Published: January 10, 2010
Burnham-On-Sea charity's volunteers help with snow relief work

Volunteers from Burnham-On-Sea rescue hovercraft charity BARB have been helping carers and ambulance crews to reach patients across Somerset during the severe weather.

On Wednesday, BARB's 4x4 trucks were used to transport a local doctor and a community nurse on their rounds. The crewmembers also drove several nurses to Weston General Hospital from outlying areas.

Overnight into Thusday, three BARB volunteers helped paramedics from Great Western Ambulance Service with a rapid response service across parts of Somerset area.

On Thursday, the team took a district nurse on her rounds while another group spent the day taking care assistants to patients across Somerset.

Both Thursday and Friday nights, the BARB crew and their 4x4s were again in action, helping the ambulance service get staff out to patients in the treacherous conditions.

"BARB has been very happy to help during the exceptionally difficult weather conditions," a spokesman from the charity told Burnham-On-Sea.com. "Our volunteers have been working closely with the ambulance and care teams, providing safe transport wherever possible."

Our photos show, above, Andy Cleverdon (CTL paramedic), Debbie Woodward (emergency care assistant) and Abbie Rea (paramedic) with two BARB volunteers; and, top, BARB's Steve Perks with Steve Margaret Redrup (senior carer) and Jan Goodyear (senior team supervisor at Somerset Care)

RELATED LINKS:

Official BARB Web site