Community Transport for Chillington Health Centre’s Patients

Start Circle of Friends provides volunteer driver transport for patients of Chillington Health Centre, helping people across the South Hams get safely to healthcare appointments near and far for over 30 years.

Community transport when it matters most

Start Circle of Friends (SCOF) is a registered charity providing patient transport for those unable to reach medical appointments independently. From local GP visits to hospital appointments in Plymouth and Exeter, our volunteer drivers help patients travel safely, comfortably and with confidence.


Every journey is supported by local volunteers who give their time to help others within the community.


We rely on donations from patients and supporters but it costs us about £10,000p.a more to run the service than we receive from patient donations. All donations from supporters to help us maintain this critically important service are welcome. Please visit our donations page.

Supporting our community every day

Volunteer Drivers

Our DBS-checked volunteer drivers provide safe, reliable transport for healthcare appointments across Devon and beyond.

Door-to-Door Support

We collect patients from home, wait during appointments and ensure they return safely afterwards.

Serving the South Hams

Supporting patients registered with Chillington Health Centre throughout the rural South Hams community.

How Start Circle of Friends can help

Healthcare Journeys

Transport to hospitals, dentists, opticians, physiotherapy, podiatry and healthcare appointments across the region.

Useful Links & Resources

Access helpful healthcare, community and support resources for patients, carers and families across Chillington and the South Hams.

Gift Aid Your Donation

If you are a UK taxpayer, Gift Aid allows SCOF to claim an extra 25p for every £1 donated — helping us continue supporting local patients across the South Hams.

Here when you need us

You may not need SCOF today, but we want to be there when you need us in the future. Your support helps protect this vital local service for the whole community.

“A much needed and valued service.” — Chillington Health Centre

Latest News & Event Updates

Stay updated with the latest Start Circle of Friends news, fundraising activities, volunteer stories and community events across the South Hams.

Celebrating Summer at St Michael’s Flower Festival

By Ryan Willis • August 10, 2026
If you haven't yet visited the Flower Festival at St Michael’s Church in Stokenham, please do! Sunday 5th July is the final day, so there’s still time to pop along and enjoy this beautiful community event. The Flower Team have worked incredibly hard to create the most stunning arrangements throughout the church, filling it with colour, creativity and the spirit of summer. Alongside the wonderful floral displays, local community groups have also created spectacular arrangements around the theme “Celebrating Summer!” Each display is unique and showcases the creativity and enthusiasm of our fantastic local community. It really is well worth a visit — so if you haven't been yet, make the most of the final day and come along to St Michael’s Church, Stokenham. 🌸

Supporting Start Circle of Friends

By Ryan Willis • August 10, 2026
We were delighted to welcome the very lovely Steve into the store today to collect a hamper from our Store Manager, Simon. Steve is a volunteer driver for Start Circle of Friends, a fantastic local charity that provides transport for elderly and disabled residents across the South Hams, helping them get to essential medical appointments. The charity will be fundraising at the Stokenham Village Fete on Saturday 11th July, so why not pop along, enjoy the festivities and support this wonderful local cause? And while you're there, be sure to pick up a raffle ticket (or two!) for your chance to win a great prize while helping Start Circle of Friends continue the important work they do in our community. We hope to see you there!

A Wonderful Day at the Stokenham Fete

August 10, 2026
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make our fete on Stokenham Village Green such a wonderful success yesterday. We’re incredibly grateful to all our helpers, performers and stallholders, as well as everyone who chose to forsake the beach for the afternoon and come along to support a fantastic community event. It was brilliant to see so many people enjoying the day and coming together as a community. We were particularly grateful to our MP, Caroline Voaden, who took time out of her very busy schedule to officially open the fete for us. It was wonderful to have her join us for such a special community occasion. Thank you again to everyone who played a part in making the day such a success. We hope to see you all again next year on 10 July!