After more than 30 years running her own coffee shop in Bakewell alongside her husband, Julie is very much enjoying retirement – but she wasn’t quite ready to stop helping people.
Having spent much of her working life as a nurse, Julie knows first-hand how important hospice care can be. Since March 2026, she has been volunteering at our Bakewell shop, where she enjoys meeting customers, working alongside a passionate team and knowing that every sale helps support people and families across the local community…
Julie explained: ‘I’m originally from Sheffield and trained as a registered nurse, qualifying in Chesterfield in 1988. I worked as a nurse for a while before meeting my husband, Josef, who is Austrian. We met on holiday in Portugal and, not long afterwards, I went to Vienna to work.
‘I worked 18 hours per day for the Chief Justice of Vienna and his wife in their own home. Josef and I got married in Austria and eventually came back to Bakewell, where we settled and brought up our son and daughter.
‘For 32 years, we owned and ran the Tiroler Stuberl coffee shop in Bakewell. We served Austrian sausages, apple strudel, and sold goods in the shop. Although I was running the shop, I never completely left nursing behind. I worked in nursing homes around Bakewell, mainly doing night shifts so that I could look after the children during the day and work in the shop as well.
‘I also helped to look after my own parents at home, so caring for people at the end of their lives has been a big part of my life, both professionally and personally.
‘My sister, Wendy died at home aged 59 from pancreatic cancer. She was supported by St Luke’s Hospice in Sheffield, and the support they gave us during those final three weeks was incredibly important. It all happened so quickly. When someone is dying, you don’t have time to think or plan everything, so having that support there was amazing. She was able to spend her last few weeks at home with her children and family around her who she loved, in the house she loved.
‘That experience has made me very passionate about the work Blythe House Hospice does. I knew about the charity, and about Helen’s Trust, so I was already aware of the importance of the work it does.
‘Joe and I sold the coffee shop in 2023 and retired. I’m really enjoying retirement – spending time in the garden, seeing friends, travelling and doing all the things you don’t always have time to do when you’re working.
‘But I kept walking past the Blythe House shop in Bakewell and, eventually, I thought: “I’m going to find out more about supporting the shop.” I filled in a form online, had a phone call, and then started volunteering in March 2026 because I wanted to give something back and help other people. I know how important hospice care is and what a vital service it is to provide.
‘I mainly volunteer on Thursdays and Saturdays, but I’ll also pick up extra shifts when people are on holiday or off sick. I love it. You know that the money you’re raising is going to such a good cause.
‘There are lots of different things to do in the shop – registering donors for Gift Aid, preparing clothes and bric-a-brac for sale, receiving donations, steaming, till work and pricing everything up. I enjoy all of it.
‘One of the things I’m particularly aware of is how difficult it can be for people to give away the belongings of someone they love. I know how hard it is to give your mum’s or your sister’s things away; I’ve done it myself.
‘People will come in and say: “My mum wanted you to have all her clothes.” You can see that they’re emotional and that it’s tough for them. They might say thank you to me, but I know they’re really saying thank you to the whole hospice. I really appreciate that, sometimes, just getting to the shop in the first place is difficult for people.
‘The generosity of people never fails to astound me. We get valuable items donated. Someone could easily have sold them, but they’ve chosen to bring them into the shop because they want to support the charity.
‘There’s a real satisfaction in knowing that you’re raising money for such an important cause and helping people at some of the saddest points in their lives. Blythe House offers people the chance to be cared for at home, and I know just how important that is.
‘I’ve also really enjoyed being part of the team. I know most of the people who work and volunteer here now, and it’s lovely to work alongside people who are passionate about the cause. Everyone is keen to do as much as they can and help.
‘When you finish working and retire, some of that social interaction can stop. Now, I come into the shop and sometimes see my old customers coming through the door. It’s lovely to see them and meet so many different people of all ages. Students wanting vintage curtains or someone needing a garment of a certain colour for a funeral. You never know who is going to walk through the door or what they’re going to find.
‘I think people are incredibly generous. Every donation, every purchase and every bit of support make a difference, and I’m really pleased that I can now help in making that difference.’
