BASICS Devon will receive £1500 that will go towards funding the specialist volunteer’s equipment, training and education. It will enable the volunteers to be fully equipped both physically and mentally. Having vital pieces of lifesaving equipment enhance the care they give and help increase patient’s chances of survival significantly.
BASICS Devon is a team of volunteer immediate care doctors, responding across Devon to help save lives and ease suffering for the sick and injured. The team have specialist training in pre-hospital medical care, responding in their own vehicles, equipped and insured to respond under emergency blue lights. The volunteers are located across Devon. They all live amongst some of the most rural, isolated communities. The charity also has their own response vehicle.
The volunteers make themselves available, around the clock, throughout the year providing immediate access to specialist medical care at the roadside, a field, farm or home emergency.
The responders are educators, teaching vital life-saving skills to emergency carers, educate and deliver training in communities.
BASICS Devon help reduce response times, for many incidents the doctors are often first on the scene, sometimes able to stand down the ambulance, therefore supporting the NHS and further implemental resources.
With increasing demands on the NHS and Ambulance Service, BASICS Devon need to ensure they continue their services and hope to expand their team.
Amie Bull, Fundraising Manager of BASICS Devon thanks Tesco, Groundwork and their customers, 'Our community is at the heart of our charity, it is why the volunteers respond, ensuring everyone has access to immediate medical care. We want to thank everyone at Tesco Stronger Starts and their customers that supported us in store that have helped to raise these vital lifesaving funds, as we cannot provide this service without their support.'
To boost funds for extra food and activity equipment, Tesco is introducing a £5m grant programme, in partnership with Groundwork UK, to give children across the UK a stronger start in life. The grants will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.
Tesco’s Stronger Starts – previously Tesco Bags of Help and Tesco Community Grants - has already provided over £100 million to more than 50,000 projects across Britain.
Jason Tarry, Tesco UK CEO, said: “Helping schools and children’s groups access the food and resources they need is vitally important in getting children a stronger start in life. Children with enough food have more energy, better concentration, and ultimately achieve more too."
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “As a community charity, we have seen first-hand how schools and other groups supporting young people have been playing a much bigger role in ensuring children are getting a healthy start to the day and getting access to spaces and services to support physical activity and mental health. Family budgets are tight and school budgets are tight, but it’s so important that children stay fed, fit and focused, so we’re delighted to be able to prioritise these activities alongside Tesco with the Stronger Starts programme.”
Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. To find out more visit tescoplc.com/strongerstarts
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information please visit: tescoplc.com/strongerstarts
About BASICS Devon
· BASICS Devon is a network of 14 emergency volunteer doctors providing immediate access to specialist medical care at the scene of an accident or illness. Making themselves available around the clock throughout the year, responding to incidents at the request of the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. The charity relies solely on donations.
· BASICS Devon doctors aim to provide a fast response to incidents in rural areas, and use their extensive skills to support patient care.
· For further information, to donate or get involved please visit: www.basics-devon.org.uk
Contact Amie Bull, Fundraising Manager amie.bull@basics-devon.org.uk T: 01752 936299