Dave was the first of our Men’s Day Out participants to get his JustGiving page up and running. The money he and all our walkers raise through sponsorship means we can keep our teams out in the community, providing the highest calibre of care for our patients and their families, ensuring no one has to die alone and that they can have comfort and dignity until the end.

It was Dave’s group of friends, known as the ‘Friday Team’ that first suggested Men’s Day Out to him, having completed it multiple times themselves. Unfortunately, the timing wasn’t to be, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Dave’s father growing ill and passing. So it wasn’t until last year that he was finally able to take part.

Along with Dave, many of his teammates – who vary in ages from their 20s to 70s – have experienced the care and support St Luke’s provides first-hand, through family members or friends, making Men’s Day Out the opportune time to walk, talk and share.

“I wanted to do it again this year, to try to raise some more money and awareness and also in the hope that some of the people I met and talked with last year I may bump into again and get an update on how they are doing. I think it’s a wonderful event and to mix raising funds for St Luke’s with raising awareness for men’s mental health works really well.

“Oh and it would be a bit unjust if I didn’t say that of course some good laughs and great company of like-minded people and rugby all thrown in were a bit persuasive too…”

Visit Dave’s fundraising page to find out more about his fundraising journey https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-gundry1

Like Dave, you have the opportunity to discover a special bond with friends old and new as you stride a scenic 12km (7.5 mile) route through the city and waterfront. Winding up at Plymouth Albion, you’ll be ready to tuck into a well-earned pasty, enjoy a welcome beverage and cheer the local boys as they clash with the Rams from Reading.

If you’ve already got your place for Men’s Day Out, sponsored by Jem Scaffolding Ltd, now is the time to set up your JustGiving page just like Dave. Not only do the funds you raise make a massive difference to our end-of-life care, but the camaraderie you’ll find on the road can also work wonders if you’re struggling with loss. Click here to get your page up and running.

Sign up for Men’s Day Out now and make mindful miles matter for St Luke’s.

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BLOG: The journey of a donated sofa

How Stuart’s bargain sofa made Sandie smile and boosted our funds for patient care

Around this festive time of year we’re bombarded with TV ads for big name furniture brands, urging us to buy a new sofa or suite in the sales.

In these challenging financial times, choosing a pre-loved option from one of our charity shops not only makes great economic sense, it’s also better for the environment and supports our care for patients and their loved ones.

We followed a three-piece suite, kindly donated to St Luke’s, on its journey to a grateful new home and measured its impact on the charity.

 When Stuart Cann and his wife, Leanne, ordered a brand new sofa suite there was never any doubt about the destination of their old one. They were going to donate it to St Luke’s Plymouth.

Old is actually the wrong word for the elegant, grey four-seater sofa with matching chair and big, circular footstool that used to grace the football-mad family’s lounge. Less than three years old, it was as smart and comfortable as the day it arrived, and already held good memories for the couple and their children Ella, 13, and Thomas, nine.

“I’ve sat there and enjoyed many a beer and takeaway watching the football. And we had a lot of friends round, crammed into the lounge to watch the Euros,” recalled Stuart.

But as part of an extensive renovation programme at their house in Plymstock, they were having a clean sweep and the suite had to go.

“There was nothing wrong with that settee. We could have put it on one of the marketplace apps and got some money for it. But there are people in more need than us and St Luke’s is a deserving charity, so we thought why not donate it so someone can pick up a decent sofa at a much lower cost,” said Stuart. “Plus, I knew St Luke’s was happy to pick up large furniture, so that made it easy for us.”

Although they have no personal link to St Luke’s, Stuart, a mechanical and electrical project manager, and Leanne, who works in HR at Babcock, had heard about the charity’s end of life care. They believe in giving back to the community when they can and have taken on the challenge of several half marathons and other running events to support cancer and dementia charities.

Meanwhile, Sandie was on a mission to find a sofa – and other essential furniture – for the empty new home of friends who were returning to live in Plymouth after working in America.

Trying to stick to a budget, she’d spent the day trawling charity and second-hand shops around Plymouth with no luck at all. She said: “I went in one shop and everything was out of the 1970s. It was awful… I came out so disheartened.”

Sandie was just about to give up hope and drive away empty-handed when she struck gold at St Luke’s large furniture store on Western Approach. Having one more go at her quest to find something good, reasonably priced and in great condition, she popped into the old ToysRUs building.

