Bucks community boards donate money towards vaccine appointment transport
Eight boards have donated between £500 and £2,000 to Dial-A-Ride
Eight of Buckinghamshire’s local Community Boards have contributed to a scheme to help get patients to their vaccination appointments.
The eight boards have each donated money from their crisis funding allowance to enable The Chilterns Dial-A-Ride to offer free transport to and from medical appointments for people in the local area.
The eight boards who have taken part are:
Amersham
Beaconsfield & Chepping Wye
Beeches
Chesham
Denham, Gerrards Cross & Chalfonts
High Wycombe
Missendens
South West Chilterns
Each board has donated between £500 and £2,000 to the charity.
Chilterns Dial-A-Ride
The Chilterns Dial-A-Ride is a local charity providing a safe, door-to-door transport service for those with mobility problems.
Since the pandemic took hold, the charity has proactively made contact with GP surgeries and health centres, offering its services to anyone needing help to get to medical appointments, with prescription collections and even food deliveries.
Now the vaccine rollout is underway the charity is offering its services to help the elderly and all adults with mobility problems get to and from their appointments free of charge.
As a charity, The Chilterns Dial-A-Ride is reliant on external funding and support to provide its services.
Chairman David Ouvry explained:
“We provide a vital service to many people in our local community. Some of our passengers with mobility issues cannot use a regular taxi service. They may be worried about how to get to and from appointments safely, that’s where The Chilterns Dial-A-Ride comes in.
“We are pleased to be able to support this important vaccine programme, helping to protect our vulnerable and elderly residents locally as we have been doing throughout the pandemic.
"Without help with funding from the Buckinghamshire community boards and other organisations we would be hard pressed, so we are grateful that they appreciate the work we are doing and are able to help us in this way so we can help those who need it.”
Gareth Williams, Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Health said:
“Our community boards are focused on supporting their local communities in whatever way is needed. The coronavirus pandemic has brought with it many challenges but boards have been working hard with partners to help those most in need.
"This partnership with The Chilterns Dial-A-Ride demonstrates how quickly and effectively we can put schemes and support in place where it is needed and make a real difference to people in our local communities.”