St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth is embracing the festive spirit early this year with the launch of its brand-new charity Christmas cards, now available in all St Luke’s shops.
The exclusive design for 2025 has been created by celebrated local artist and long-time supporter of the hospice, Brian Pollard, whose joyful winter scene captures the magic of Plymouth in the snow.
The design that Brian has picked for this year’s Christmas card is one of his favourite views of Plymouth – a snowy scene looking out across the Hoe, with Smeaton’s Tower, Brittany Ferries, balloons in the sky, and people enjoying a joyful winter’s day.
“I’ve taken a bit of artistic licence,”
Brian explained,
“but I’ve included the main features that brighten the painting up.” His signature style brings a sense of charm to the cards, celebrating the community of Plymouth and all that it represents.
Brian, a Patron of St Luke’s, has supported the charity for many years. He said:
“As a GP for 30 years, I had a very close association with St Luke’s right from the very beginning. It’s such an important charity and not many people realise that a lot of its work is done in the community.
It doesn’t get the funding from the government or the NHS to cover the costs, so fundraising becomes so important to keep this important charity going and providing the fantastic service it does.”
Brian is no stranger to supporting charities with his artwork, including having previously designed a card for the RNLI which sold more than 500,000 cards. He is also a recipient of ‘The Pride of Plymouth Award’ for his support of local charities and his voluntary work in schools, where he has run art workshops for over 30 years.
Back in 2019, St Luke’s commissioned Brian to paint the first elephant for Elmer’s Big Parade and with the charity’s Guiding Lights Art Trail and Auction coming to Plymouth next summer, he was asked again to paint the first sculpture for the trail.
The family-friendly trail will feature a series of 2.4-metre tall lighthouse sculptures displayed across Plymouth, each sponsored by a local business and auctioned off to raise funds for the hospice.
Similar in style to his Christmas card design, Brian’s lighthouse features a sunny scene on Plymouth Hoe, with a Red Arrows flyover, the Tinside Lido and of course, the iconic Smeaton’s Tower. For Brian, lighthouses feature regularly in his work and have now taken on a deeper meaning, so he found it fitting to be the sculpture of choice for the trail.
“It’s a great metaphor for what St Luke’s does,”
he said,
“guiding people through the difficulties of life, helping them have a safe journey.”
Brian’s lighthouse will be illuminated on display for the Barbican lights switch-on on Saturday November 15 where Brian will share more about his design and the Guiding Lights trail, as well as his ongoing connection to St Luke’s.
St Luke’s Christmas cards, including Brian’s design, are available now in all St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth shops. A pack of 10 cards costs £4.25, with all proceeds supporting the compassionate care St Luke’s provides to patients and families across Plymouth and surrounding areas.
