A life-saving charity has received a much-welcome financial boost.

Bridport’s St John Ambulance team picked up a cheque for £333 from the town’s Waitrose store.

The health and first aid charity has been supporting communities and helping the NHS throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, including ambulance and logistics work in Dorset.

Since April 1, St John volunteers have delivered more than 130,000 hours of care to patients across England, with tens of thousands more hours given behind the scenes.

And 1,000 of those hours in logistical support have come from three Bridport-based volunteers.

The county’s logistics lead, Kevin Chappuis, said: “This important team has set-up an ambulance replenishment store and a rest room for crews working out of our Poole ambulance hub.

“They have also collected and delivered medical and ambulance equipment, PPE, medical supplies, uniform and a quantity of shelving from locations as far afield as Bristol, Avonmouth, Gosport, Birmingham and Exeter.”

Of the three volunteers, two have taken St John’s additional Covid-care training, to enable them to work in hospitals, while the third is a member of ambulance crew.

St John has been responding to emergency calls in Dorset from its Poole hub as part of the charity’s biggest mobilisation of volunteers since WWII.

For more information on St John Ambulance’s work, health advice and the charity’s current fundraising appeal visit www.sja.org.uk/COVID-19