Help
your local community to get around
Start your own Community Car Scheme
Community car
schemes can really transform the lives of people who struggle to get about or
live in rural areas. They can help people who don’t have the use of a car or
have difficulties accessing public transport to travel to essential services
such as health appointments, shopping or even to visit friends. They’re run by
volunteers and tend to be organised in rural areas where many isolated or
disadvantaged people, both young and old, use it as their lifeline.
These schemes
can be easily set-up with little formality; you just need some volunteer
drivers prepared to use their own cars, and a couple of people willing to run
and coordinate the scheme.
To see how easy it is to do, take a look at the car scheme toolkit which is now available on the Council website at: http://www.movingsomersetforward.co.uk It gives you all the information you need to set-up your own car scheme in your area. The toolkit contains three sections: 1. All you need to know advice 2. A draft constitution and rules that can be adopted by any new scheme. 3. A driver’s handbook, to help give guidance to the driver. |
People often
think that this sort of scheme is just there to help the elderly, but we offer
our services to all our residents. Whether they can’t afford a car and need to
get to work, or their car is has been damaged in an accident or is out of
action we can help. Most of our trips are to hospitals or surgeries for
patients, but sometimes we help people get to work, or take them to local train
stations, or to the supermarkets or cafes to meet friends. Neill Thomas – Chair KCCT
The most
important resources, once the start-up documentation has been drafted, is to make
sure you’ve got enough drivers. We have ten at the moment, and several reserves,
for a village of about 1,500 residents. We then have a small group of
volunteers who coordinate the drivers and answer the phone. John Cook – Secretary KCCT
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What Volunteer Drivers Say:
“Newly
retired to Somerset I thought that being a driver was a good way to serve the
village, and get to know people at the same time”. John Cook, volunteer driver KCCT
“I do a local drive once or twice a month depending on demand. Very little effort is required apart from making sure your passenger arrives safely”. Belinda Simson, volunteer driver KCCT
“My trips have usually been within a few miles of the village to Street, Yeovil and Somerton, but one of our clients required specialist eye treatment in Bristol”. Belinda Simson, volunteer driver KCCT
“I do a local drive once or twice a month depending on demand. Very little effort is required apart from making sure your passenger arrives safely”. Belinda Simson, volunteer driver KCCT
“My trips have usually been within a few miles of the village to Street, Yeovil and Somerton, but one of our clients required specialist eye treatment in Bristol”. Belinda Simson, volunteer driver KCCT
I rely on the community car scheme in
my area:
“I couldn’t
have managed without it over the last couple of years. A serious illness, which
prevented me from driving, has meant numerous hospital appointments, both
locally and as far away as Bristol and Cheltenham”. Isobel Norwell, KCCT scheme passenger
“The only alternative are buses, which are few and far between. From Keinton Mandeville to Yeovil takes two hours due to connections. Without the scheme I could not do my work as a volunteer support worker at a local mental health hospital because I would spend half my day travelling”. Risz Kulpa KCCT scheme passenger
“Booking is very easy, one call and the response is always prompt. I am very impressed not just with the service but with the calibre of the drivers”. Risz Kulpa KCCT scheme passenger
“Prices are extremely reasonable, far cheaper than some other forms of transport” Isobel Norwell, KCCT scheme passenger
“The only alternative are buses, which are few and far between. From Keinton Mandeville to Yeovil takes two hours due to connections. Without the scheme I could not do my work as a volunteer support worker at a local mental health hospital because I would spend half my day travelling”. Risz Kulpa KCCT scheme passenger
“Booking is very easy, one call and the response is always prompt. I am very impressed not just with the service but with the calibre of the drivers”. Risz Kulpa KCCT scheme passenger
“Prices are extremely reasonable, far cheaper than some other forms of transport” Isobel Norwell, KCCT scheme passenger