Andrew's story

‘The Front of House Team is made up of the Housekeeping Team, the Catering Team and the volunteers who all go the extra mile over Christmas time.

‘On Christmas Day we have volunteers on the Welcome Point who welcome visitors into the hospice and those on the Inpatient Unit who serve patients their meals. The team in the kitchen rise to the challenge because not only do they do a Christmas lunch for patients, but for visitors and staff on duty too, as well as an afternoon tea for supper. The Housekeeping Team come in because we still have to get rid of the clinical waste, but they get dressed up and into the spirit. It’s a very festive environment on the ward on Christmas Day.

‘I have worked a couple of Christmas Days myself in the past. For a couple of years, we opened The Steet Café to the public for lunch and I roped my wife in to help, leaving our children to cook our lunch at home! Christmas for me is all about family and good food.

‘In the lead up to Christmas I arrange to have choirs perform. St Andrew's Infant School, for example, have been coming in for quite a few years. Everybody loves to come and watch them; we even bring some of the patients down. I’m looking forward to welcoming the choirs back again this year after the pandemic.’