BASICS Devon are bidding to bag a cash boost from the Tesco Bags of Help initiative. Tesco works with Groundwork to run its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £2,000, £1,000 and £500 awarded to local community projects.
Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.
BASICS Devon is one of the groups on the shortlist at the Braunton Tesco Superstore, North Devon. Voting is now open in all Tesco stores throughout January, February and March and BASICS Devon are asking for your help to cast your vote using a token given to you at the check-out each time you shop.
BASICS Devon is a charity offering experienced doctors to assist frontline emergency service colleagues when attending medical and trauma emergencies in the community. The BASICS doctors bring additional skills, drugs and equipment to emergency situations.
BASICS Devon hope to have an additional rural emergency medical responder in North Devon. An emergency responder will help saves lives through immediate access to specialist medical care at an emergency and by delivering life-saving training in isolated areas.
Dr Angus Macdonald a BASICS Devon volunteer Immediate Care Doctor said, “We work very closely with our prehospital colleagues and do this in our off-duty time. BASICS Devon doctors cover most of the county but with the retirement of colleague Dr Stephen Myers, we still have a gap in the North Devon area.’
Stephen was a locally well-respected GP based in Barnstaple and set a high standard to follow. Locally, Dr Angus Macdonald continues to cover the Cornish border to the south and Dr David Hillebrandt based from Holsworthy and recently Dr Fred Declerck from Tiverton joined the team, but we still need to raise funds in order to train and equip another doctor to help in North Devon. BASICS Devon doctors are often first on the scene be it at the roadside, in a field, on a farm or a home emergency. In 2019 there were 463 emergency call outs, 144 of those were at night, that BASICS Devon volunteer doctors responded to, some of which were rural hard to reach incidents.
Funding will ensure an additional doctor can be trained, fully equipped and supported to cover the area.
Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme has already provided over £80 million to more than 27,000 projects across Britain. Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups every time they shop. Every three months, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions will be awarded funding.
David Page, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “Bags of Help contributes funds to community projects up and down the country and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers voting in their local stores. We’re looking forward to seeing more projects brought to life.”
Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, Graham Duxbury, said: “Bags of Help continues to enable local communities up and down Britain to improve the local spaces and places that matter to them. The diversity of projects that are being funded shows that local communities have a passion to create something great in their area. We are pleased to be able to be a part of the journey and provide support and encouragement to help local communities thrive.”
Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. Anyone can nominate a project and organisations can apply online. To find out more visit www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.
Ends
Notes to editors:
· So far Bags of Help has awarded more than £80 million to over 27,000 community projects.
· For more information please visit: www.tesco.com/bagsofhelp.
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 M: 01752 936299
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