“My first experience of St Luke’s was 12 years ago when I lost someone very close to me,” she explains.
“Then two years ago my best friend was admitted to St Luke’s and in the two weeks she was here I spent a lot of time with her - and that’s when I realised I wanted to work there and be part of the St Luke’s team.”
That’s the point that Lucy decided to leave her post at Morrison’s supermarket, where she had worked for 20 years, and take an entirely different career path.
“I was ready for a change and after losing my friend I had it even more in my mind so when I saw a job advertised in the St Luke’s Hospitality team I applied,” she says.
“I have been here almost a year now and already I feel like I’ve been here forever – it’s the best decision I could have made.
“I remember when I came in on my first morning and it just didn’t feel like my first day in a new job, I felt I belonged.
“Everybody puts in 100 per cent and everybody goes that extra mile, not just for the patients but for their relatives, which is one of the things I enjoy the most, getting to know people and being able to offer my support.
“We don’t want anybody to worry and that’s why we like to look after families while they are with us - and knowing that people are having a decent meal, fresh water and drinks can be very important.
“Within a couple of days of a patient being with us we’ll know all their likes and dislikes and we do have some patients will say they haven’t eaten for days but within two days of being with us they’re eating again.”
She adds that a patient will often open up to the hospitality team in unexpected ways.
“We very quickly get to know the patients and their families, you build up a relationship and you can sense when something is not right,” she says.
“The way I always explain St Luke’s to people is that it’s the best place to be at the worst time of your life and to know that I have been involved in making things easier for people brings me so much happiness and comfort.
“It might sound like a funny thing to say but it never feels like I am coming to work when I come to St Luke’s because I enjoy what I am doing so much.
“It’s not just being a waitress with a cup of tea and a bowl of soup – it’s being part of a team of people really making a difference.”
And as part of her role within the hospitality team, Lucy is now fronting the St Luke’s Spring Raffle campaign.
“Every raffle ticket you buy helps us continue making a difference, ensuring every patient and family member receives the nutrition, care, and support they need during life’s most challenging moments,” Lucy says.
“Supporting our Spring Raffle enables us to care for more than 1,800 patients and their family members, meaning we support 6,000 people in total each year.”
Tickets for the Spring Raffle, sponsored by Crystal Peaks, are available now, with a top prize of £2,500 to be drawn on May 14.