TWO voluntary organisations are driving to find car owners from Winsford and Middlewich with time on their hands to help people with transport problems.

Community Partners, Cheshire, and Vale Royal Council for Voluntary Service are both looking for volunteers to take those who cannot drive to various destinations, but for different reasons.

Community Partners has recently secured funding for a new initiative to help people with special needs or difficulties to get to appointments with GPs, hospitals or clinics.

Drivers are needed to provide transport to and from the appointment, help the patient find the right department and arrange follow-up appointments where needed. Expenses are to be covered.

Community Partners manager, Debbie Dalby, said: "We all know that many appointments are missed and time is wasted but there are people who find it difficult simply to make the journey, while others find the prospect of visiting a large and busy building rather daunting."

Vale Royal Council for Voluntary Service is also looking for people to join its volunteer care scheme which has been running now for more than 25 years.

The service uses volunteer drivers to help people make journeys which they would otherwise be unable to make due to lack of transport.

CVS and the passengers pay an allowance to the drivers for their fuel costs but the drivers do not get paid for their time.

CVS transport co-ordinator, Caroline Twiggs, said: "The community car scheme has been very popular for many years and many have come to depend upon it as a way of maintaining contact with family and friends, or even just having a hair do.

"From time to time we have a shortage of drivers and need to recruit new ones."

For more information about becoming a volunteer, or if you need transport, phone Community Partners on 01606 46438 or CVS on 01606 49075.

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