23 May 2024 Community

The Kirkwood Spotlight: Julie Tunnacliffe

The Kirkwood is proud of all of its staff and what they bring to our movement. We believe passionately in the skills that people bring to our charity. Whether that be working in our clinical team or non-clinical team. 

Julie Tunnacliffe, 61, has proudly worked for The Kirkwood since 2019 as a nurse. Despite retiring from her previous job she wanted to come out of retirement to work for our charity and help us to support life across Kirklees. 

On why she loves working for The Kirkwood she explained: “I have worked in The Kirkwood movement since 2019 and I am a part time bank nurse auxiliary working on the In-Patient Unit.

“The highlight for me about working for The Kirkwood and doing the role I do is being part of the wonderful In-Patient Unit nursing team and getting to know them and supporting the team. That makes my role very enjoyable.

“I really love working as part of a high class, dedicated nursing team who are focused on delivering high quality nursing care to patients requiring end of life care. It is great being able to go home every day knowing I've made a difference that makes me very proud.

“I especially enjoy getting to know the patients and their families and they all have a different perspective about their lives and their future health wishes.” 

Living locally to the site we have in Dalton, Julie had a good understanding of how important we are and the work we do in Kirklees even before joining our movement. 

Julie said: “I live locally to The Kirkwood's In-Patient Unit in Dalton. I live in Kirkheaton and enjoy walking to work every day. It's a great place to work in my opinion and The Kirkwood gardens are just stunning.” 

Julie has always had a desire to help people in the community and that stems right back to the start of her career in 1981. 

She said: “I have had a long and varied nursing career where the delivery of palliative and terminal care was always a central theme. I started nursing in 1981 in Manchester at the tender age of just 19.

“I quickly realised that working in the community was where I wanted to nurse patients. I had many happy years working back in Huddersfield as a district nursing sister which enabled me to continue nursing patients face to face.

“I became a community matron whilst I worked as an advanced nurse practitioner in a very busy general practice health centre until my retirement in 2018.

“I often liaised with The Kirkwood about patients for expert palliative care advice. I have always wanted to be a nurse and to be able to continue to deliver hands-on nursing and contribute to patients' end of life care. I find this indeed a privilege.” 

Julie looks to support The Kirkwood through various events and has done her bit of fundraising for us along the way too. 

She added: “I believe The Kirkwood is an essential charity. I support the charity through my love of walking, I take part in The Kirkwood Memory Walk and most recently the newly formed Sole Mates Walking group founded by Jade on the In-Patient Unit. The group is a great opportunity to relax and make new friends and gain emotional support. Though we don't talk about work, socialising for the charity is also a great pastime. 

“I enjoyed fundraising for a cuddle bed through Team Serenity, one of The Kirkwood's vital support groups. My love of retail therapy is also provided for at many of the Kirkwood charity shops. I really rate the new Honley shop, where I've picked up a few bargains.” 

Finally Julie reflected on what she thinks about the whole organisation by saying: “The Kirkwood is a special movement where excellent colleagues work together to support people in Kirklees who need our care. The hospice scene is always changing but us as a charity and me as an individual are doing our best to keep up.”