“I wandered around but didn’t find anything. I was just leaving when I saw two guys walking towards me carrying a sofa and I moved out of the way for them,” said Sandie. “I thought it looked very nice so I followed them through the store and asked if it was for sale. They said yes, they had just brought it in from the back store.”

She knew immediately that it was the one and decided to buy it straight away. “I was absolutely thrilled. I just love it; it’s so comfortable and it’s still a current sofa in the shop it came from. And I knew it could have it within days. If you order one new it’s still a 6-12 week wait before you can have it delivered.”

Sandie was surprised and delighted to discover such a brilliant quality bargain, and in a shop supporting a charity that is dear to her heart. She was happy to learn that the money raised by the sale of the sofa is the equivalent of St Luke’s providing a full package of care and support for a patient and their family at home.

Sandie’s sister, Vanessa was only 50 when she was diagnosed late with Stage 4 cancer and died at St Luke’s specialist care unit at Turnchapel.

“We only had weeks with her left and St Luke’s hospice care and nurses were just amazing – not only for the patient but for us as family members because we are struggling too and they understand that. Nothing was too much bother for them.”

Sandie, who always donates her own unwanted items, said: “Charity shops are not like they used to be. I remember going in with my mum when I was young and it was terrible – full of old people’s stuff and it would smell. I couldn’t bear it. But you go in now and it’s very modern. I was really surprised by the quality when I went in St Luke’s. It’s definitely worth looking in there.”

Sandie isn’t the only one whose is delighted with the new sofa. Doodles – her tiny 12-year-old Yorkipoo – loves it too.

“When the sofa arrived, he came running in and sniffed it from top to bottom; he has now claimed it as his own,” she said. “I’m still helping to get the place sorted for my friends and every time I’m there I make myself a cup of tea, sit down on the sofa and smile.”

Andrew Collins, manager at St Luke’s Western Approach store in the old ToysRUs building, said using St Luke’s is a great way to save money and help the charity.

“Why buy new when you can buy a quality used piece from us? It’s much more affordable and it’s also helps support the care of St Luke’s patients and their families,” he said. “We always need items to sell to generate income for St Luke’s. All we ask is that they are ‘saleable’, so in reasonable condition, and not broken and without any bits missing. And we’re not able to take sofas unless they have got their fire safety regulation labels.”

St Luke’s stores that stock large items of furniture, including sofas and beds are Western Approach (ToysRUs), Plympton furniture warehouse, Sugar Mill at Plymstock and Launceston. If you are after smaller items, you can also try the Transit Way store. For full store details and opening times click here.

If you have furniture you’d like to donate, St Luke’s runs a free collection service and there’s a special number to call – 01752 964455 – that’s manned all year round, except bank holidays.

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BLOG: Charles Hackett steps up to chair St Luke’s Board of Trustees

Charles Hackett steps up to chair St Luke’s Board of Trustees

Charles 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.”

Charles’s journey to St Luke’s

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.

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BLOG: Remembering lost loved ones in candlelit harmony

Remembering lost loved ones in candlelit harmony

Personal reflections on her first St Luke’s Light Up a Life service by St Luke’s Communications Copywriter Jackie Butler.

As Christmas approaches, the classic song reminds us that this should be the “most wonderful time of the year”. Yet, for many of us, the festive season is when the pain of losing a loved one can hurt the most.

Gathering with others in a place of worship to remember and celebrate those we miss can be uniquely comforting, whether you are a regular churchgoer or not, and that’s exactly the opportunity St Luke’s Light Up a Life tradition provided for our local community last Tuesday.

Hundreds flocked to St Andrew’s in Plymouth city centre for three special Christmas remembrance services that were making a welcome return after a three-year absence, and I felt heartened to join the throng.

Preparing to venture out on a bitterly cold evening, I wanted to make sure I’d be toasty warm. Opening the jumper drawer, one very precious item caught my eye – a rich green toasty warm mohair polo-neck, hand-knitted by my mother for herself a year or two before she died. When I put it on, it felt like I was taking her with me, which seemed appropriate, given the occasion.

As I entered St Andrew’s, the whole place looked magical, illuminated by dozens of church candles, and I was handed my own hand-size version, ready for a poignant moment later in the proceedings. Taking a seat near the back, in the pews in front of me were men and women of all ages, some alone, others in groups, but all well-wrapped up in warm, winter coats, sitting side by side in quiet unity.

