Wheels in motion to recruit volunteer drivers

The Royal Voluntary Service is looking for drivers to join its Community Transport Team.

Formerly known as the WRVS, they help older people by driving them to health appointments, lunch or social clubs, hairdresser appointments or to visit their friends and family.

There’s a small fee for the service and the volunteers will happily stay and wait with their passengers to offer them companionship on the trip.

Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Councillor Mohammed Khan OBE, said:

This is a fantastic service that offers a real lifeline for older people who want to get out and about.

We are incredibly fortunate in this borough to have residents who are enthusiastic about volunteering and we’re happy to support the Royal Voluntary Service in their quest to recruit more drivers.

Volunteers for the service are DBS checked and will undertake a comprehensive training programme.

They all carry ID so that the passengers can be reassured when they meet them.

Councillor Khan added:

This is a vital service for older people living in our community.

These volunteers make a crucial difference to our older residents’ lives by giving up some of their spare time.

We have seen a resounding success with our Your Call initiative in Blackburn with Darwen and have hundreds of volunteers helping out right across the borough in lots of different roles.

I’d urge anyone who is interested to contact the Royal Voluntary Service to find out more.

The cost for the service is £4 for the first three miles and 60p a mile thereafter.

If you’d like to use the service or become a volunteer, ring: 01772 958506 or email: lancashirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

If you’d like to find out more about other volunteering opportunities in Blackburn with Darwen, visit the Lancashire Volunteer Partnership: https://lancsvp.org.uk/