Steve's story

“I started as a chef at St Leonard’s in 1985, aged 19, never imagining I would spend my entire career at the Hospice. The building had just been completed, and we were preparing to welcome our first patient.

Hospices weren’t as well-known back then. In those early days, I would visit patients daily to talk about their food preferences and menu choices. This meant I got to know them and their families.

I hadn’t been here long when I heard that a patient I saw and chatted with every day had sadly passed away. That was the moment I realised how much my work could make a difference at such an important time in someone’s life. It was a privilege to spend time with patients.

I loved being the chef here for 25 years before moving on to other roles within the Hospice, and it’s been an honour to be part of the Hospice’s story.”