BASICS Devon were called to an emergency in Plymouth, to which they were first on the scene, to find Barrington injured and unable to move on the floor.
Barrington explains what happened, ' I spent 14 years in the Royal Navy and was an active member of the then Devonport Field Gun Crew where I sustained a back injury in 1978, which meant I had to be medically discharged from the Navy in 1986. I have continued to have major back problems since and underwent my first back surgery in 1995. At the beginning of 2022 I noticed loss of power in my right leg and by November I fell down the stairs.'
Dr Tony Golding-Cook and paramedic Conor Colby responded to the call out, whilst on duty in the BASICS Devon rapid response vehicle.
Barrington relays those moments, 'I called the ambulance, and this was my first contact with BASICS Devon as they came to my aid in a matter of minutes.'
' I was so taken by their professionalism and caring attitude that I wanted to know more about the service which they explained while we waited for the ambulance, at the same time informing me that they will remain with me until the ambulance arrives no matter how long that was.'
The BASICS Devon volunteers were able to administer vital pain relief to get Barrington up off the floor and feel comfortable.
'I felt at that moment that I wanted to do something for this voluntary organisation, so I decided there and then that as the Chairman of the Kingsmen Harmony Club, I would choose BASICS Devon as my Charity and we are now in the planning process for a concert in September of this year.'
Amie Bull, Fundraising Manager of BASICS Devon was also out observing that day, ' As soon as we arrived at Barrington's house, the doctors just wanted to establish what had happened, how he felt and most of all to relieve his pain. He is such a lovely man and a pleasure to talk to whilst we waited for the ambulance to arrive.'
Dr Tony Golding-Cook said ' We are just so glad we could be there for Barrington. We are thrilled that he wants to support us and are really excited about the concert. He is clearly a talented musician and we cannot wait to share all the details with our supporters.'
The concert will be held in September 2023 and details once bookings are open, will be shared on Kingsmen - Barbershop Harmony Chorus - Kingsbridge, BASICS Devon social media and at www.basics-devon.org.uk/events