Raise a glass to the St Luke’s summer drinks specials

The selection of fresh fruit mocktails and smoothies has been mixed to help keep patients hydrated during the warm summer months.

And with the expert support of the St Luke’s hospitality team’s Tracey Kendall – who had 14 years experience preparing drinks with national restaurant and cocktail bar chain TGI Fridays before coming to the hospice – every drink has been blended with good health in mind.

Among the alcohol-free tipples on the menu are the Non-Tequila Sunrise, Orange and Cranbery Spritz, a traditional pink lemonade and a Nojito, while the new smoothie range includes Mixed Berries, Avocado and Mint, Pear and Oat and Stawberry and Spinach.

“Keeping hydrated and drinking plenty of fluids is always an important part of patient care but even more so during the warmer summer months,” said St Luke’s Infection Prevention and Control Specialist Nurse Joshua Povey.

“Encouraging people to drink more fluids and so reduce the risk of urinary tract infection is always a challenge, particularly when they are feeling unwell.

“But people are believed to drink more if they are in a more social environment and there is a bit more of a sense of occasion so we decided to come up with a menu of refreshing mocktails that are now available for both patients and visitors.

“It’s a simple and tasty way of keeping patients hydrated and with all the fresh ingredients, we think they’re going to be popular among our patients and visitors, especially in hot weather.”