Tag Archive for: support

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The Running Diaries – Miles for Marian

“Marian was just a brilliant human being.”

These are the words that David Lane uses to describe his late wife, Marian, a dedicated and inspirational mum, daughter, sister, friend and teacher who sadly died in November.

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Open Gardens 2024

A stunning selection of gardens in West Devon, the South Hams and East Cornwall will be opening their gates once again in aid of local hospice care.

St Luke’s annual Open Gardens scheme is launching in March, providing avid horticulture fans the opportunity to explore amazing private plots, large and small, many not usually open to the public, while supporting our end of life care in your local community. All proceeds from the ticket sales will be playing a vital role in helping us to meet the rising costs of our dedicated care teams offering free specialist hospice care, when and where it is needed.

This year’s programme, running through to September and kindly sponsored by NFU Mutual Plymouth, promises plenty of inspiration for keen gardeners, as well as a proper treat for anyone who enjoys a fresh air outing in a beautiful environment.

Wayne Marshall, St Luke’s Open Gardens Co-ordinator, said: “We are really excited to kickstart the 2024 Open Gardens season. We have chosen a diverse selection of beautiful gardens to inspire and delight, many of which are not normally open to the public, so offer a unique insight into garden design.

“This year we are honoured and delighted that the highly successful local artist and St Luke’s patron, Brian Pollard has kindly created such an enchanting image for the cover of our Open Gardens brochure.

“Excitingly, Brian has generously donated to St Luke’s the framed original acrylic painting and we are including it as an amazing prize in our Open Gardens raffle, so be sure to buy your tickets when you visit one of the gardens.”

The artwork is currently on display at Kaya Gallery, Plymouth where you can also buy raffle tickets for either £1 or £5 for a book.

Stretching from the outskirts of Plymouth right across our catchment area in the South Hams, Dartmoor, West Devon and just over the border into Cornwall – from Kingsbridge to Lewdown, there will be a varied selection of popular gardens opening during the season alongside some exciting new additions, including the beautifully unique The Garden House in Yelverton on Thursday 18 April and Wednesday 14 August and Highwell in Churchstow, offering five acres of wonderful garden spaces on Sunday 12 May.

Highlights of the season include a special Easter Sunday opening of Gnaton Hall, near Yealmpton and a familiar favourite of the landscaped grounds of the Grade One listed Flete House, near Ermington, which will be opening on Sunday 28 July between 12pm and 5pm.

There’s no need to book in advance for any of the gardens – just turn up on the allotted date and time and follow the orange St Luke’s signs to car parking and the gardens themselves and pay on the gate with cash or contactless card; tickets cost £6 and under-16s have free entry.

Once again we will be working in partnership with the team at Drake’s Island to provide guided tours. Set in the beautiful surroundings of Plymouth Sound, Drake’s Island boasts unique views across Cornwall, the city and beyond. Funds from the ticket sales will go to St Luke’s, apart from a small booking fee. Tickets will be available exclusively here.

Wayne added: “As a charity, we couldn’t survive without the kindness of all our supporters. This includes everyone who attends our Open Gardens, the big-hearted garden owners who welcome them, and not forgetting our proud sponsors NFU Mutual Plymouth. Together over the last 14 years that the scheme has been running, more than £540,000 has been raised for our patient care, which is incredible, thank you.”

You can pick up a copy of our Open Gardens 2024 brochure and view the full list of gardens on offer at any of our charity shops, at local garden centres and supporting businesses, or you can download it online here.

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Sun shines on hospice Tour de Moor challenge

More than 1,100 cyclists saddled up on Sunday for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s thrilling Tour de Moor challenge across Dartmoor, conquering craggy kilometres and raising funds for the charity’s compassionate end of life care.

In glorious sunshine, the community-spirited riders of all ages and abilities proudly donned their azure branded T-shirts to turn the moor blue in support of the vital services St Luke’s provides for local families affected by terminal illness.

Negotiating the rugged wilds of the moor, 686 participants pitted their two-wheel skills against the toughest, hill-filled terrain for 52km, while 237 took it down a gear for the brand new 33km Granite and Gears Cycle Trail route, and another 138 opted for a gentler, family-friendly 11km ride along the tarmac paths of Drake’s Trail.

One of St Luke’s flagship annual events, every £1,000 raised by Tour de Moor represents a full package of specialist care at home, free of charge, for one patient and their family on the charity’s patch which reaches across Plymouth and out to more rural areas around Tavistock, Dartmoor and the South Hams.

In previous years it’s often been a battle of mud, along with the sweat and gears, but apart from a few splashy puddles this year’s challenge was more about keeping hydrated in unusually warm temperatures above 20C.

Amid the throng of keen riders were many taking part to pay tribute to a loved one who was looked after by St Luke’s at the end of their life.

