Work at home - live at work

Devon Freewheelers praise two fundraisers

A car mechanic from Honiton who lived from his garage for three months has helped Devon Freewheelers continue operating through the pandemic.

Selfless Paul Richards for staying onsite 24/7 by creating a 'micro-flat' above his garage in order to keep the blood bike charity's vehicles on the road throughout the first lockdown. And windscreen repairman Andy Hutchings, from Exeter, waived his £160 fee 'for friends' when an ambulance needed work.

Deputy CEO of Devon Freewheelers, Russel Roe, has praised Mr Hutchings' generosity as "heartwarming." He said: "What Paul and Andy have done to allow us to keep our vehicles on the road so we can continue doing what we do for the community and for the NHS is phenomenal. It's fantastic.

"Because if we don't have vehicles, we wouldn't be able to assist.

"It's heartwarming that there are people out there that are giving their time and money to the charity so we can keep on going for the people who need us.

We couldn't do what we do without the help of our volunteers and the public."

Paul who repairs the charity's 4x4 and emergency vehicles started his work on 23 March 2020, the day Boris Johnson announced that the UK was to go into lockdown.

Using empty space above Paul Richards Motors, in Footprint Place, Paul set up a bed and sitting room allowing him to live, sleep and work onsite 24-hours a day.

Paul said: "I lived and stayed on site all the way through the first lockdown. I put a bed upstairs and made me a micro flat. I wanted to do it for the Devon Freewheelers. They needed somebody the could call on if they had a vehicle breakdown. 

"It was difficult sometimes and I felt very alone, but sometimes you have just got to get on with things that are outside of your comfort zone. I did whatever was needed. They needed the vehicles to do their job and without help, they couldn't do it."

Andy Hutching, of AAA Car Glass, was keen to help the charity continue its "brilliant work" during the lockdown and fitted an ambulance windscreen for free.

He said "I couldn't bring myself to take £160 of their money. If you can't help a charity out at this time, when they are trying to help others there's something wrong. What's £160 between friends?

"It takes a fair while to raise that amount of money just in donations. with a couple of quid being given here and there. I used to collect for the Royal British Legion and I know how long it takes to collect money, where it goes and who it helps.

"The Devon Freewheelers do some brilliant work. Like any charity, they are helping people less fortunate."

Russell Roe said Paul and Andy were 'diamonds', who "dropped everything to work on the charity's vehicles, having them back on the road within hours."