It began with a procession down the aisle, led by relay runners Paul Griffin and David Matthams who had carried the flaming Olympic-style Light Up a Life torch all the way from St Luke’s at Turnchapel just as they have done for more than 20 years. Members of the St Luke’s nursing team and loyal volunteers walked behind in pairs, carrying flickering candles.

With the original Christmas story at its heart, the thoughtfully crafted programme of words and song that followed acknowledged not only the pain of people’s grief and loss, but also the hope that light in the darkness can bring.

Team vicar Tim Partridge recognised the painful reality of people’s struggles this Christmas, reminding us that “Life is full of tears and it doesn’t get put on hold for Christmas Day.”

St Luke’s CEO Steve Statham welcomed the crowd and reminded us that St Luke’s care doesn’t stop at Christmas and that it’s the generosity of the community keeps the organisation going, year after year.

Loyal volunteers Dazzle Tighe and Adrian Frost stepped up to read a passage from the Bible and a poignant poem about treasuring our memories of people who are special to us. The Tamar Concert Choir performed two exquisite Christmas songs – Oh Holy Night and Christmas Lullaby.

The emotion was almost palpable when it was time for us to light and dedicate our personal candles, retreating into our own private worlds. It was a moment to remember those “we love but no longer see” and feel grateful for the light they brought into our lives. I thought not only of family members and special ones who are no longer with us but also of the dear friends who have lost their life partners recently.

There were prayers and a chance to raise our voices together singing Oh Little Town of Bethlehem, transporting me as if by magic back to school nativity concerts.

But the occasion wasn’t quite over yet. The camaraderie of mutual understanding, forged in the pews, carried on in the church hall, with smiles and chatter, new connections made, and old friendships rekindled, over welcome hot drinks and mince pies.

It felt very special to be part of such a heart-warming occasion that didn’t shy away from sadness but offered the chance to celebrate the memory of our loved ones in a positive and hopeful way.

If you weren’t able to join in the Light Up a Life services this year, there’s still time to record your precious memories and post photos of the loved ones you are missing this Christmas and make a donation to St Luke’s on our special online Light Up a Life memory wall.

mens day out
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BLOG: Men’s Day Out 2023 makes mindful miles matter

mens day out

Men’s Day Out 2023 makes mindful miles matter

It’s time to round up your mates, sign up for our flagship Men’s Day Out and walk, talk and remember together.

On Saturday 11 March you can join the mass of big-hearted men marching through Plymouth to support the compassionate care St Luke’s provides for hundreds of local families at the toughest times in their lives.

This special day is so much more than a fun, banter-fuelled, outing to revel in with your friends – it’s also about being mindful of our mental health. Many of us walk in memory of loved ones but, let’s face it, men can be masters at masking how we really feel, even when we’ve lost someone we care deeply about.

Voicing how we feel and sharing our precious memories can make a big difference, and Men’s Day Out offers a great opportunity to drop the brave face and open up to others in the same boat.

mens day out

Discover a special bond with friends old and new as you stride a scenic 12km (7.5 mile) route through the city and waterfront from 10am. Winding up at Plymouth Albion, you’ll be ready to tuck into a well-earned pasty, enjoy a welcome beverage and cheer the local boys as they clash with the Rams from Reading.

Places for Men’s Day Out – kindly sponsored by Jem Scaffolding Ltd – always go fast. So, dodge the scrum, sign up now and start getting friends, family and colleagues to sponsor you.

mens day out

Registration costs just £35, but that only covers your T-shirt, refreshments, rugby ticket and event costs. It’s your additional sponsorship and donations that really make the difference to the patients who need our vital service at home, in hospital and at our specialist unit at Turnchapel, 365 days a year.

Sign up now.

carer passport
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BLOG: Introducing the new Carer Passport

carer passport

Introducing the new Carer Passport

A new Family and Friend Carer Passport is being launched in Plymouth on 28 November 2022 to recognise and value the support carers provide.

The Family and Friend Carer Passport is designed to help

  • Carers to identify themselves as a carer
  • All staff to recognise carers and the vital role they play

The passport has been launched by health and social care partners across the city including St Luke’s, Livewell Southwest, University Hospital’s Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth City Council and Improving Lives Plymouth. It highlights the expertise carers bring and the needs they have in terms of their own health and welfare.