Taking on the 33km was Sam Downing, 37, cycling in memory of his dad, Trevor Downing from Plympton, and his cousin David Lawrence from Bigbury, who both received care from St Luke’s nursing teams, as well as friend Godfrey Jay from Cornwall, all of whom died quite recently.

“It’s all about doing something to give back to the people who helped care for them,” said Sam, who raised more than £200 in sponsorship and was riding alongside work colleague Rhys.

“My cousin David passed away just about a month ago and this would have been his 34th birthday, so it feels good to be able to do Tour de Moor today. He had care from St Luke’s at home.

“Dad had prostate cancer and he was in and out of St Luke’s at Turnchapel two or three times in the last six months of his life.”

Possibly the youngest rider confidently braving the 33km route – and certainly one of the event’s biggest fundraisers – was George Lake, aged eight, from Tavistock. His total topped £1,000 thanks to sponsorship from family, friends and other generous donors, including local company DCUK.

Dad, Matthew, who was pedaling the miles with his son, said: “George decided he wanted to do a charity cycle ride. We are lucky not to have needed St Luke’s care, but it’s a cause that is so well known and respected locally that we wanted to support its services.”

Mum, Anna, added: “We see St Luke’s cars out visiting people in our area and we know in years to come our family may need them.”

Teenagers Emily Wragg, 14, and brother Ben, 17, rode with their dad Gareth, in memory of their Nanny, Anne Briggs, and had totted up more than £300 in sponsorship.

Ben said: “St Luke’s helped our Nan out a lot at home at the end of her life and we wanted to do something to help St Luke’s.”

Making it a fun-filled family day out on the gentler 11km route along Drakes Trail for the second year running were the Rixons from Sherford.

Alfie, aged five, and his sister, Annabel, eight, were joined by their intrepid teddy bears Green Bow and Pink Bow, and their dad, Edward.

He said: “I do Tour de Moor and Men’s Day Out every year and would usually cycle the 33km route, but these two aren’t quite big enough yet, although they’ve been riding bikes since they were very young and could do it easily!”

Shane Darwood and his four-year-old rescue cocker spaniel Jess were both having a blast negotiating the moors on his e-bike – a popular choice for the slightly less energetic cyclists. He said: “What a day for it. Absolutely beautiful!”

St Luke’s Head of Fundraising, Penny Hannah, said: “I think this year’s Tour de Moor has been really special because times are tough for a lot of people. That almost 1200 riders still made sure they came out to support St Luke’s work in the community is incredible. Every single one of them should feel proud that they are helping us to keep our services running for the people who need us.

“Of course, we could not have put on something of this scale without our sponsors Print Copy Scan. Huge thanks to them and to everyone who took part in this year’s challenge, plus our army of volunteers, Dartmoor National Park, Maristow Estate, David May Motor Services, The Hire Shop, Devon and Cornwall 4×4 Response and Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team. You have all done your community proud!”

Register your interest for Tour de Moor 2024.

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Ross’s decade of cycling the Moor for St Luke’s

This year’s Tour de Moor marks a special occasion for one of our dedicated riders.

Ten years ago, Ross Blackmore decided to get on his bike for our compassionate care, fast forward a decade and he is ready to take on his 10th charity ride on Sunday 8 October.

Ross, from Down Thomas, is a self-confessed cycling fanatic. Being no stranger to mountain bike racing, Ross will be taking on our 52km ‘Beast mode’ on the day, a tough on and off road adventure to test the endurance and skill level of even the most experienced of cyclists.

Like many of our riders, the story behind Ross’ initial participation lies in memory of his grandad, Cyril Hollow. Cyril was cared for by St Luke’s 11 years ago at the age of 83, after being diagnosed with lung cancer. He spent his last few weeks at our specialist unit at Turnchapel.

“I take part in the Tour de Moor to raise money for St Luke’s because of grandad being in there, to continue to raise money. The care that St Luke’s goes to, looking after people at the end of their life. Nothing is ever too much trouble. They made me and my family feel at ease and kept us updated all the time.”

So what keeps Ross coming back year on year? “For me it is getting out and exploring Dartmoor. It is nice to be out enjoying the fresh air as well as for the challenge and pushing your limits.

“The day itself is fantastic, there is a great atmosphere, I love it. Chatting to people on the way around, laughing, banter, it’s just a great event.”

Will you be joining Ross on the Moors in October? With just a month to go until the boldest cycling event in the South West, sponsored by Print, Copy, Scan Ltd, now is the time to sign up.

However, like Ross, it is the money you raise in sponsorship that makes the real difference. Providing hospice care free of charge to our patients is something we feel so strongly about. But this is only possible due to the kindness and generosity of you, our supporters.

