LOCAL man, John Crowder, has just completed eight years of service as a volunteer with Melksham & District Link.
Over the past eight years, John has clocked 13,491 miles and given 1,201 hours and 40 minutes of his time driving Link clients to their medical appointments. He has carried out 475 trips to date, with 207 of those to the Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath.
“Now that the Hopper bus has gone, there is no easy way for people to get to Bath hospital without car transport, so the Link Scheme is vital to the people of Melksham,” says John.
During John’s eight years, he has driven to virtually every medical facility in the area – from Bristol to Bath to and from Swindon and Salisbury.
His first drive for Link was in March 2016 and on reaching the milestone of his eighth anniversary, John will be taking a male client to the RUH for several scans that will take two to three hours. John is justifiably proud of his eight years, making a difference in Melksham and has kept his own detailed record of the journeys he has made.
“It is so satisfying to know that you have really helped people, often experiencing difficult times,” explained John. “I like the fact that volunteer driving for Link is so flexible. I can fit it in around my other commitments. It is a great way to meet people.”
As an avid and active member of the Avon Bowls Club, John fits all his trips around his matches! “That’s how I got recruited eight years ago,” he says. “It was a chance conversation with someone at bowls.”
Now he spends time trying to recruit others at the club. One client said, “John is a lovely man. Always prompt, polite and so helpful.”
There are 40 volunteer drivers that Melksham Link is able to call upon, to help the 1,200 clients that have used the service.
Chair of Melksham & District Link, Liz Rowley, who is a volunteer driver herself, said, “Link is always looking for more volunteers to help as demand for the charity’s service increases.
“Last year saw a 30% rise in requests for help. We need more drivers and, in particular, would love a couple more people to help take client phone calls during the week and help set up appointments. If you are interested in a flexible volunteering role that really makes a difference in your community, then please give us a ring to arrange an informal chat on 07979 129052.”
