Spring 26 Newsletter website

St Luke’s News

With thanks to our supporters

Averywarm welcome to this spring edition of St Luke’s News. As always, this newsletter is full of updates from the Hospice and, most importantly, the experiences of the patients and families we are privileged to care for and support. I hope you enjoy reading it.

This spring marks a turning point for me, as I retire from my voluntary role as Chair of the Board of Trustees after nine wonderful years. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your kind and continued support for St Luke’s - it truly means so very much.

It has been an honour to serve an organisation that sits at the very heart of our community. Over the years, I have seen first-hand the extraordinary care and compassion shown by our

How to contact us

St Luke’s Hospice, Grosvenor House, Queensway, Winsford, Cheshire

staff and volunteers, alongside the generosity of our supporters. Together, you make it possible for patients and their families to receive care, dignity and comfort when they need it most.

I am immensely proud of all that has been achieved and deeply confident in the future of the Hospice. Our new chair, Dennis Dunn MBE JP DL will be joining the Board, supported by our great Chief Executive Karen Nutt and Management Team. With such a committed team and loyal supporters, I am certain it will continue to grow and adapt while staying true to its values.

As spring reminds us of renewal and hope, I thank you all for working with St Luke's and for everything you do to sustain the Hospice's vital work for now and the years to come. You have provided me with one of the greatest privileges of my life.

With warmest thanks, God bless you all,

Mike

Mike Ridley Chair of the Trustees

A connection that lasts generations

Some connections with St Luke’s last for generations. Our nurses were delighted to meet our youngest supporter, four-month-old Luke Evans, who visited the Hospice with his dad, Anthony.

Anthony’s grandad, William ‘Bill’ Paxton, was cared for on our Inpatient Unit in his final days 23 years ago.

The compassion and kindness shown to Bill and his family left a lasting impression that Anthony has never forgotten.

“It felt especially fitting to name my son Luke, which means ‘bringer of light’,” Anthony shares. “It’s a small but meaningful connection to a place that brought us so much comfort at a very difficult time. His middle name is William, in memory of my wonderful grandad.”

Anthony was just 14 when his grandad died. “He was my main father figure. Old school, a traditional family man, and the heart of our family. Losing him had a huge impact on us all, and he's still deeply missed.

“My family and I saw first-hand the care, compassion and dignity that St Luke’s gave him in his final days. That’s always stayed with me, and I’ve always wanted to give something back.”

Now living in Middlewich, Anthony is fundraising for the Hospice by taking on a half marathon. “My motivation is the memory of who I’m doing it for,” he says. “But it’s also for other families who may need the Hospice in the future.”

Where moments count...

A new look for Day Hospice

We’re delighted to share that, thanks to your kind support, we have been able to give our busy Day Hospice a much-needed refurbishment.

The brighter, more welcoming space has been designed to help patients and carers feel more relaxed and ‘at home’, while also supporting our staff and volunteers in delivering professional, compassionate care.

The refreshed lounge and treatment rooms are brighter and more inviting, offering a comfortable environment to relax and feel at ease. A lower ceiling and wall panelling create an intimate, soothing atmosphere, while new furnishings and subtle design touches add warmth and comfort.

Practical improvements include a dedicated nurses’ station, a breakout area with table and chairs for craft activities, and two smart TVs for information and gentle entertainment.

The treatment room now features a better layout, softer lighting, extra storage, and a cloud picture ceiling to help reduce patient anxiety.

Our Day Hospice lounge hosts a range of activities, including music sessions, art workshops and pet therapy for patients living with dementia.

Our busy Day Hospice is at the heart of St Luke’s and receives more than 1,200 referrals every year.

Our services support patients and their carers, helping to manage symptoms and maximise quality of life. They include Wellbeing Days, Complementary Therapy Clinics, Dementia Carers’ Workshops, relaxation courses, Carers’ Weekly Drop-ins, and Music Therapy sessions.

The refurbishment has received fantastic feedback from patients, carers, staff and volunteers alike:

To help us continue to support patients and carers, please consider making a donation at www.slhospice.co.uk/wheremomentscount

This spring, help create moments that count...

As spring brings new life and fresh hope, it reminds us how important it is to cherish every moment - the warmth of a hand held, laughter shared and time spent together.