If 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.

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! Simply set up your JustGiving page when you sign up and see how much you can raise!

Signed up already and can’t wait to get those pedals turning? Cyclists can now download the GPX route for both the 33km and 52km routes from our website to get you kitted out for the big day.

Sign up for our Tour de Moor here.

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Sparksy’s legacy for St Luke’s Pilgrims fans

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.”

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Military nurses sign up for garden duty

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

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Holly Heroines – A beautiful light in everyone’s life

This year’s Midnight Walk will be a poignant one for so many. Especially for a group of women walking in memory of a special friend described as ‘a beautiful light in everyone’s life’.

Holly Hacker from Ivybridge, was diagnosed with cancer six years ago. Sadly, in January this year, at the age of 40, Holly passed away after bravely fighting for so long.

In Holly’s honour, a group of her friends decided to get a team together to take on our Midnight Walk on Friday 7 July to keep their memories of such a beautiful friend, daughter, sister and auntie alive.

Holly Heroines7 is made up of seven women including Holly’s two sisters-in-law and her close friends. The teammates are: Laura Hacker, Maggie Hacker, Tracey Keslake, Natalie Potter, Molly Joslin, Laura Reed and Kelly Thomson.

Holly’s close friend, Kelly Thomson has described the special memories they have of Holly. She said: “Holly was a kind soul, her smile could light up a room. Her brother Aaron has commented that the picture on our JustGiving page stops him in his tracks when he sees it on the news feed. That’s how I remember her…smiley.

“She was a good friend, sister, daughter. She would see her Mum every Saturday for a fry up and then go off shopping together. She had a good sense of adventure but drew the line if it involved water or heights. Although we did get her on a river cruise when visiting Scotland!

“She was very generous, caring and truly a great friend. She was always there if you needed her any time of day. She would stand her ground if needed and could be firm. She had a special look that you knew if she looked at you this way she wasn’t amused, something I saw quite often being the joker of the trio!

“She really was a beautiful light in everyone’s life.”

Having taken part in our flagship event previously Kelly and teammate Tracey jumped at the opportunity to take part. “Having done the Midnight Walk before, as soon as we knew it was happening I already knew we would be doing it. Although I was hoping Holly would still be with us to do it too.”

The walk itself, kindly sponsored this year by Michael Spiers and Marchand Petit includes three different routes of 3 miles, 6 miles, and 13.1 miles. The women, like so many others, see it as an opportunity share precious memories and make new ones.

“I think we are all looking forward to spending time with each other on the walk and sharing stories and memories”, said Kelly. “We haven’t seen each other since the funeral, so it will be good to catch up with them. The girls are all wonderful individuals, and they are all like old friends already.

“The Midnight Walk has such an amazing ambience as you know that people there are doing it in memory of someone. So the support you get from strangers is amazing. It means a lot to us to raise money for St Luke’s as they do such an amazing job. They supported Holly and made her comfortable in her last couple of weeks and they showed great compassion to her family and friends. It can’t be an easy job for them, but we are so grateful to them for caring for our beautiful friend.”

The inspiring team are currently at the top of our team’s fundraising leaderboard, having already raised a fantastic £1,195 for our patient care. If every single Midnight Walker commits to raising £100 like this fabulous seven, the event will bring in enough for our St Luke’s hospice teams to care for 100 families at home, just like Holly’s.

Kelly added: “We are so overwhelmed by everyone’s generosity so far, and I know Holly would too be so proud. She is so missed daily but her memory will go on.”

If the Holly Heroines have inspired you, then why not sign up your team today for our Midnight Walk and make Midnight miles matter. Click here to sign up.

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A trip to the shops shines a light on St Luke’s amazing volunteers

 

It’s no exaggeration to say that St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth couldn’t deliver its crucial and compassionate end of life care without the support of its army of big-hearted volunteers who give their time and talents for free. This Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June) St Luke’s is saluting them all with a huge, heartfelt thank you, and new CEO Christina Quinn has been out and about meeting a few of these very special people in person.

The charity has an amazing 668 regular volunteers – 464 of them in the charity’s shops across Plymouth, West Devon, the South Hams and East Cornwall, sorting donations, steaming and hanging clothing, creating displays and serving customers.

Christina’s whistlestop tour took in three popular stores, where she got a feel for who St Luke’s retail volunteers are and why they choose to do what they do.

She says: “We get so much from the volunteers, but what is lovely is that they all said how much they get from it as well and they have real pride in supporting the vital work of St Luke’s.

“Visiting the Plymstock, Elburton and Transit Way shops it was clear how much the store managers appreciate and value their volunteers, as we all do too. None of us can do this without them.”

During her visits, Christina heard some heartening stories from individual volunteers, each with unique backgrounds and experiences but with the same aim in mind.

