Bill Hockin’s haulage legacy shines with £3k cancer donation

The North Devon branch of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) has delivered a massive £3,000 in support of cancer patients at North Devon District Hospital.

The donation to the Fern Centre was raised by members at the association’s annual dinner dance at the Saunton Sands Hotel. The centre, which is funded by Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, offers free information, complementary therapies, counselling and wellbeing support to anyone in North Devon affected by cancer.

The dinner dance also raised £3,000 for brain injury charity Headway and £1,000 for the RHA Benevolent fund, which aims to support people associated with the haulage industry.

The charities were chosen by RHA ambassador Bill Hockin, who is celebrating 50 years in business this year.

Mr Hockin, who started haulage firm William C Hockin Transport Ltd with his wife Irene in Barnstaple in 1974, managed a fleet more than 50 vehicles before deciding to sell the haulage and tanker side of the business in 2020.

“I was 25 when I bought my first truck and trailer for £3,750 in 1974 and worked long hours and very hard to grow the business,” said Mr Hockin, who still runs the Blue Box self-storage and warehousing arm of the business on Seven Brethren, as a well as a commercial vehicle repairs depot at the firm’s head office in Roundswell.

“I’m very proud to have been able to bring so many goods and services into North Devon for so many years, and as ambassador of the RHA, equally proud to have been able to donate £7,000 to three very worthy charities.”

Fern Centre manager Tara Jones said: “We are delighted to receive such a wonderful donation from Bill on behalf of RHA members.

“The Fern Centre opened in 2020 following a £1.5m fundraising appeal and is entirely funded by Royal Devon Hospitals Charity.

“The centre offers wellbeing support to anyone in North Devon affected by cancer and can only do this thanks to such fantastic support from the local community.”