Memories of an award-winning and much-loved staff member at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) will live on through two special tributes.
Keith Powles, a Lifelong Learning and Skills for Life tutor with the Trust, was just 46 when he died from a severe attack of acute pancreatitis earlier this year.
His dedication will, however, will be remembered with the launch of an Education Award in his name – and the creation of a memorial garden at Ridgeway, Roseberry Park in Middlesbrough.
The garden will be in honour of anyone who sadly passes away whilst working with, or being cared for by, the Trust’s Secure Inpatient Services – where Keith worked.
“Keith was enormously well respected and well-liked by colleagues and patients, and will be greatly missed,” said Dominic Gardner, Care Group Director for Mental Health Services for Older People and Adult Mental Health.
“He was passionate about teaching and strived to provide the best for the patients he worked with, and the colleagues he worked alongside. He has left a lasting legacy.”
Keith was born in Stockton to teachers June and Leslie. He later trained as a teacher too, as did his sister, Yvonne – but never wanted to work in a typical classroom.
Instead, he joined the Hutton Centre in Middlesbrough – the forerunner to Ridgeway, Roseberry Park Hospital, – as a technical instructor and found his vocation in life.
“It was his calling,” said Keith’s fiancé, Vicky Loughlin. “He loved it, loved the people he worked with and absolutely adored his job. It was a huge part of his life.”
No formal educational opportunities were offered to patients when Keith first started work at the Hutton Centre – other than sessions in subjects such as art and woodwork.
Keith, however, dedicated his working life to improving provision – and now a huge range of vocational lessons, as well as maths, English and digital skills, are available.
Indeed, not only did he set up an education centre, but also created a library, brought internet to the wards and introduced English as a second language classes.
“He was so passionate about things being right. He would always fight for the rights of patients. It was one of the things I really loved about him,” said Vicky.
“If he saw something that was needed, even if it wasn’t his job to do it, he would take on the challenge. He would problem solve and pave the way to what was needed.”
Keith’s dedication to his work saw him win a staff award in 2008, for his role in leading and implementing education within the service.
Just over a decade later, in 2019, Ridgeway won a national award for Outstanding Provision of One Awards Learning, thanks to help given to hundreds of patients.
Keith said at the time: “Education can encourage people to move forward and set new goals. What makes my job worthwhile is celebrating their successes with them.”
Many of Keith’s students have even continued their learning journeys after being discharged, due to their newly honed skills – a fact of which Vicky is very proud.
“He would bend over backwards for patients, right down to buying them special pens for tests, as he believed they gave them pride in what they were doing,” she said.
“He always wanted to make sure everyone else was OK. If there was something he could do, he would do it. It wasn’t just a job to him – he was devoted to his patients.”
Vicky first met Keith in 2009, when she was working as a nursing assistant at the Hutton Centre – and both were involved in moving the patients to Ridgeway.
She left, however, soon after and, although their paths crossed occasionally, love only blossomed in 2019 – through chats on social media.
Just a few months later, Covid-19 hit. Vicky was classed as vulnerable and forced to shield, while Keith worked on the front line for the Trust as a healthcare assistant.
“Keith didn’t want to put me at risk, so we couldn’t see each other very often for several months, but we kept in touch via video calls and just grew closer and closer.
“As lockdown started to ease we managed some very special trips away and then, on Christmas Day last year, he proposed. It blew me away – I wasn’t expecting it!”
Tragedy struck, however, as the couple prepared to buy their first home. Completion on the new house was just days away when Keith woke up in terrible pain one night.
“He had acute abdominal pain, but it went off and he wanted to go to work. That was just like him. He hated taking time off and was absolutely devoted to his job.
“But then it happened again, and he ended up in hospital. At first we thought it was a flare up of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but it wasn’t – it was a severe attack of acute pancreatitis.”
Tragically, Keith passed away not long afterwards on 7 April 2022, at North Tees Hospital, with Vicky at his bedside
“He was surrounded by love,” she said. “The messages, memories and stories we have received since he died have been amazing. He touched the lives of so many.
“He would always prioritise everyone else over and above himself. He was genuinely passionate about supporting people – his colleagues, patients, family and friends.”
Outside of work, Keith enjoyed DIY, travelling and had a fondness for Hard Rock cafes – collecting cafe t-shirts from around the world, including America and Europe.
He also had a life-long passion for planes and, as a tribute, Vicky has had his name inscribed under the wing of a Vulcan at Doncaster Sheffield airfield – his favourite plane.
“People were just drawn to him. He always had a funny story to tell about his travels or DIY adventures, and he was just such a genuinely kind person too,” she said.
“But although he had a lot of interests, work was a huge part of Keith’s life. He would always put other people before himself, even if he was stressed or tired.
“He was a person who changed things. If he saw something that could help people he would prepare his arguments, collect evidence, and push change through.”
A memorial service was recently held for Keith at The Hive, which was packed with patients and staff.
TEWV’s deputy head of Chaplaincy, Tim Dixon, who led the service, said: “Keith was a man full of compassion and kindness.
“He was someone who saw the best in people, helped them to strive to be the best version of themselves they could be, to achieve more than they thought they could.
“There is a lot of talk in the Trust at the moment about our values – compassion, respect, responsibility. Keith didn’t need reminding of those values – he embodied them already.
“Keith has left behind a large gap that will be impossible to fill. The pain that we feel that he’s no longer here with us will take a long time to heal.”