Barbara

A volunteer with special niche knowledge can be a real boon to St Luke’s shop managers. Barbara Daniel used to have an antiques shop on the Barbican and she would sometimes come in to St Luke’s to help value jewellery donations.

After she and her husband closed their business, Barbara began volunteering twice a week at our Plymstock shop where she’s now the resident jewellery expert. Using her keen eye, she takes a good look at items when they arrive, spotting anything that could potentially be quite valuable and doing her homework to make sure the price is right to raise as much as possible to support St Luke’s end of life care.

Barbara is delighted to use her expertise and has identified a few choice pieces that have sold for between £400 and £500.

She says: “I think most volunteers feel like it’s a social occasion to come here and meet people. It keeps the brain ticking over as you get older. I certainly missed it during the lockdown.”

Barbara also loves hunting down bargains in St Luke’s shops. When her son got married recently, both she and her daughter found their glamorous outfits for the big day in one of the charity’s stores.

They each discovered almost new dress and jacket ensembles that would originally have cost hundreds of pounds. Of course, generous Barbara donated hers straight back to St Luke’s after she’d worn it!

Julie

Volunteering for St Luke’s is especially poignant for Julie Lukehurst, a recent recruit at the Elburton shop. Hospital doctors told her that her cancer was incurable and that the best thing for her would be palliative care at St Luke’s specialist unit at Turnchapel.

“I was offered a bed but said I wouldn’t be going there because I wasn’t dying,” recalls Julie.  Four years later she is in remission, managing her illness with medication and pacing her energy through good and bad days. “I think it’s fantastic that St Luke’s is there. That’s why I want to give something back.

“I’ve always worked but couldn’t when I was unwell and I missed it. I moved to a little cottage just down the road from the Elburton shop and used to come in as a customer. One day Rachel the manager asked me if I’d like to volunteer.”

Julie is now quickly learning the ropes volunteering twice a week, sorting stock and serving customers, and she’s mastering the till, even though she’s a self-confessed technophobe.

“I get more pleasure out of being here than I do anywhere. Everyone here is so lovely and friendly and we’re all here for the same reason – to make money for care.  But it’s also a social thing. I could easily stay at home seeing nobody,” says Julie.

Darren

Darren King is a carer for his wife, so he’s unable to go into paid employment. But he loves volunteering at St Luke’s Transit Way shop, just five minutes’ walk from home so he can run back if he’s needed. Working in the shop gives him a sense of purpose and a break from being in the house all the time.

“I just love being here. This is my baby, and the people are like family to me, especially Steve, the manager. He makes work a pleasure.

“The satisfaction you get when you put something through the till and you know it’s going to such a good cause is amazing. There’s no better feeling than clearing £1,000 and knowing that will pay for someone to be cared for at home – it’s a goal we all set for ourselves. We all take pride in the store and it’s really rewarding.”

On the day Christina visited Darren was working alongside a team of fellow volunteers including regulars Mel, Pam and Sue, all supervised by manager Steve Evans. He says it takes a minimum of 10 volunteers to help run the large Transit Way clothing shop and the adjacent bric-a-brac store. There’s a constant stream of donated items being brought in by customers, many on their way to the supermarket next door, and they all need checking, sorting and pricing.

Christina was impressed and humbled by her shop visits. She says: “Every single individual makes a unique contribution towards our shared goal to provide the very best holistic care for people with terminal illness at the end of their lives and compassionate support for their loved ones.

“Barbara, Julie and Darren are all doing a fantastic job and it’s so great to know that they enjoy what they do and get satisfaction from knowing they are giving something back.”

St Luke’s is always looking for more volunteers to help in our shops for a few hours or more each week. These are the stores that are currently in urgent need of more helping hands:  Western Approach/Toys ’R’ Us, Shabby Chic on the Barbican, Sugar Mill, Drake and New George Street in the city centre, Plymstock Bookshop, Tavistock and Launceston.

If you have some time to spare and would like to get involved in a worthwhile cause working alongside like-minded people, find out more and get in touch via our volunteering page or email volunteer@stlukes-hospice.org.uk.

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The story of a St Luke’s collecting can

The story of a St Luke’s collecting can

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Look after your loved ones this Make a Will Week.

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

“People often forget that it is not always about sorting out the financial aspects. A will ensures your final wishes are clear. Your possessions and property are going to the right place, and the family and children you leave behind will be looked after.

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

Penny Hannah said: “Leaving a legacy to St Luke’s is a compassionate gesture that helps future generations and makes more of a difference to our patients and their families than you will ever know.”

To create or update your will, simply contact one of the solicitors taking part to make an appointment between 15 and 21 May, quoting ‘St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth Make a Will Week’.

Book your appointment today!

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