Every day your support helps us create moments of peace, connection, and comfort for patients, and for their families and friends.

Thanks to supporters like you, we can offer expert care, emotional support, and the simple but powerful things that matter most: comfort, reassurance, and time together.

Please help us to create moments that count by making a donation to our 'Where Moments Count' Spring Appeal www.slhospice.co.uk/wheremomentscount

Please give today. Your donation will help ensure that every child, every patient and every family we care for can experience connection, comfort and peace when they need it most.

Please support our Spring Appeal and help create moments of connection, comfort and peace: www.slhospice.co.uk/wheremomentscount

Where moments count... Mark & Katherine's story

When 42-year-old Mark Craig from Cuddington spent his final days with us, our team wanted to make every moment count for him and his young family.

His wife Katherine shares: “The nurses set up a dinner table in his room - they moved his bed out, laid a table, and gave us the chance to have a family meal together. They did everything they could to make Mark feel at home, so we could have those moments with him, making the situation the best we could have wished for - moments we’ll cherish forever.”

Where moments count... Carla & Anne's story

Throughout her illness, Carla Bentley from Hartford was supported by St Luke’s - from complementary therapies to ease her symptoms, to counselling and finally her last weeks on our Inpatient Unit, aged just 51.

Carla’s mum Anne said: “St Luke’s weren’t just there for Carla, they were there for all of us. They made the worst situation of our whole lives bearable. We stayed overnight with Carla and the nurses looked after all of us so well. Carla was comfortable and the room was just lovely - bright, sunny, with roses outside the window. It was beautiful. We couldn’t have wished for a better last few days.”

Where moments count...Daniel and Kim's story

From diagnosis to final days, we supported 43-year-old Daniel Stokoe from Crewe, his wife Kim and children Izzy and Harry.

Kim shared: “In the last few weeks, I’d pick Harry and Izzy up from school and go straight to the Hospice. They could spend precious time with their dad and it never felt clinical. The staff were so kind.

We’d read, play games, and Harry would help himself to ice cream. That’s what we all needed. I honestly don’t know how we would have coped without St Luke’s. We had that time together, and we’ll be forever grateful.”

Share Your Garden, Grow Our Care...

This spring and summer we're inviting you to open your garden in aid of St Luke's, to help grow our care at the Hospice.

By opening your garden for the Hospice, you aren't just sharing your love of gardening, you are supporting compassionate care for people in your community and their loved ones.

Dorothy and David Monks from St Luke's Holmes Chapel Support Group have generously opened their garden for the Hospice for many years, for which we are so very grateful.

David shares: "My garden has been a passion of mine for over 40 years. Opening it for St Luke’s has been incredibly rewarding - you meet so many lovely people from the local community. I’d encourage anyone thinking about it to do it."

If you decide to open your garden, you will be supported every step of the way by our friendly fundraising team who can provide you with everything you need, from posters and donation buckets to top tips and inspiration.

If you’d like more information, please contact Jo in our Fundraising Team on 01606 555811 or email community@slhospice.co.ukwe'd love to hear from you.

Strengthening dementia support for our community

We’re delighted to have appointed Siobhan Brown as our new Dementia Specialist Nurse, bringing invaluable support to people living with dementia and their carers. This role has been made possible thanks to the kind donations we received as part of last year’s Spring Appeal - your contributions truly make a difference!

Siobhan has settled into the role, sharing her knowledge and expertise. Our Dementia Carers’ Workshops, offered as an eight-week course, are now a permanent part of our Day Hospice services, helping carers of those with dementia navigate the challenges.

Siobhan also supports those living with dementia, and their carers, through referrals, home visits, community outreach, and our Carers’ Drop-In sessions held weekly at the Hospice.

She explains: “My role involves opening people’s options to what else is available. So many people don’t

Dementia Specialist Nurse Siobhan Brown supports carer Eileen Hamilton

know where to look when it comes to dementia support, so having St Luke’s for ongoing assistance is very useful.”

Looking ahead, we’re excited to introduce ‘Singing for the Brain’ sessions, a collaboration between the Alzheimer’s Society and St Luke’s. Trained volunteers will lead specialised singing activities that stimulate the brain and foster connections through music.

