South West Ross Community Car Scheme
Volunteer Updates
September 2024
Volunteer Update
Dear All,
A copy of the latest volunteer update can be found here
Caty joins the staff!
We are please to announce that Caty Maclennan, who many of you will know as a volunteer driver from Applecross for the past 10 years, has joined the staff as our Administrator. Caty is in charge of the daily onwards, getting the telephone rotas together and updating the current drivers list. She is settling in at the moment but will be in touch with many of you, particularly telephonists, over the coming weeks. Caty is employed for 6 hours a week and is juggling other work but do get in touch with her by email (admin@swrc-carscheme.co.uk) and she will get back to you when she can.
Trustees Wanted
Publicity events
SWRCCS has recently attended events in Lochcarron, Applecross and Shieldaig. We are keen to attend other local events to get the message out there and try and recruit more volunteers.
Why not think about joining our trustees?
SWRCCS cannot function without its trustees. The commitment can be as little as 4 meetings a year and your contribution to the management and direction of the organisation would be highly valued.
Come and get more involved!
For more information please contact Peter at the office coordinator@swrc-carscheme.co.uk for further information. Or talk to one of our existing trustees to fund out what it is like!
So if you know of any local events that you think it would be good for SWRCCS to attend then please get in touch. Also, by far the best way of recruiting volunteers is by word of mouth, so please do tell other people about your volunteering experience and encourage them to get in touch for further information. SHOUT OUT LOUD!
AGM – Save the Date
Funding News
Highland Council
We were pleased to receive the Community Transport Grant from April for our Core services which enables the car scheme to continue to function. In addition to this we have received additional funding for 2 pilot projects:-
1. Community Car for SW Ross which gives us a wheelchair accessible car for volunteers to use rather than their own car. This can be used for all passengers although priority will be given to wheelchair users. It will also enable volunteers to reduce wear and tear on their own vehicles and we are hoping may increase the number of volunteers able to do car runs for us. The car will be based initially in Torridon but sadly the Highland Council are having problems locating a suitable vehicle for us so we are waiting for delivery! When it come I will let you know that this is available for you.
2. Transport Access Grants are now available for local groups who want to access educational, sporting or cultural events. These grants give the group funding to hire a minibus or coach to provide the transport to get their group to where they need to be. Details and application forms are available from me or on our website https://www.swrc-carscheme.co.uk/new-projects Please spread the word as if we don’t use the grants they wont be available on the future!
Get your expenses forms in at the end of each month
Did you know that your expenses forms provide us with the valuable statistics that not only help us to secure the funding we get, but also helps us to promote the car scheme to potential volunteers and local residents. It also enables us to pay our volunteers their costs for the work they do.
It really helps to get the forms every month, but they can be backdated as well so it is never too late.
Forms can be downloaded from https://www.swrc-carscheme.co.uk/_files/ugd/678050_b1013280993e49a1b14699599c907748.pdf
Thanks for all your efforts to do this and support the smooth running of the organisation
QUICK STATS
between April and July
327 runs have been organised
463 deliveries made with 1315 delivery miles covered
6728 miles covered with a passenger
1786 miles covered getting to passengers
QUITE AN ACHIEVEMENT
NHS Highland
We have submitted a bid to NHS Highland for 3 year funding from 25/26 as our current funding runs out in March. We have increased the amount we are asking for to cover increased costs and also to reflect the increasing number of runs we organise for health and wellbeing reasons such as hospital appointments,
optician and dental appointments all of which are outwith the area that we cover. We are hoping for positive news in September when the applications are assessed.
First Aid Course
There was a successful First Aid course held in Lochcarron for volunteers and we are hoping that we will be able to hold similar courses every couple of years – both as a refresher for those who attended but also as an opportunity to take part for those who weren’t able to this time round.
As a result of the course we now have CPR face masks available for any driver who has done a First Aid course to keep in their passenger boxes as well as a towel and razors which are a vital piece of kit should a defibrillator need to be used. These will be available at events that SWRCCS is at such as Lochcarron Market day, from the office or at the AGM.
Passenger Boxes
These were issued during covid and held PPE materials, sanitiser etc. They provide useful tools in any emergency but also materials to keep the car clean and sanitised should it be needed. As you can see from the First Aid items mentioned above, I am looking at what is included in the Passenger Boxes and am looking to update them a bit. If you have any suggestions of what could be included (or excluded) then do get in touch. On the suggestion of Kalie, a board member and driver, we have fairly recently added a handy tool that helps people in and out of the car by providing an additional hand hold.
