Mark visited Bewdley based Community Transport Helpline today to learn more of the important work done by this local charity, and met with Chief Officer Vince Taylor to see the offices, meet with volunteers and to hear more of their work.
Staffed entirely by volunteers, CTH has 1,500 registered users and around 50 volunteer drivers, who provide their own cars to drive people to and from important appointments such as doctor visits, hospital treatment appointment, dentists and a whole range of other, similar events. Users of the service can book a trip in much the same manner as using a taxi, and pay a deeply discounted fair for the journey. Costs are kept to a minimum because of the generosity of drivers and other volunteers.
The service is very popular with as many as 70 users a week and CTH are always on the lookout for volunteer drivers, who own their own car and can spare some time to help. CTH also owns two wheelchair access vehicles, and covers an area that includes the whole of Wyre Forest and Malvern Hills as far as Tenbury.
Speaking after, Mark said: "I was very pleased to meet Vince Taylor and hear about their work. This type of charity is incredibly important to a wide range of people who need help getting to and from medical appointments. I am very keen to help in any way and we discussed one or two possible ways that we can help CTH build on their existing success."