THE British Red Cross has recognised volunteer drivers from Watchet and Minehead with long service awards.

Geoff Vaulter from Watchet received his five-year service award at a ceremony at the Beacon Centre in Taunton last week.

Jean Browning from Minehead will receive her ten years in service award separately.

The volunteer drivers carry out the free door-to-door service for the Red Cross, taking cancer patients to receive treatment in Taunton and Bristol.

They are part of a 70-strong team of volunteer drivers who collectively clock up around 500,000 miles each year supporting more than 1,000 Somersetbased cancer patients.

This year the service as a whole celebrates 15 years of providing the support.

The service is vital to people like 71-year-old retired school cook and care worker Valerie Sharp from Timberscombe who has used the service since being diagnosed with cancer three years ago.

“I’m very independent so I really appreciate the service because it allows me to get there under my own steam and the drivers really look after you,” she said.

“The drivers are brilliant.

“They talk about all sorts of different subjects so it takes your mind off whatever you’re going to have done.”

Babette Fuller, directorate manager of haematology, oncology & palliative care at the Beacon Centre, said: “Some of our patients have to attend the Beacon Centre on a daily basis for several weeks.

"The additional stress and cost that incurs can prove very difficult to endure at a time of already heightened anxiety.

“The Red Cross, supported by dedicated volunteers, provides an invaluable service for many of these patients and the testament of Valerie demonstrates how much the Red Cross drivers are hugely appreciated.”

To be eligible for the free service, people have to live in Somerset or have a Somerset GP and meet eligibility criteria set by Somerset CCG.

The service is accessed via referral from the NHS.