THE Whittlesey Community Car Scheme has been operating very successfully for almost a year now, and has proven to be a very popular addition to the local transport offering.

THE Whittlesey Community Car Scheme has been operating very successfully for almost a year now, and has proven to be a very popular addition to the local transport offering. The Scheme provides a door-to-door car service for local people who have difficulty accessing public transport or who are unable to make an essential journey in any other way, whether it’s to a hospital appointment, a visit to the doctor, dentist or hairdresser, a social outing, shopping trip or visiting relatives.

It is run entirely by volunteers and serves the residents of Whittlesey and the surrounding villages, but with the ever-increasing number of requests for transport, there is a real need for more drivers to help out.

Voluntary drivers use their own cars and give as much of their time as they choose. They are re-imbursed for their mileage expenses and are covered on their own motor insurance, with additional cover provided by the County Council. Passengers pay the driver 25p per mile towards the cost of their journey, with a minimum charge of �2.50, which helps towards fuel costs and some wear and tear on the vehicle. All journeys are booked through a co-ordinator.

Our volunteers get tremendous pleasure from helping people. As one driver has said, “I have been grateful for the opportunity to get out and about, to meet new people and to do my bit for my local community”.

Another commented, “How often do you hear it said that somebody does a particular job because he or she ‘likes meeting people’? Well, the same can be said for driving for a voluntary car scheme. And that’s because the passengers, like me, are mainly of retirement age. And like me, they have a wealth of experiences and anecdotes which make the journey go all too quickly and the round trips so very interesting and enlightening – especially when it’s your passenger who is doing most, if not all, of the talking!”

If you have time to spare and would like to help the Scheme to continue providing this valuable service to the community, please contact Anne, the locally based co-ordinator, on telephone number 07810 427483 for more information.

ANNE HOGAN

Via e-mail