Autumn 2021
St Luke’s News
P6 Will Week P8-9 Complementary therapy Q&A P15 Christmas ideas
Welcome
I am delighted to welcome you to the Autumn edition of St Luke’s News and to introduce myself as the new Director of Care at St Luke’s. I joined the Hospice in July, taking over the role from Wendy Wilson who has retired after eight dedicated years at the Hospice. I feel very privileged to work for St Luke’s and to be in a position to shape and extend the care and support we will offer in the future. Having worked in our community for the last 17 years, firstly as a district nurse and then in palliative care, I know first hand how highly St Luke’s is regarded by the community and how much my nursing colleagues here at the Hospice appreciate your support. I’ve been learning so much since joining St Luke’s, not least what a challenging year it has been for my colleagues. As a small local charity more than 85% of St Luke’s funds come from people like you who either give donations, take part in fundraising events, support our shops and leave gifts in Wills. That is quite incredible when you think we care for and support more than 1,000 patients and their families every year.
There are so many ways that you can ‘get involved’ and show your support for St Luke’s. As you read this newsletter I hope it gives you some ideas of the different ways you can help – whether it’s playing the Lottery, buying tickets for our Jingle bell Jackpot raffle, volunteering in our shops or organising your own fundraising event. Your support is what keeps St Luke’s going! With my very best wishes
Kate Henshaw
So many of you give so generously and this has been a lifeline for the Hospice over the past 18 months. Thank you so very much.
Kate Henshaw Director of Care
How to contact us St Luke’s Hospice, Grosvenor House, Queensway, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 1BH
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T 01606 551246 E enquiries@slhospice.co.uk www.slhospice.co.uk
Rebecca’s story
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e are so privileged at St Luke’s to have the unwavering support of so many local families. Some families choose to ‘get involved’ as a thank you for the care a loved one has received, while others support St Luke’s because we are their local charity in the heart of their community.
people want to support it in any way they can. You never know when a family member or a friend will need St Luke’s.” Sadly for Rebecca that time came in January this year when her dad Dave Clare spent his final days being cared for in our Inpatient Unit. Rebecca said: “I feel so thankful that we had that time in the Hospice with Dad and for everything the nurses and health care assistants did, they were just incredible. Even during Covid they made sure we could be with him, by his bedside. We couldn’t have asked for anything more. “I wouldn’t wish what my family has been through on anyone, but I know that thanks to St Luke’s it was much easier and more comfortable for Dad and for us.”
Rebecca Kinnear grew up supporting St Luke’s. Her mum Jennifer has played the Lottery for “as long as I can remember” and it therefore seemed only natural that Rebecca would also sign up for the weekly draw. She has taken part in our Midnight Walk event twice to raise money; donated clothing and furniture to our shops; and has also volunteered in Day Hospice with her therapy dog Mabel. Rebecca explains: “St Luke’s is just so embedded in the local area and so many
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I would encourage anyone to please help the Hospice in any way you can, without the community’s support through donations and fundraising it simply wouldn’t be able to stay open and continue its amazing work.
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Rebecca with her dad Dave Clare on her wedding day
If you would like to make a donation or raise money to support the care we provide, please call 01606 551246 or visit www.slhospice.co.uk/donate. We really would appreciate your support.
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Training for Excellence E
ach year around 250 patients and their families are cared for and supported by the doctors and nurses on our Inpatient Unit, whether receiving respite care, help with symptom and pain management or care in their final days.
Our ten-bed Inpatient Unit is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Our nurses are also available around the clock on a telephone advice line to support patients and their families in their own homes. However, in addition to this vital work, our clinical staff are also helping to train GPs of the future - to increase their knowledge of palliative and end of life
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care and to give them the skills to best support their patients in the community.
Dr Andrea Graham, St Luke’s Medical Director, explains: “Medical students generally have very limited exposure to palliative care and hospice care, so it has been fantastic for St Luke’s to be a part of the GP training scheme for the past four years. “Every six months we offer placements to two qualified doctors who are undergoing their postgraduate training to become GPs. They work part-time at the Hospice and the rest of the time at a local GP practice.”
You can help support our work by making a regular donation and becoming a ‘Friend of St Luke’s’. Please call 01606 551246 or visit www.slhospice.co.uk/friends.
