LOCAL business, The Sandford Gate Milk Company, has raised more than £1,200 for the Royal Devon and Exeter Wonford Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

It was on the second birthday of twins Axel and Rory on September 19, that the Munday family decided to celebrate by organising a fundraiser in aid of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to thank the dedicated team who cared for and supported the two premature boys with their parents, Danielle and Jack.

The twins spent six weeks in the Neonatal department before they were strong enough to go home on October 31, 2018.

The family farm is at Sandford and has a dairy herd of 250 cows.

In July 2019, the family created a fresh milk vending business at Mole Avon in Crediton.

They decided to raise funds by donating 10 pence per litre of milk sold through the machine for a six-week period from the boys’ birthday – to correspond with the time they spent in the unit.

Such was the response on social media when this was announced, that they also created a "Just giving" page for anyone who wanted to make a further donation.

With several private cash donations, a fantastic total of £1,120 had been raised by October 31, with a further £80 subsequently.

The Neonatal Unit said that £5 raised could provide a family with a diary to track a baby’s progress and development; £100 could fund a teaching and education package for parents around various aspects of care they may encounter in the neonatal unit and £1,000 could fund a nurse to complete a Neonatal Specialist Course, providing the nurse with vital training and education on the care of neonatal babies.