Thanks to your ongoing generosity, we can continue to provide compassionate, expert care for those locally who are living with dementia, and their carers.

To

Because of you...

Thanks to the generosity of our regular supporters, we can continue providing vital care and support to those who need it most. People like Kelly and Ian, who have both been supported by St Luke's . Together, we make this lifechanging difference possible.

Kelly's story

Who cares for the carer? We dothanks to your support.

When crisis response nurse Kelly Burton cared for her dad in his own home in his final weeks, she found a shoulder to lean on in St Luke’s.

Kelly from Wistaston recalls how tough she found her caring role, despite all her training: “Dad was adamant that he wanted to stay at home but he had lung cancer and we could see how much he was deteriorating. My daughter’s a nurse as well but nothing prepares you for caring for someone you love, so St Luke’s became our support.”

Kelly accessed complementary therapies at the Hospice to help sustain her in her caring role, and says it was the best support: “It was the only time I could let go and acknowledge the emotions I was going through. The key thing is it was someone caring for me, and it gave me a release and stopped me breaking down in front of the kids and most importantly in front of dad.

"The staff were just so caring, they were the only professionals that asked ‘how are you?’ and I really needed that support.”

A St Luke’s complementary therapist also visited Kelly’s 77-year-old dad at home to provide treatment to ease his symptoms and pain. Kelly recalls: “At the end of the treatment, the therapist left him all wrapped up in his blanket and he looked so calm. I’d never seen him so relaxed and he said it was ‘magnificent’. He looked so well and that is such a special memory for me.

“St Luke’s were great but I always knew they would be. I can’t thank the Hospice enough.”

Ian's story

Ian Ronson from Davenham’s life was turned upside down by a throat cancer diagnosis in November 2023. After an endless “conveyor belt” of surgeries and treatments, he found St Luke’s - a place that filled a void he didn’t realise was there.

Ian’s journey with St Luke’s began the following June, he said:

“By June, everything had finished. Then suddenly, you are left to your own devices. It was then that I was put in touch with this wonderful place. They gave me a purpose again.”

Ian's first experiences at the Hospice opened his eyes to services like counselling. “You don’t know you need counselling until somebody talks to you. I’ve been very fortunate with Steve (Counsellor), he’s been brilliant. He takes me to places I didn’t realise I needed to go.”

Through his experiences with St Luke’s, Ian has come to terms with the person he is today. “I’ve stopped comparing new me to old me. This is me now. St Luke’s has taught me to accept who I am. I wouldn’t be the person I am now without this place.

“I don’t know what I’d do without this facility, because you wouldn’t know to ask for it. I would never have thought about counselling. You can say things safely here that you wouldn’t want to burden your family with.”

Thanks to regular supporters, St Luke’s can continue providing vital care to people like Ian, who encourages everyone to support their local Hospice: “It’s eye-watering seeing the costs this place needs to function, and that money must come from somewhere. There are things closer to home that matter and this facility matters.”

Your regular gift can make a lasting difference. Every donation helps St Luke’s provide life-changing support for local people and their families. By giving regularly, you help ensure that Ian and many others like him can continue to feel purpose, connection, and hope.

To watch an interview in which Ian describes his experiences with St Luke's, please scan the QR code.

This is Hospice Care

For a second year, we're proud to stand with over 125 hospices across England, Scotland, and Wales, for the "This is Hospice Care" campaign, brought together by Hospice UK, which highlights the kindness of leaving a Gift in your Will.

As one of the least funded adult hospices in the country - receiving just 16% of our funding from the government - we rely heavily on charitable donations to keep our services running, and to continue providing our vital care.

Do you know that Gifts in Wills fund the care of around one in four of our patients? As demand for our hospice services continues to grow, and costs continue to rise, your gift is more

important today than ever before. Please help us continue providing our vital care to those who need it.

Your Gift ensures that when your neighbour gets that diagnosis, when a local family faces the unthinkable, when someone you know needs dignity and comfort, we're here. Not just today, but for generations to come.

Together, we can help hospice care live on for all, for now, forever.

To leave a Gift in your Will to the Hospice, your solicitor will need:

• The name of our charity 'St Luke's Cheshire Hospice'

• Our charity number 515595

For more information about the This is Hospice Care campaign please visit www.slhospice.co.uk/giftinwill