A carer is anyone who cares, unpaid, for a family or friend who needs help and support due to illness, disability, a mental health condition or an addiction.

‘Mentally, emotionally, 24/7 your thoughts are with them and their needs and what you might be having to do, or will need to do or what you didn’t do…if the carers card works well, it will break down quite a lot of barriers. I do believe it will acknowledge the role and hopefully increase the two-way information sharing and the openness of professionals to actually speak with the carers about the things that worry them…put simply, it will make life slightly less fraught…if the carer breaks down, who’s going to do the caring?’

Carer of an adult son who has a serious mental illness, Plymouth

The new Carer Passport comprises an A5 booklet with information about caring and a credit card sized Carer Identification card. This will provide:

Carer passport

  • A recognisable way for carers to identify their caring role to health, social care and other organisations
  • Discounts at participating businesses
  • Access to information and support to help with caring
  • An opportunity to connect with other carers
  • An emergency alert card
  • Some discounts in healthcare settings, depending on circumstances

The Carer Passport also aims to give the Carer the confidence to talk with health and social care staff about the person they care for and are actively encouraged to show the Carers Card to professionals to let them know they are a carer. However, it should not be seen as ‘proof’ and all appropriate checks with the cared for person should be undertaken to ensure their confidentiality is not breached.

Dr Ed Parry-Jones, GP, Clinical Advisor for One Devon and member of Plymouth Carer’s Strategic Partnership, said: “We know that unpaid carers of family or friends routinely neglect their own health and care needs and prioritise the needs of the person they care for. By working together across organisations we are committing to help carers access the support they need to keep themselves in good physical and mental wellbeing. This will enable them to maintain their caring role and, when appropriate, help them to relinquish some aspects of their caring role’.

The Council’s commissioned service for adult carers in Plymouth is called Caring for Carers, run by Improving Lives Plymouth, and provides a range of advice, guidance, help and support for unpaid carers.

There is also help and support for the 800 plus young carers in Plymouth which is delivered by Time 4 U, a partnership between children’s charity Barnardo’s, Hamoaze House and the City Council’s Youth Services Team.

To request a carer passport residents will first need to register with Caring for Carers in any of the following ways:

Carers that are already registered with Caring for Carers will automatically receive a passport in the post.

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BLOG: Two entwining roles with compassion at their heart

Two entwining roles with compassion at their heart

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.

Healthcare assistant funeral director

“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. 

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Christmas Raffle
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BLOG: Christmas Raffle 2022

Christmas RaffleSt Luke’s Christmas Raffle 2022

Taking part in St Luke’s Christmas raffle is a great way to show your kindness to people living in your area who need our care.

You could scoop our top prize of £2,000 and have extra cash in your pocket to treat yourself and those dear to you, perhaps snapping up a longed-for holiday!

Meet Ali Griffiths, St Luke’s Advanced Specialist Practitioner.

“Joining St Luke’s felt like walking into a hug because of the warmth, camaraderie and laughter around me. Laughter in a hospice? Yes, that’s right because St Luke’s is more about living than it is about dying, helping our patients and their families feel listened to, reassured and uplifted at the toughest of times.

Ali Christmas Raffle

“Your generosity makes this vital difference. Thanks to you, I can spend unhurried time getting to know each person in my care, finding out what matters most to them. Paying close attention to what they say, and sometimes what they don’t say, means that as well as giving hands-on care I can do ‘little things’ to ease some pressure, brighten their day and help them get back to feeling more like themselves again.

“In this very challenging economic climate, which is affecting us all, it is getting even harder for our charity to meet the rising cost of providing personalised care free of charge to our patients. Our dedication will not waver though, because we believe everyone deserves to live well to the end of their lives and, when the time comes, die peacefully with dignity.

“Thank you for supporting St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth. It’s your enduring kindness that has kept our charity doing what we do for the past 40 years so that no terminally ill person in your community misses out on the compassionate care they need at the end of their life.”

How does it work?

To be in with a chance of winning £2,000 or any of our other cash prizes this Christmas, simply pick up some tickets at any of our charity shops or buy online here. From just £1 a ticket, you can make a real difference to local people. The more you buy, the bigger your chance of winning and the more funds you’ll be raising to support St Luke’s.

Thank you so much for being one of the generous people who supports our compassionate care. You make such a difference to people right when they need it most.

Winners will be drawn on 16 December. Find out more and buy your tickets here.

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