Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council presented the town’s key transport charity with a cheque last week for twice the amount usually donated by the council.

Last Tuesday (October 4) Councillor Brian Wood, chairman of the Hamlets parish council, presented Liz Westlake, a representative of the Okehampton District and Community Transport Group (ODCTG), with a cheque for £1,000.

Cllr Wood said: ‘The ODCTG is probably the most loved charity in the Okehampton area. My council decided to give them twice what we normally do so it’s a very generous amount. The charity are doing a sterling job.’

In the same event, Cllr Wood also presented Ian Brooker, a Dartmoor National Park Ranger, with a £500 cheque, which will go towards funding the popular Meldon Wildlife Day.

Cllr Wood added: ‘The national park utilised some of our facilities and we have supported them since they started the event. It was sad because Ian Brooker is retiring but the Meldon Wildlife Day will carry on without him.’

The ODCTG is an Okehampton-based charity which provides transport to those who are unable to use traditional public transport or those living in particular remote areas.

Currently the charity is asking for more drivers as more and more volunteers are being forced to quit as they struggle to pay higher fuel bills.

The Meldon Wildlife is organised by the Dartmoor National Park Authority and was held in August this year.

The annual event attracted more than 600 people and was attended by organisation such as the Barn Owl Trust, Devon Wildlife Trust and Devon Mammal Group in order to encourage families to get involved with and explore Dartmoor’s nature in more depth.

The Dartmoor National Park Authority was created by the Environment Act 1995 to protect the moorland and provide opportunities for residents and visitors to explore and enjoy the national park.

Its headquarters are located in Parke.