Volunteer Centre Glossop - Volunteer Drivers ::

Volunteer Drivers

A team of volunteer drivers help people with disabilities, older people, sick children, people with learning disabilities and people with mental health problems to attend medical and similar appointments.
Generally the driver stays with the passenger and brings them home again if required. A charge is made to the passenger to cover the cost of the volunteer's petrol.

If you'd like more details, contact the Car Scheme Manager.
Or you can phone us on 01457 890904.

The Car Scheme is a service where Volunteer Drivers use their own vehicles to transport people to and from various places. Drivers are not paid, instead a they receive a small amount from the passenger, which is based on 40p per mile, to cover petrol costs and general car maintenance costs.

As a driver, you will pick the passenger up from their own homes, transport them to wherever they are going, and in most cases, wait with them until they are ready to return home. A patient, friendly, calm and reassuring nature are useful for this role. For many of our passengers, this is their only way of actually getting to an appointment, and the volunteers are invaluable.

Who uses the Car Scheme?

Car Scheme passengers have to meet certain criteria to be able to use the service. The Scheme is only available to anyone who, due to illness, age or disability, are unable to use public transport such as buses and trains to get about and would struggle to use taxis, or they may have a mental health condition that means they would be greatly distressed at the idea of using public transport. Also, the scheme is open to anyone going to a hospital appointment for a procedure that will leave them unable to travel home alone. The Car Scheme is not available on financial grounds.

Will I be paid for the use of my car?

We recognise that a car can be a costly investment, so with the Car Scheme there is a set fare to cover the cost of your petrol and wear and tear on the road while you are with us. The charges are based on 40p per mile. All mileage you incur while travelling to the office for training or induction etc will be reimbursed

How much time will I need to give?

You can give as much or as little time as you like to volunteering for the Car Scheme. Our current drivers come from many backgrounds, some work full time, some are retired, some are unemployed and others are students. Any time you can give to volunteering, either a job a day or a couple of hours a week would be very welcome.

At the Car Scheme, we have an extremely flexible attitude to work; there are no set rules with regards to time commitment at all. All we ask is that you simply take on work that you are happy to do, knowing that you are comfortable doing it, and if this means you are in and out of central Manchester every day, or just going to Glossop once a week, any job you take on will be hugely appreciated by one of our passengers. But please note that despite the flexibility, you are committed when you are on a job, and elderly or disabled people will rely on your support to get them home safely.

How do I become a Volunteer Driver?

Simply contact the Car Scheme Manager at Volunteer Centre Glossop on (01457) 890904, or call into the office to request an application form and have an informal chat.

Where Do Passengers Go?
Car Scheme currently undertakes two categories of journey

Category 1: Journeys to medical related appointments: hospital appointments, doctor appointments, opticians, dentists, private doctors / clinics, physio and chiropodists, visiting people in
nursing homes and hospital.

In the majority of cases, the driver waits with the passenger while they attend their appointments, and take them home when they are ready to leave. This is unless they are being admitted, or are in for a procedure that will take a few hours. If they have a hospital appointment to be admitted for surgery or a procedure, we can arrange a driver to drop them off at their hospital appointment and pick them up again to transport them home later on in the day, or on another day, whenever they are ready to come out.

If a passenger is going into a hospital for a procedure and will be home much later in the day, or on a different day, we ask a driver to drop them off at a hospital and pick them up on a different day, or later in the same day. As you are making two trips, the cost of the journey will double, for example; if a passenger was being admitted to Tameside on a Monday and was returning on the Wednesday, you (or a different driver) would drop the passenger off on a Monday, return home and then pick them up on the Wednesday, and the total cost would be £17.60. The same applies if someone is going to stay with a relative.

Category 2: Journeys that are non medical:
The scheme can provide transport to a variety of non medical related places. The scheme does not offer shopping trips. We help with taking pets to the vet, providing transport to airports and train stations if someone is going on holiday, visits to see friends and relatives in their own homes or other places, transport to funerals for people wishing to attend them, trips to the hairdressers, transport to holiday destinations. The scheme itself does not organise or run holidays, just provides a driver. The same eligibility rules apply as with the hospital appointments; the scheme must not be used over public transport if people are able to use that. Charges for these destinations are the same as with medical jobs.

Car Scheme Charges

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Please click above to download the charges associated with this service