A HARD-working community stalwart and fundraiser who suffered horrific injuries in a car crash has been moved to a hospital closer to his family.Trevor Hawkins, who was on his way to spend a morning as Father Christmas at Wyevale Garden Centre at Woodbridge when his black X-type Jaguar left the A12 and hit a tree, has been transferred from Ipswich Hospital to Aldeburgh Cottage Hospital.

A HARD-working community stalwart and fundraiser who suffered horrific injuries in a car crash has been moved to a hospital closer to his family.

Trevor Hawkins, who was on his way to spend a morning as Father Christmas at Wyevale Garden Centre at Woodbridge when his black X-type Jaguar left the A12 and hit a tree, has been transferred from Ipswich Hospital to Aldeburgh Cottage Hospital.

Today his wife Thelma thanked everyone who had helped her over the Christmas period and said her husband was making good progress in his recovery.

Mr Hawkins, 75, suffered crushed ribs, a broken pelvis and dislocated hip and other injuries.

She said: “I am very pleased with his progress, and having him nice and close at Aldeburgh is making things a lot easier.

“The journey to Ipswich and back twice a day was very difficult, an awful journey, especially having to drive past the spot where he had the accident.

“So many people have been rallying round, it has been amazing - I think the Rotarians have set up a mini a rota! Everyone has been so kind and we cannot thank them enough.”

Mrs Hawkins said her husband, a Suffolk Coastal and Leiston town councillor, was usually a very active man but was now frustrated at having to spend several weeks in hospital.

She added: “I am taking him plenty of reading material and all his council papers so he can pass comment from his hospital bed. At the moment the doctors want his dislocated left leg to be strong enough to take the weight of his whole body before they even contemplate his hip and other leg, which had much more damage to it.

“That is likely to be four to six weeks and I don't know how long the next stage will take after that.”

The couple, who have been married more than 50 years, live in King George's Avenue, Leiston. Mr Hawkins, a retired electronics engineer who worked at Sizewell B, is chairman of the rotary club's vocational committee and very involved with the group's work at Leiston High School, and also in the organisation youth leadership award programme and fundraising activities.

He has been chairman of Leiston Town Council three times since first being elected to serve in 1976, and a trustee of Leiston Long Shop Museum.

Send your get well messages to Trevor Hawkins - write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk