The chosen charities to benefit from the auction at the inaugural dinner at Sandy Park in February 2024 were the Devon Air Ambulance Trust and the RNLI.
Captain Jeff Laing and co-organiser Steve Spicer recently visited Eaglescott Airfield , Umberleigh – one of the 2 airfields used by the Devon Air Ambulance – to present a cheque for £1537. Devon Air Ambulance employs 140 staff and 600 volunteers help to raise monies to run 2 helicopters and critical care cars at an annual cost of £10.5 million. Eaglescott is the base for the smaller Airbus H135 helicopter with the larger H145 based at Exeter Airport.
Although the aircraft was grounded due to poor weather, Jeff and Steve enjoyed an informative tour of the base and the captain took the opportunity to thank everyone and wish them all the best in their work in saving lives in Devon.
Steve was accompanied by one of his co-organisers, Graham Heaman, in a recent visit to the RNLI station at Exmouth to present a cheque for £1537 to members of the lifeboat crew and to thank them for their work as volunteers. Steve and Graham were fortunate to be able to witness a training launch of Exmouth’s Shannon class lifeboat, “R and J Welburn”.
With nine lifeboat stations, the RNLI plays a vital role in Devon, the only county in the UK with two coastlines, and many profesional and pleasure seafarers have benefitted from the bravery of its crews for almost 200 years.
