MELKSHAM and District Link is looking for more volunteers to take on driver and coordinator roles, to help take people to their medical appointments.
The Melksham and District Link is a charity service that drives people to medical appointments across the region. Their clients include the elderly, less able, and those who cannot drive themselves. Currently, the charity is looking for more people to join the team as drivers and transport co-ordinators. The service is relied upon by people who have no other means of getting to their medical appointments. Melksham News spoke to Val Merritt, a frequent user of the service.
Val said, “I have used the service for 18 months, on and off, every three weeks. I rely on the Link service if my family cannot take me. My children both work full-time, so getting to the hospital is a struggle.
“But, the service Melksham Link provides is great! They pick you up on time, they wait for you and bring you back home. They only take one person at a time, so it’s a really personal service.
“I would definitely struggle without the service. Also, it’s much nicer when you have a driver that you can talk to, it takes my mind off my appointment.”
The service is run by a team of volunteers who coordinate the drivers and drive people to their appointments.
Dee Phesse has been volunteering for Melksham & District Link for nearly two years. She said, “Last year I had a sudden break up of my relationship and my dog sadly passed away. It wasn’t a great year – I felt lost. So I decided to use my time to help people and it made me feel so much better. I really enjoy helping others and the people I help are lovely and so appreciative of what we do at Link.
“The team we have are great and I have made so many friends that I see on a social basis too, it really is worthwhile.”
The service currently has around 30 volunteers and over 200 active users of the service. They need more drivers to ensure people are able to get to their appointments. Without more help, they will sadly have to turn people away or become selective of journeys.
Dee continued, “Drivers can do as little or as much as they like to fit around their free time. They must be a people person, chatty and pleasant. It is a voluntary role, using your own car, where we pay 45p per mile. There is no specific commitment necessary.
“We are also looking for co-ordinators who work from home for a minimum of two consecutive days every five or six weeks, to take calls from people in need and arrange their lifts with the driver volunteers.”
If you think you can help, or want to find out more, get in touch for a no obligation chat, email melkshamlink@ gmail.com or call 07979 129052.
Above: Volunteer Dee Phesse (left) with service user Val Merritt.
