OKEHAMPTON and District Community Transport Group has plenty to celebrate at the start of October, having set up shop in a new office and received a grant from the town council.

The group has moved its base from Okehampton Station to the town's business centre. Its new office offers the modern facilities and space needed for the group to thrive.

Sue Wonnacott, transport group co-ordinator, said: 'Our new office is wonderful. This one actually has heating!

'It offers us a chance to grow, and since we moved into the business centre, everyone here has been great. We have been networking, and this office is much more fit for purpose.'

To help with the move, Okehampton Town Council has donated £500 to the group to buy furniture for the new office. Deputy mayor Cllr Paul Vachon visited the group's new base during their open day on October 1 to donate the cheque and see the new offices. Representatives from Okehampton United Charity, the Citizen's Advice Bureau and other town organisations attended the open day.

The transport group is a community-led scheme supported by Devon County Council and West Devon Borough Council to provide transport for the local rural community and for people who find it physically difficult to use conventional public transport, the frail elderly, and those who are rurally isolated.

The group provides transport to hospital and medical appointments, and social visits. Among the services it offers are a community car service, a bus service and a ring and ride service, with specialised wheelchair-accessible vehicles. On Saturdays it offers day trips for their clients.

The group is always on the lookout for financial support, and new volunteers. It welcomes volunteer drivers from Okehampton and the wider area. They pay their drivers 45p per mile and indemnify your no claims bonus and policy excess.

Volunteers can spare as much time as they like, from a couple of hours a month upward. Drivers with relevant experience can also volunteer to drive the wheelchair-accessible vehicle on trips.

Pat Sawyer, of the transport group, said: 'Our drivers are like one big family. So many of them get so much reward out of being a driver, and we have a lot who go the extra mile with our clients. I would describe some of them as saints.

'Anyone who is interested in becoming a driver should get in touch with us, I am sure they would get a lot out of it.'

To find out more about the transport group, visit http://www.odctg.co.uk">www.odctg.co.uk or call the transport group on 01837 55000.