After forty years within the care industry, Richard Burden our current Chief Executive will be stepping down from his role in August. Gratifyingly, the recruitment process identified a significant number of very well qualified applicants who were attracted by the opportunity to lead St Luke’s. The board has appointed Nikki May to succeed Richard in August this year. Simon Polito, Chair of Trustees commented, We believe Nikki is exceptionally well qualified to take over fro

This week, St Luke's Hospital is once again taking part in Open Carehome Week. The national initiative provides the public with an opportunity to come and take a look around their local carehome or one that has been identified as a good fit for themselves or a family member. This year, we have a number of different actvities that have been taking place including a visit by the wonderful Jonty who plays the most beautiful music on his flute. We also have the Oxford Internati

After 12 years at the helm, we are sad to inform you that our Chief Executive Richard Burden will be retiring this year. Richard writes: "It has been an exciting time and with the help of our loyal and excellent staff team and the patience of our understanding patients we have achieved much together in bringing St Luke’s into the 21st century. It seems long ago that we started by replacing the brown lino in the corridors with vinyl and changing the colours of the walls. We op

From Monday 15th June, we are taking part once again in Open Care Home Week. If you would like to come and take a look around St Luke's Hospital, please do get in touch with our reception team 01865 228800. The coffee shop on the ground floor will be open to all visitors as usual. For a guided tour of our building, gardens and facilities, please get in touch. We look forward to welcoming you. #oxfordnursing #oxfordnursinghome #oxfordcarehome #oxford #CareHomeActivities #open

Every day we are fortunate to receive very positive feedback from our patients and their families. It might be a word from a patient about how they have enjoyed their meal, or a walk in the garden, appreciating all the flowers and plants cared for by our volunteering gardening team. A comment made by a family member who really enjoyed listening to the jazz trio on an afternoon's visit. Or a thank you from a rehabilitation patient as she leaves St Luke's to return home after

Volunteering is a vital component of UK society, with millions contributing their time and skills annually across Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland. These inspiring statistics highlight the incredible contributions of volunteers and the potential for even greater engagement across the UK. Did you know that we have some of the most amazing and generous volunteers supporting the staff team and patients at St Luke’s? In fact, our charity is led by a group of very har

For millennia, bees and people have shared a close and evolving connection, shaped by the ways communities across the world have relied on bees for food and livelihoods, with bees often becoming part of their cultural identity. From honey hunting to a large variety of beekeeping systems, this relationship has continually adapted to different environments, technologies, and socio-cultural needs. World Bee Day 2026 focuses on how humans and bees have been working together to

We are celebrating a group of superheroes who do not ware capes (Edna Mode would be very proud). On international nurses day this year, we are celebrating and recognising this group of talented and dedicated individuals who often go above and beyond in the course of their duties to provide the very best care and not always with the best conditions. We are of course referring to all nurses around the world. Some work in very professional, purpose-built hospitals and clinics

Walking – many of us take it fore granted in that it’s a simple thing we have been doing every day of our lives from the time we were a toddler. However, as we get older, we can find that we are actually walking less, especially in our older years. If we experience health issues that affects our ability to walk such as joint pain, it can make us less inclined to try and build back our ability to just go for a walk. Walking is a simple, free, and effective, low-impact exer

Earth Day is a campaign to help people to come together to play a part in protecting our most valuable asset, this planet and all of its eco-systems. Environmental progress is built through everyday action—from communities protecting ecosystems to innovators advancing solutions. Clean air, safe water, and climate resilience aren’t optional—they’re essential. For Earth Day 2026 we know that every action counts and every voice matters. Our hospital building has been enhanced ov

Our very long anticipated Easter residents have arrived! We are delighted to announce that the eight eggs that arrived at St Luke's Hospital a few days ago have all hatched successfully. We are now the very proud temporary home to eight hen chicks - all rare breeds. Our new arrivals have been a talking point throughout the Hospital, with frequent visits from residents, relatives, friends and staff during the week. As they've got older and steadier, residents were able to se

We live in a time where it’s easy to wait for someone else to step up, to fix things, to make the first move, to create change. We wait for systems to improve, for people to be kinder, for stress to simply disappear. And too often, we give up before we begin, telling ourselves: “How could one person like me possibly make a difference?” Stress can affect anyone and everyone and its personal to them. It can affect you both physically and mentally. This month, April 2026, why no

It is the first day of spring and we are all getting excited about the new residents coming to St Luke’s Hospital Soon! Sunshine, warmer weather? That means that Easter must be fast approaching. At St Luke’s, it’s going to be a very exciting and quite different experience this year. The residents and patients will be experiencing new life in a very hands-on way. The team has arranged for 10 hen eggs to be brought to St Luke's at the end of March. These eggs will be incubated

Sleep is vital for recovery because it enables the body to repair, boost the immune system, and consolidate memory while regulating hormones that control appetite and stress. Sleep acts as a necessary "reset" for both mental and physical health, allowing for muscle repair, energy restoration, and improved emotional wellbeing. Many of us ignore the importance of sleep, especially when we are younger and ‘burn the candle at both ends’. Unfortunately though, we ignore the import

Art can be many things to many people. It can provide an outlet for feelings and emotions, evoke memories and bring people together. The Activities Team at St Luke's work with local artisits to create opportunities for our residents to enjoy new mediums of art. Easrlier this month, we enjoyed a special workshop led by artist Emma Skeet in a multimedia collage, using a stunning painting by Emma as a resource and inspiration. The painting has been generously donated to St Luke

During the winter months, many older people can feel isolated if they do not feel able to get out and about safely due to the weather and the risk a fall may bring. Having reduced mobility can make people feel more vulnerable, so they chose not to venture out, in effect reducing the risk to themselves of a fall. The downside to this is that mentally, becoming socially isolated can also impact on your mental and physical well-being. We have the opportunity to help. Short-stay

As we are getting ready to celebrate Christmas Day here at St Luke's Hospital, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the year. Christmas is a time for friends and family to gather together, spending peaceful, joyful and fun times with our loved ones. We have seen some wonderful improvements this year to ensure our patients have the facilities and comforts they need - no matter if they are a long-term resident or here to stay for rehabilitation or respite care. This year,

Walking is often seen as a simple activity, but at St Luke's, it created the most wonderful transformation of a vital patient facility. On the 20th April 2025, a dedicated group of walkers set out on a 26 mile route around some of the most beautiful parts of the Oxfordshire countryside, all with one purpose - to raise vital funds to transform the charity's physiotherapy gym. The gym which was built as part of the Hospital at the end of the 1970's had been updated over the yea

After many months of planning, the physio gym at St Luke’s Hospital is finally undertaking its major refurbishment since the Hospital was opened in the early 1980s.

Every summer, the Team at St Luke's Hospital hosts a garden party (when the weather plays ball) for patients, families, staff and...