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Drive through beautiful countryside and help others at the same time, what could be better?
Covering the Dartmoor countryside from Postbridge to Bridford and from Drewsteignton to Manaton, Morecare Moretonhampstead provides hospital and other transport for people of all ages in the area covered by the Moretonhampstead surgery. We do not charge a fee but just ask for a donation to help cover the fuel that our volunteers use. Because we cover such a large area we have patients who go to all the major hospitals at Exeter, Torbay, Plymouth, as well as Newton Abbot and Okehampton.
We are part of local life, helping people to live in their own homes and keep their independence. Where you might have a problem getting to the shops, we can help by taking you there and transporting you and your shopping home. We get to know the people who use our services and may ring and chat to them if we know that life is being particularly difficult.
Morecare is an organisation that believes in growing to meet the challenges of modern living. So in the last few years we have looked at providing wheelchair transport. This is not easily done in a town like Moretonhampstead. It was too expensive to have our own minibus, so we buy in the services of the two community transport providers in Newton Abbot and Okehampton. We felt that it was unfair that our residents who are disabled should have to pay up to three times as much for this transport (because the buses have to travel a lot further) so we subsidise the cost and the suggested donation for a journey is exactly the same whether you are able bodied or not.
Morecare provides more services than just driving. We have a free monthly coffee morning for our clients and volunteers, so that they get to know each other and enjoy a morning out. We visit people in their homes and can help prepare for their arrival home if they have been in hospital for a spell. We pick up and deliver prescriptions, we visit residents in the local care home, we dog walk and will help individuals who want to visit friends who are ill.
We have had to bring ourselves up to date by taking on the reams of paperwork and regulations that cover any modern charity. So policies to cover all eventualities have to be written to protect both client and volunteer. We have a website which will tell you much more (http://www.morecare.org.uk).
In the past, Hospital Transport would have covered many of the journeys that are now done by volunteer transport. In 2013 Morecare considered that it had had a hectic month when it made 60 journeys to hospital and back in a month. In 2017 that figure had grown to 138 in our busiest months.
All this is done by volunteers – there are no paid individuals in the organisation, so you can imagine that we always need new volunteers – we need:
People who are willing to
- drive – short or longer journeys – you choose
- spend time with people – chatting and just being there
- answer the telephones
- help with social events
- take on some of the organisation of the charity
Drivers choose when they wish to take clients by accepting the journeys that suit, at times that are convenient to them. You can drive any distance or just locally the choice is entirely yours. You get paid 45p per mile for the mileage you do.
People who answer the phones do more than just book the journeys. They are the voice of Morecare. They become known to the clients and are often the first to know if there is a problem. When there are difficult times, like heavy snowfall or as recently with the heat, they will contact those most vulnerable clients to check that they are ok. They also have to be computer literate because the journeys are booked onto a simple online calendar system.
Morecare is a charity and needs to raise money to pay for its activities, this does not necessarily mean slaving over a hot stove but could be organising a quiz or a dance or a skittles evening. It needs people who are sociable to organise and take part – volunteers are always needed.
Organisers are people willing to help run the charity – manage the money, keep Morecare up to date and look to the future. Some volunteers do all of the above and others choose to do what they wish, and that is exactly as we want it!
If you would like to join us, you can contact us by email at morecare27@gmail.com or by phone on 08006226245, please leave a message if we are out transporting someone.
Fiona Peal
Morecare Moretonhampstead