DEVOTED volunteers have gone the extra mile to help carers from Weston Hospicecare today by taking them to patients in their 4x4's.  

Storm Emma has been wreaking havoc across Somerset, schools have closed, roads have been blocked and people have been struggling to get out of their homes. 

But a number of staff from Weston Hospicecare have battled their way through the snow on foot to help residents suffering from life-limiting illness to get the care they need. 

Volunteer Christine Garrity made it hospice headquarters in Uphill to man the reception desk as normal, while facilities manager Darren Fairchild walked to work from Lympsham – and was then pressed into unexpected service in the catering team for the day.

But volunteer drivers from BARB have been ferrying nurses from the hospice's in-patient unit in and out of work from across Weston-super-Mare, Worle and Burnham-on-Sea. 

As a result of BARB’s gesture,  seven patients currently onsite at the hospice received their usual round-the-clock care from a full complement of clinical staff.

Weston Hospicecare’s director of patient services, John Bailey, said: “Snow storms over the past couple of days have caused chaos for people all across the area, but even in tough conditions such as these it of course remains essential for us to be able to ensure our patients continue to receive the quality of care they need.

“We know Weston Hospicecare’s staff and volunteers are committed and passionate about the work they do, and we’re grateful to all of those who have gone above and beyond to make it into work today, and to those who have taken on extra tasks to ensure services are maintained.

“However, we know too that some of our in-patient unit team simply would not have been able to get here without help from the team at BARB, so we’re enormously grateful to them for their efforts on our behalf. BARB’s work has made a real difference in helping us to support our patients.”

If anyone has any queries about the impact of the snowy conditions on Weston Hospicecare’s services, they can contact the hospice on 01934 423900.