COTSWOLD Friends are calling for new volunteer drivers to help take members where they need to go.

The charity provides community transport across the North Cotswolds. Volunteer drivers take members anywhere they need to go – to both medical and social appointments.

Twenty new volunteers are now being sought by the charity to become passenger assistants, helping members who need additional support or assistance during their journey.

Volunteers for this role will be given specialist training via the Passenger Assistant Training Scheme (PATS) to understand the likely needs of the passengers they support.

Caroline Davidson volunteers in the Cotswold Friends transport bookings office and after undertaking the training course, is now PATS qualified.

She commented: “I’m glad I did the course. It’s such a useful tool to have even for our everyday lives. The practical advice covered visual impairment, children with disabilities, mobility issues and wheelchair use.

"My mother has dementia and my father is elderly. I can now tell my father how to get Mum in and out of the car correctly. Also, you are helping somebody less fortunate than yourself. You never know, one day that might be you.”

The community transport service manager, Julie Mitchell and charity trustee Sally Bond-Williams also completed the training course.

Ms Bond-Williams said: “I realised that Passenger Assistants will be such a fantastic support for the driver when transporting our more vulnerable members. The experience will be much more reassuring for those who are frail, less mobile or may have dementia.

“This is an opportunity to really support people at a vulnerable time in their lives, helping them to continue with social and medical appointments. We have an increasing number of vulnerable Members and I feel very strongly that they will benefit from a personalised service, offering additional help and support.”

To find out more, visit the Cotswold Friends office inside the Moreton Area Centre, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, call 01608 697007, or email sheryl@cotswoldfriends.org

Visit the volunteers section of the website to apply at www.cotswoldfriends.org