Did you know that South Warwickshire has a community transport scheme helping folks get to vital appointments when they are unable to drive themselves?
VASA is a charity based in Stratford upon Avon working across south Warwickshire with a team of over 150 volunteers who give up their time to take people struggling with transport to hospital appointments, lunch clubs, support groups and other activities. Every year VASA drivers take hundreds of people on journeys – last year along nearly 20,000 trips were undertake.
If people live in Warwick District, Stratford on Avon District or Rugby Borough you are eligible to use the scheme and register with VASA but they will drive people outside of the area regularly taking passengers to Birmingham, Oxford sometimes even as far as London. Each journey costs a £3 admin charge and passengers pay 45p per mile, for most journeys this works out a lot cheaper than a taxi. Our drivers will also wait for up to 2 hours to bring people back home giving real peace of mind.
One of the volunteers, Sandra, said
“Driving along to a village a few miles from Stratford I think how lucky I am to be fit and able enough to do this for local people but also for my own mental health – it makes me feel like a proper person with a sense of purpose once more”.
VASA relies on the support of its volunteers to deliver this vital service and is always looking to new people who might be willing to offer a little time to help out. You don’t need to commit to particular days or time so volunteering as a VASA driver can fit in with the rest of your life.
If you would like to register as a passenger to use the service or to sign up as a volunteer driver VASA would be delighted to hear from you.
01789 262889