End of life or palliative care training is becoming increasingly important for GPs with an ageing population and increased palliative care taking place in the community. Dr Andrea added: “It’s great to think that the doctors we offer training to may settle locally in GP practices and will already have an increased awareness of, and link to, St Luke’s. They will hopefully be ambassadors for hospice care and St Luke’s.”
Dr Andrea Graham with nurses on the Inpatient Unit
Dr Ollie Dray has recently completed his GP training with the Hospice. He said:
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St Luke’s Hospice is a wonderfully educational environment. It is led superbly by Dr Graham and her team of kind and altruistic colleagues. My experiences on the Inpatient Unit provided daily perspective and an invaluable insight into this hugely rewarding specialty. I could not be more complimentary of the attentive way in which St Luke’s deliver a high level of patient-centred care. I am proud to have been a part of the St Luke’s family.
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Dr Andrea continued: “The aim is to expose young doctors to specialist palliative care and to help them develop crucial communication skills around difficult conversations which will inevitably be required throughout their career.”
For more information about our Inpatient Unit and other hospice services please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/how-we-can-help.
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M
any of us like to plan ahead in life, but some people find it difficult to think about what might happen at the end of their life, or even after their death.
making sure to mention St Luke's so that you are allocated the correct slot. Take care of the people you love and join us in making a Will this October.
Making a Will is one of the most important things you can do to ensure that your wishes are carried out and that your loved ones are provided for in the future, irrespective of your age or health.
You can find a full list of participating solicitors at: www.slhospice.co.uk/will-week
It’s also a really kind thing to do, so that it is easier for your family or friends to sort everything out after your death. Without a Will, this process can be even more stressful and could take a lot longer. From 18th - 22nd October, local participating solicitors have agreed to waive their entire fee for Will-making in return for a donation to St Luke's. The suggested donation for a Will is £150 and money raised throughout the week will come directly to the Hospice, helping to support patient care. To book an appointment please contact the participating solicitors directly,
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Your Gift, Our Future Do you know that one in five of our patients is cared for by a gift in a Will? Every gift in a Will, however large or small, will make a difference to the lives of local people living in Cheshire. To find out more visit: www.slhospice.co.uk/a-gift-in-yourwill or email andy.bailey@slhospice. co.uk to request our free guide.
For more information about ‘Make a Will Week’ or leaving a gift in your Will to St Luke’s please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/a-gift-in-your-will.
Care to play? Our Lottery players fund the equivalent of one week of care on our Inpatient Unit every month. So for just £1 a week why don’t you “give a little, care a lot”. Do you know that most of our Lottery players play in memory of a loved one? But there are so many other reasons to play - play to support, play to win or play for fun!
“I just couldn’t believe it when they said I’d won £5,000!” - Rachel
“I wanted to keep my mum’s number going.” - Rhiannon
“I play in memory of my mum, who is missed so much.” - Paula
The Lottery is such an easy way to support the Hospice and I never thought I’d win so much money.
St Luke’s cared for my mum I will continue to support so well and playing the St Luke’s and the amazing lottery is one way I can say work they do to help people thank you to them. like my mum. If you would like to play our Lottery for just £1 a week and the chance to win up to £5,000 please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/lottery or call 01606 553553
Join our Lottery today at www.slhospice.co.uk/lottery or call our Lottery team on 01606 553553.
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Complementary Therapies Q&A
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o you know that each year more than 471 patients and their carers receive complementary therapy at St Luke’s. It’s a part of our care that many people don’t realise is available, but it has so many benefits. We chat to Elle Owen, one of our complementary therapists in Day Hospice, to find out more about the service.
Q. What treatments are available? A. We offer a range of complementary therapies that can be used alongside conventional medical treatment to help relieve pain and reduce symptoms. There’s something for everyone including aromatherapy, massage, Reflexology and Reiki. We also run online Tripudio which is a gentle exercise class suitable for patients and carers. Q. Where are the clinics held?
Q. What are the benefits of attending a Complementary Therapy Clinic? A. Complementary therapies can help promote relaxation, alleviating feelings of anxiety, improving symptoms such as pain and sickness and helping promote sleep. It’s a really important way in which we can help both patients and carers who are facing all the stress that serious illness brings.
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Like all St Luke’s services, our complementary therapy clinics are only possible thanks to your continued support. Thank you.
