Thurlestone Golf Club captains Jim Stewart and Pam Adams have had a busy year raising funds for Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

They chose DAAT as their Captains' Joint Charity for 2024 because of the lifesaving, responsive service it provides across the county.

Pam’s father was a GP working in remote villages on Exmoor, witnessing first-hand the limitations of easy access to hospitals and medical services.

Pam herself, a physiotherapist, saw many trauma situations treated without the benefit of an air ambulance service and the huge impact the air ambulance has had.

Jim has lived in Devon since 2004 and has seen on many occasions how valuable the fast response delivered by the air ambulance teams can be to those individuals in need of urgent medical attention and transfer.

Having selected DAAT, Jim and Pam had to work out how best to raise as much money as possible for their chosen cause.

This started with the Captain's Summer Singout, with the two singing Captains and their choruses (Salcombe Larks and The Kingsmen) entertaining with songs from Simon and Garfunkel, Billy Joel and many more.

The Summer Solstice provided an opportunity to run a 72-hole golf challenge, four rounds of golf in one day.

This involved a 4 am start, with a team of four players (Jim Stewart, Colin George, Chris Jones and Toby White) and with others, including Pam Adams, joining for single rounds and caddying along the way too.

The team went off like a shot, completing the whole 72 holes (23.5 miles) within 10 hours.

A huge team effort, every area of the club was involved, Pro Shop, Greenkeeping, Admin, Bar and Catering and of course, members who contributed their time and money so generously.

The main event was the Captain's Joint Charity Day special.

A fun golf competition, including free shots, free kicks from the rough, buying shots from the Pro Golfing team plus the auction of 20 items ranging from a model DAAT helicopter to a bespoke Christmas cake to tickets for the O2 Arena, really captured member’s attention and the bids came in fast and furious.

All this was followed by Night Golf, yes literally golf played in the dark, Showstopper Bake offs, Arts and Crafts events, and a ladies’ Coffee Morning which have all added to the fund's growth.

Kelly Phillips, the DAAT Supporter Engagement Officer said: “This staggering amount of money is a record sum raised by a sports club in Devon, and this incredible donation can ensure that our air ambulance crew can respond to approximately five separate incidents, that's five people in need of urgent critical care, five people still alive, five families who can be kept together.”

Jim and Pam said:

"It’s been an absolute pleasure to support DAAT in our year as Captains at Thurlestone Golf Club.

"The members and staff have got behind us and have been involved in all of our fundraising activities.

"We'd like to send a huge thank you to everyone at the Club.

"We couldn't have done it without you."

The final total raised was £21,677.79.