THE campaign for a vehicle to help volunteers reach those in need has been helped along by some entrepreneurial six-year-olds.

When little Oliver Braddy heard about the need for a new emergency vehicle in his village, he decided to do something about it.

Together with his friends, the six-year-old put together a bake sale and helped raise £350 for First Responders in Stanford in the Vale.

He made the decision to take action when hearing about problems reaching sick people in the area.

Mum Jane Braddy said: “I came home from work as a local GP one day, very distressed after seeing a critically ill baby in surgery.

“It had taken the ambulance 40 minutes to reach us. I was advised that this was just how long it sometimes takes.

“I explained to Oliver that if this were to happen at home, First Responders would be asked by the emergency services to assist until the ambulance could get there.”

First Responders are first-aid-trained volunteers.

In Standford in the Vale, the three responders are currently raising money for a new 4x4 to help them reach inaccessible areas in bad weather.

Mrs Braddy said: “Oliver had a chat with three of his friends, Finley, Joshua and Eddie, from year one at Standford in the Vale Primary School and they decided to try to raise money.

“They planned a cake sale, we did some strawberry picking and made jam, the boys baked, made and distributed posters, spread the word at school then ran the whole event from the front of our house with miminal assistance.”

Mrs Braddy added: “They did a remarkable job. We are all very proud of them.”

Oliver said: “I wanted to have some fun and run a stall with my friends. The First Responders help everybody, they come when you are sick.

“The First Responders are really quick if the ambulance is slow, like if it is stuck in traffic . They get there first and help the people who are sick.”

He added: “It was really, really fun. We got absolutely drenched by the rain but we still sold loads of cakes – except some of them got wet.”

l To donate money to the campaign for a vehicle contact Ian Jones on ian.jones@scas.nhs.uk