For more than 16 years, we at Westways Vending have worked alongside St Catherine’s Hospice, providing a reliable vending service that supports staff, volunteers, patients, visitors and families throughout the day and night.
St Catherine’s Hospice provides end-of-life care across West Sussex and East Surrey, supporting not only patients but also the families and friends around them. It is an environment where people may be on site for long periods, staff and volunteers can work extended shifts, and access to refreshments needs to continue long after the main catering facilities have closed.
That long-standing relationship has developed around something relatively simple: making sure the right refreshments are available, the machines are straightforward to use, and support is there when the hospice needs it.
The Requirement: Reliable Refreshments at Any Hour
When St Catherine’s originally began looking for a vending partner, reliability was one of the main priorities.
The hospice also needed machines that were easy to operate and a supplier capable of providing enough variety to suit the different people using them.
Gemma, the Kitchen Lead for St Catherine’s Hospice, echoes this sentiment: “We were looking for someone who was reliable, obviously with their service… We were looking for machines that were easy to operate, and a company which could supply us with a good amount of different range products.”
This variety is particularly important in a hospice environment. Staff and volunteers working longer shifts may want a fresh coffee or tea, while others may be looking for a cold drink or something to eat. Patients, visitors and family members also have access to refreshments without needing to leave the building.
And, of course, that need does not stop when the sun goes down. “It’s a great comfort that they’ve got something on hand throughout the day, throughout the night, especially when obviously our other catering services are closed.”
A Vending Setup Tailored to St Catherine’s Hospice
There is no single vending setup that works for every workplace, healthcare setting or organisation, so our approach has always been to understand what is actually required on site.
For St Catherine’s, that meant discussing the available options and creating a setup around their needs rather than supplying a predetermined package.
As Gemma aptly puts it: “When we signed up it was sort of our choice of what we wanted, not ‘this is what you need to have’, so we could tailor it to what we need.”
That principle remains central to how we work. The mix of machines, drinks, snacks and servicing requirements should reflect how a site operates, who will be using the machines and when they are most likely to need them.
Fresh Coffee With the VITRO Series 3 Espresso
One of the machines helping St Catherine’s provide refreshments is the VITRO Series 3 Espresso, a high-capacity coffee machine designed for locations where good-quality drinks need to remain readily available throughout a busy day.
The VITRO Series 3 Espresso features a twin-boiler configuration, including a second high-capacity boiler, helping it handle continued demand. A 13-inch touchscreen gives users a clear way to choose and personalise their drink, something particularly useful in an environment where the machine may be used by staff, volunteers and visitors alike.
Its 1.2kg coffee bean hopper provides plenty of capacity between refills, while three soluble canisters expand the available drinks range. There is also the option for a second bean hopper, allowing organisations to offer an alternative such as decaffeinated coffee.
With cup sizes available up to 12oz, it gives users greater choice while still keeping the process simple.
For staff working a long shift, having coffee available on site might seem like a small detail, but it contributes to the wider convenience of having refreshments accessible whenever they are needed.
Service That Continues After Installation
Supplying the machines is only part of the relationship.
St Catherine’s also needs to know that if something goes wrong, help will be available quickly. Whether the issue relates to stock or machine maintenance, our team remains available to support the hospice.
Gemma highlights this best: “Really reliable whenever I have an issue with any one of our machines, a quick phone call to the office and they’re normally here within the same day.”
For an organisation operating around the clock, dependable servicing matters. A vending machine is only useful when it is stocked, operating correctly and ready for the next person who needs it.
More Than 16 Years of Working Together
The partnership between Westways and St Catherine’s Hospice has now lasted for more than 16 years. During that time, the purpose of the vending service has remained consistent: providing convenient access to drinks and snacks and backing that equipment with responsive support.
For St Catherine’s, this means staff and volunteers have refreshments available during long shifts, while patients and their families have another option available when the hospice’s other catering services are closed.
“They’re reliable, they’re supportive, always on the end of the phone with any issues, whether it be stock, maintenance issues, and they’re just a good supporter – especially of us at St Catherine’s Hospice.”
We are proud to have supported St Catherine’s Hospice for more than 16 years and to continue providing a vending service shaped around the people who rely on it every day.
If you found this interesting, you can watch our latest video where we talk to Gemma from St Catherine’s Hospice and learn more about the working relationship we share: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU63aBKMK6I
