AN ‘INVALUABLE’ local volunteer service is on the hunt for volunteers to help support people in the Westbury community.
Westbury and District Link scheme provides a number of vital services, including transport for people needing help to get to medical appointments, help with weekly shops, and a befriending service.
At present, the scheme is particularly short of volunteers and, from time to time, are having to tell clients that the charity cannot find a driver to perform the task the client has requested.
Mike Parker, chair of the charity said, “We would encourage anyone who feels they could spare a few hours a week as a driver or a telephone coordinator, answering calls from clients who need help, to get in touch. The Link telephone number is 01373 859669 and it is manned from 0900 to 1300 each Monday to Friday.
“We always need to raise our profile to achieve two things: to advise potential clients about the services we offer and, also, to recruit volunteers to help deliver those services.
“To promote the service and encourage more volunteers, we have erected a new noticeboard in the White Horse Health Centre (WHHC). Hopefully the noticeboard will help.
“Special thanks need to go to Samantha Rawlings, HR/site manager at WHHC who facilitated the whole process and April Masson, the wife of a Westbury Link coordinator and driver. April did all the creative work in designing the artwork for the noticeboard.”
Marie Strachan, deputy practice manager, Westbury Group Practice said, “The Link service is invaluable to our patients who do not have family or friends to bring them to the surgery for their appointments to maintain their health needs. We would encourage anyone who has spare time and looking for some voluntary work in helping others, to contact the Link service to become part of their team as a voluntary driver.”
The services offered to clients include:
• Chauffeured, door-to-door transport to important appointments that they couldn’t otherwise easily attend such as doctor, hospital, dentist, optician.
• Help with weekly shopping in Westbury.
• A friendly voice and face at a time of need.
• Clients only need to make a donation to the charity based on what they feel the trip is worth to them and on what they can afford.
The benefits to volunteers include the opportunity to:
• Achieve a great sense of satisfaction in helping vulnerable Westbury residents.
• Have the deep gratitude of our clients for the service they provide.
• Get to know Westbury and surrounding areas.
• Get to meet and talk to local people who often have wonderful life experiences to share.
• Get recompensed for any expenses they incur.
• Social contact and camaraderie amongst the Link team through monthly coffee mornings and other social events.
Full information about the charity is available on our website at: https://www.westburyanddistrictlinkscheme.co.uk/.
