Blakes Coach of Tiverton raised £5,500 on its annual charity day for North Devon District Hospital (NDVH), which helped care for the newborn daughter of two of the operator’s staff.
Finance Director Hannah Blake and driver Nick Marland wanted to recognise the work of NDVH’s Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) in December 2022 when their daughter, Olivia, was born. She suffered a viral and bacterial sepsis infection, and jaundice, and was looked after at the unit for five days.
On 14 December 2023, Blakes took three coaches and around 180 passengers to the Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish, for a three-course Christmas lunch, plus an afternoon of entertainment and dancing.
The proceeds, including labour and fuel costs, went to the operator’s chosen charity for 2023, Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, to pay on to the special care unit.
Ms Blake says: “We are just so grateful to the SCBU team for saving Olivia’s life and, although the money raised was a lovely amount, I wish we could do more!”
Over the previous 18 years, Blake had raised £92,000 for its chosen charities in Devon and Somerset.
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