A TAVISTOCK woman who drove more than 360,000 miles as a volunteer hospital driver has been presented with a special award.
Christine Edmonds, 62, was a volunteer driver for the Hospital Car Service until she retired recently. She began driving in 1979 and worked five days a week for 19 years, clocking up 363,000 miles while carrying almost 1,300 passengers.
She was nominated by her daughter, Wendy Viggers, a nurse at Derriford Hospital.
'She dedicated 19 years of her life to this. I felt she was worthy of an award. She mostly delivered patients to and from Derriford, but if they were short they would ask her to go to Exeter, Bath or Bristol at weekends and it was all voluntary. They only got the petrol allowance,' said Mrs Viggers.
Mrs Edmonds said driving for the hospital car service was something she had always wanted to do.
'I loved it and just kept going,' she said. 'I did it for 19 years and I loved doing it, but it is very nice to think somebody thinks you've done very well.'
Mrs Edmonds received her award from Devon County Council chairman Fred Symons at county hall on Friday.