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Patient voice
It has benefited me enormously, enabling me to retain a quality of life that I would not have thought possible.”
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Complementary therapist Elle Owen
A. Sessions are available at both our main Hospice site at Grosvenor House in Winsford and at our site in Winterley, near Sandbach. Initially six sessions are provided with further support then offered. We can also give treatments to in-patients in their room at the Hospice, as well as in our treatment rooms.
To find out more about our complementary therapy clinics and other services offered by Day Hospice please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/complementarytherapies.
Jackie’s story...
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s Jackie Lewis looks forward to celebrating her 60th birthday next year, she says she never would have reached the milestone without the care and support of St Luke’s over the past 20 years.
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I have seen my children grow up and two of them get married. I’m thankful that I’m still here and I’m still looking forward, I never ever in a million years thought I would get to 60.
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Jackie from Winsford was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999 at the age of just 37 and with two children to care for. She was referred to St Luke’s for support and care within Day Hospice. The counselling team also supported her young sons and mother. After a period of remission Jackie sadly discovered in 2013 that the cancer had returned and is now terminal.
Jackie with our Day Hospice nurses
Jackie had remarried and, with her stepson living with them, she came back to the Hospice for ongoing support and care. She found the complementary therapies particularly useful, including Reiki and relaxation classes. During lockdown virtual Tripudio exercise classes helped her to relax and manage her pain and anxiety and she knows that the nurses in Day Hospice are always there when she needs them. Jackie explains: “The positivity in Day Hospice is just amazing really. It isn’t a place of misery, it’s a place of happiness and sunshine and light. It’s my security blanket, the place that I can go to and be me. “Over the years I have never felt judged, the doctors and nurses will do whatever they can to support me. It’s where I learned to rebuild my life and it has given me the care and support I’ve needed to continue to work and look forward.”
Jackie with her family
If you would like to become a ‘Friend of St Luke’s’ by making a regular donation to the Hospice, please call 01606 551246 or visit www.slhospice.co.uk/friends.
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Shop – Donate – Care
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he money our shops generate is essential in supporting the work of the Hospice… so the dress or table you buy, or the items you donate to our shops, really do help fund our care! Come and pay us a visit at our shops or Warehouse in Winsford, Alsager, Hartford, Nantwich and Sandbach and pick up a bargain or two! Stock is constantly changing and you are guaranteed a warm welcome. We are also delighted to announce the re-opening of our shop in Northwich as ‘R&B’ – a shop specialising in records, books and collectable items. The shop has been completely refurbished and boasts a bright new look, and the reaction so far from customers has been brilliant. We are so grateful for your support. For shop locations and opening hours please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/shops
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www.slhospice.co.uk/shopping
Join our team! V
olunteers are the lifeblood of St Luke’s – keeping our shops running smoothly, greeting patients to the Hospice and helping at our fundraising events. They bring enthusiasm, passion, dedication and most importantly a friendly face to greet our patients, families, customers and supporters. We know that things have changed for many of us during the pandemic, and as a result a number of our volunteers have decided not to return to their previous roles with us – which we completely understand. Consequently we are currently reviewing our volunteer workforce to enable us to recruit effectively in the future, however we are in need of more volunteers for our shops.
So whether you’re a whizz on a till or fantastic at organising and sorting, we want to hear from you! The commitment can be as little as four hours a week, usually a morning or afternoon, but this is flexible depending on your availability. We will provide a trial shift to see if you like it and then full training if you decide it is something you would like to do. It’ll give you great experience, develop your skills and you’ll make some new friends along the way. If you are interested in volunteering or would like to find out more please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/volunteer and complete the online form.
www.slhospice.co.uk/volunteer
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We make every penny count!
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s a small local charity, we receive limited support from the government which means 85% of our funds come from you, our wonderful community, either giving donations, taking part in fundraising events or supporting our shops. Thank you!
As a charity we make no charge for our services, but rely on our own fundraising efforts and a small contribution from the NHS. This enables us to provide support to patients and their families according to their needs.
These are some of the things your donations help fund...
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You can help us to continue being here for local people and their families by making a regular donation to support our work. Please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/donate.
Get involved!
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fter a difficult 18 months for fundraising, we are asking you to ‘get involved’ and support St Luke’s in any way you can.
