THE Port Isaac branch of Cornwall-based confectionery company Buttermilk has raised £1,400 for Cornish charities by using its Doc Martin connections.

The fudge shop, which appears in the ITV series as Mrs Tishell’s pharmacy, has been selling copies of an article about the show and the village of Port Isaac, to raise money for charity.

Mike Meakins, from the Port Isaac shop, came up with the idea of selling the article following a number of enquiries. He contacted the magazine to seek permission, and now local printers Concorde Copiers produce photocopies of the piece.

The printed feature is on sale at the shop as a souvenir, and sold to visitors and Doc Martin fans for £2.

This year, 700 copies have been sold, and the profits have been divided equally between Port Isaac RNLI and Cornwall Air Ambulance.

Tracy McGoad, owner of Buttermilk, said: “The team at the Buttermilk shop have done a a great job raising money for both the RNLI and Cornwall Air Ambulance. These are two key support services which provide such an incredible service saving lives on the front line. They need support to continue their great work.

“Everyone who uses the sea should support the RNLI, and the air ambulance looked after our son when he was five months old. We live rurally, like so many in Cornwall, and we are eternally grateful they were there.”

On Monday, December 7, Mike Meakins was presented with an engraved RNLI shield for the shop’s fundraising efforts.

Bob Bulgin, Port Isaac RNLI chairman, said: “Since Buttermilk is very closely positioned to our Lifeboat Station at Port Isaac, they have proved to be not only friends to our crew and committee members, but valued supporters of the Royal National Lifeboat operations that have been carried out from the village since 1868.

“For the past three years they have donated significant sums to Port Isaac Station as indeed they have once again today.

“Donations such as this are so important to keep the high standards of our volunteer life saving service, not only with the essential aim of saving lives at sea, but also enabling our volunteer crews to operate with the very best of lifeboats and personal equipment.”

Susie Croft, head of income generation for Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “During the year we come to the aid of more than 700 people in their hour of need, and we can only do this with the ongoing support of local companies such as Buttermilk.

“Thank you so much to all the staff and customers for continuing to give so generously to keep Cornwall’s air ambulance flying.”

Buttermilk is a family-run business, which has been producing hand-made fudge since the opening of its flagship shop in Padstow since 1964.