THE April meeting of CHERITON FITZPAINE WI was a very interesting afternoon, during which Dave and Peter, two members of the Devon Freewheelers, arrived on their own motorbikes to tell us about the organisation.

This is an out of hours courier service for the NHS, operating after 5pm, during weekends and public holidays.

The only paid person is the fundraiser - the 64 bikers are all volunteers who have had further training to drive in the dark, wet and difficult conditions which is often their lot.

Many previous attempts to start a service failed, but in 2009, blood was brought to a maternity hospital in Belfast by a volunteer. The patient’s husband, Dan Lavery, was impressed that he sold his house to start the national charity.

The idea spread and in 2016, 1,451 missions were undertaken in Devon, delivering whole blood, drugs or other essential items to hospitals or the patient’s own home.

The Devon group has nine bikes bearing the NHS livery, which also enables them to use blue lights in an emergency, and to carry organs for transplantation.

Some of their members are also Community First Responders, and carry emergency resuscitation equipment.

Dave and Peter were thanked by Eleanor Roth.

During the business section, Thelma Keeble welcomed new member, Tessa Powell, and secretary, Mary Nunn, gave a brief description of her day at the Riviera Centre in Torquay where the Devon Federation Spring Council meeting had been held.

Delegates had had a heartwarming talk by two Samaritan members, and in the afternoon Mandy Hickson presented various awards before stunning us all with stories of her training in the RAF, before becoming one of the first women Tornado pilots in Iraq.

Somehow she made time to marry and have two little boys and has now resigned from the service to become an inspirational speaker and mother.

Our next monthly meeting will be the AGM on Wednesday, May 17 at 2.15pm in the parish hall, when we will also have a presentation on Associated Countrywomen of the World.

MN