Fundraising sisters Jennie and Louise with their husbands and cousins
his caring role. He explains: “It’s good to know that there is someone on the end of the phone that I can have a chat with if I need to. St Luke’s is like a stick that I can get hold of and support myself with a little bit.” Barbara added: “David’s not a person who finds it easy to open up to others, but he has really taken the support from St Luke’s on board and I think he needs it more than me. It must be so difficult for him looking after my needs. He knows there’s somebody there who he can talk to and I think that’s a godsend for him.”
Sisters Louise McBirnie and Jennie Ambrose decided to go the extra mile for St Luke’s this summer with a sponsored hike around Ullswater Lake. Joined by their husbands and cousins, they raised an incredible £2,500 to ensure other people can receive the care and support that their mum and dad have received from St Luke’s. Louise said: “St Luke’s has been supporting both my parents over the last 18 months, since mum was diagnosed with cancer. Mum has stayed as an inpatient for respite care as well as enjoying the day care sessions. Even during the lockdown when mum has felt quite isolated at times St Luke’s have continued to provide support through the online sessions.”
Barbara and David with Day Hospice Sister Clare Allman
As well as the care Barbara has received, dad David has also been supported in To find out all the ways you can ‘get involved’ and support St Luke’s please visit www.slhospice.co.uk.
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Jingle bell Jackpot ell Jackpot M
ake this the best Christmas yet by entering our Jingle bell Jackpot and be in with a chance of winning £2,000! Tickets are only £1 to enter and our raffle is a fun and easy way of raising money for St Luke’s whilst giving you the opportunity to win amazing cash prizes. If you would like to be in with a chance of winning some cash this Christmas, please return your raffle tickets in the envelope provided or send to: St Luke’s Jingle bell Jackpot, St Luke’s Hospice Promotions Ltd, Queensway, Winsford, CW7 1BH
£2,000 grand prize £1,000 second prize £500 third prize And 15 runners up prizes of £10
Alternatively, you can enter online now at:
www.slhospice.co.uk/jingle-bell 81p from the sale of each ticket goes directly to patient care, 11p is used for prizes and 8p is used for administration costs. Terms and conditions: The raffle will take place on Friday 10th December 2021 as part of our weekly Lottery draw, with the prize structure changing for that week only to the prizes listed on the raffle tickets. There is also the chance to win our Rollover Jackpot which is a minimum of £200. The likelihood of winning a prize is a 1 in 3,222 chance, however the patients and families we care for win with every £1 ticket bought. (Average figures based on Christmas raffle 2020).
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Enter our Jingle bell Jackpot online at www.slhospice.co.uk/jingle-bell or call 01606 553553.
St Luke’s has Christmas covered
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rom fabulous gift ideas, to fun events for the whole family, we have something for everyone this Christmas!
For the kids... With 4 magical designs to choose from, our personalised letters from Santa are a wonderful surprise for the children in your life. Order yours at: www.slhospice.co.uk/letters-from-santa
For the adults... Bag yourself a bottle of our special At30 gin! It’s a perfect Christmas gift with light flavours of cranberry and redcurrant. The first 50 bottles ordered as a result of this newsletter will receive a fantastic 20% discount, so each bottle will cost just £28! Contact Jane on 01606 555688 or email jane.thompson@slhospice.co.uk to reserve your bottle. It really is the “gin that cares.”
For the family... Grab your coat and your walking boots, it’s time to join The Great Hospice Pudding Day. Prepare for the Christmas festivities with a lovely walk then settle down in the evening with your Pudding Pack filled with fun activities and delicious treats. It’s fun for the whole family! Find out more at: www.slhospice.co.uk/pudding-day For more Christmas gift ideas and to view our lovely range of Christmas cards visit www.slhospice.co.uk/st-lukes-online-shop.
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Become a...
Friend of St Luke’s
By making a regular donation to St Luke’s, you can help us to provide the care and support our patients and their families need.
www.slhospice.co.uk/friends Thank you for your continued support www.facebook.com/stlukescheshirehospice www.twitter.com/StLukesHospice www.instagram.com/stlukescheshire Grosvenor House, Queensway, Winsford, Cheshire CW7 1BH Registered Charity No. 515595
T 01606 551246 E enquiries@slhospice.co.uk www.slhospice.co.uk