A charitable chap from Hemyock has given £2,500 to Devon Air Ambulance. Lionel Bugg, of Hollingarth Way, Hemyock, has been fund-raising and banking donation boxes for the air ambulance for more than 10 years and his 2006 efforts raised £2520.49 He presented the cheque to three representatives of the organisation's community fund-raising team, Sandra Leaman, Mary Pratt, and Maggie Little, at Culmstock's Culm Valley Inn, on Friday, January 19.
The 72-year-old raised the money through events organised with the help of his wife Audrey, including an auction, a dance, and the sale of vegetables grown in their garden.
Aside from his personal fund-raising, Lionel has also been responsible for donation boxes for the organisation.
At the presentation he and Audrey were joined by Harold and Margaret Fisher, who have helped with the box collections over the years.
While the figure raised during the last 12 months is impressive, Lionel's all-time record is £3,000, yet he remains modest about his success.
He said: "I thought the air ambulance was something of local importance and wanted to support that, rather than other things. I was helping out before they had the first helicopter."
He was pleased with the amount raised.
He said: "Normally we give about £2,000, so over £2,500 was great. It was a pleasant evening, and it was nice that the people from the air ambulance could come along in person."
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