An Exmouth businessman committed to helping the elderly and disabled has been awarded the Journal’s Good Egg award.

Direct Taxis owner Tony Quinn, 43, of Colleton Way, has been nominated by his wife, Nicola, for his community gardening service.

Tony, who earlier this month scaled Mount Snowdon in aid of the Children’s Hospice South West, funds a project which provides free labour to the taxi firm’s elderly and disabled customers.

In July 2010 Tony launched Team Direct – a group of volunteers who each week give up their time to help the less able tend their gardens.

He also teamed up with Ratcliffe House, in Burnside, and Direct Home Assistance, to provide free gardening labour for clients.

Tony, who in the last two years with his taxi firm has raised more than �8,000 for Cancer Research UK after holding sponsored seafront fancy dress walks and darts tournaments, hopes to roll out the service to other care companies in Exmouth and Exeter.

Wife Nicola said: “We first decided that we would take out residents from various nursing homes for dinner as a way of saying thank you to them and their staff for using our taxis.

Then my husband Tony had the great idea of offering more to the community by organising a voluntary gardening service to our elderly customers - again as a way of saying thank-you.

“Tony formed a group of volunteers calling themselves ‘Team Direct’. It includes some of our drivers, Les Carde and Beany Bleasdale, who each week give up their time to help the elderly with their gardens.

“It started last July 2010 and has carried on again this year. Tony has funded the whole project himself.”

the Good Egg award will be printed each week to spread the word of a selfless act, no matter how small.

The awards are open to anyone, young or old.

If you know someone who deserves a Good Egg award, nominate them at exmouth.editorial@archant.co.uk

To learn more about Direct Taxis’ Team Direct services, visit: www.direct-taxis.co.uk