As always, thanks for everything you all do to enable us to deliver such a fantastic service to the local people of SW Ross. If there is anything you want, need or would like to help you in your volunteering then do get in touch.
Cheers
Peter
May 2022
Volunteer Update
Dear All,
Hoping this finds you all well.
I am attaching the latest Annual Review which I will be getting onto the website too. I hope you enjoy reading what you have been up to collectively and can't express how thankful people are of the miles you are putting in or the contact you are making with residents in the area.
A couple of things to update you on.
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Car Runs: We are still mainly doing medical runs but will consider other runs if they are deemed to be essential such as visiting relatives in care homes etc. We are constantly reviewing the situation and hope to be able to open up further soon to include social runs. The demand and requests coming in certainly show that there is a growing demand from people to be able to get out and about. I will keep you informed and if anyone has any views on opening up please feel free to share them with me.
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Fuel Costs: You will all be aware that fuel costs (and costs in general) are going up all the time. The Community Transport Association in Scotland has started a campaign (https://tfn.scot/news/calls-for-review-of-volunteer-mileage-reimbursement-rate) to try and enable us to increase the rate at which we pay expenses. This has to go through HMRC as if we pay above the recommended rate then volunteers are obliged to do Self Assessment returns and I suspect not many would be keen to do that. SWRCCS have written to local election candidates, our local MP and MSP highlighting the issue and the campaign and asking them to get on board with it. If there are any ways in which this is affecting you or your volunteering do let us know and we can share those experiences.
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Website and feedback: I am always looking at ways in which I can develop and enhance the website and our publicity materials and one way I am keen to do this is to have quotes from volunteers and users of SWRCCS. So, please do feed back quotes from users to me and if you have a quote of your own that I can use about your volunteering experience and what it means to you then please do share them with me. Photos would also be great!
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We are the Village event, Saturday 7 May from 2pm to 5pm: SWRCCS will have stall at this event being held in Lochcarron Village Hall so do pop in if you are passing. Due to the past 2 years I don't always know everyone by face so do introduce yourself!! I will be there from 2 to 3.30pm and Anne Wood, one of our Board members will be there from 3.30 to 5pm.
Thanks for everything you do and hope that we might be able to meet on Saturday or soon elsewhere.
All the best
Peter
Feb 2022
Volunteer Update
Dear All,
Hope you are all managing to stay warm during this cold weather.
A few updates from the car scheme for you and a request from NHS to input into their survey if you can.
GUIDANCE FOR PASSENGER RUNS
After discussion at the board and officers meetings, I am attaching updated guidance for passenger runs. The new text is in purple in the attachment and can also be downloaded from the website here.
The new text is basically asking drivers and passengers to enter a dialogue prior to their run as to what precautionary measures they would like to see implemented for their journeys. SWRCCS will support any of the measures agreed by the provision of any equipment needed and would still recommend use of masks and good ventilation in the car as a basic minimum. Do let me know what you think and if this means you would like to change your current volunteering status in terms of the types of run you would undertake.
NHS CONSULTATION
Under the banner NHS Together We Care there is an ongoing consultation looking for the views of local communities on the future of the NHS. I am attaching a powerpoint introducing this and at the end there is a QR code which can take you to an online survey (which takes about 5 minutes). I know they would appreciate your contributions to this. If QR codes are not your thing you can reach the survey by clicking here or request a paper copy from nhsh.togetherwecareideas@nhs.scot or by writing to Freepost RUAK-JGSH-TUUL, Clinical Governance Team, NHS Highland, Together We Care, Assynt House, NHS Highland, IV2 3BW
As always, if there is anything I can do to support or improve your volunteering activities then just let me know,
All the best
Peter
Oct 2021
Volunteer update
Dear All,
Hope that this finds you all well and getting ready for darker nights and colder days!
A number of things in this email for your information and action too!
Drivers - could you please fill in the attached self certification form. This is asked of you annually and believe it or not, it is a year since the last request. If you can get the completed forms back to me that would be great.
Also, drivers can opt to do 3 types of run.
1. Delivery only
2. Short passenger runs or
3. Hospital runs and longer runs.
If you choose Hospital Runs option, I do presume (unless told) you can do deliveries and short passenger runs as well. Please re-affirm your choice when sending in your Self Certification form and I can ensure that telephonists know so not to ask you about runs that you are not prepared to do. It goes without saying that the more people who can do all 3 types of run the more flexibility we have and I promise you can always say no to any run that you are requested to do, that is absolutely fine.
AGM - the Annual General Meeting is going to be held on 25 November at 7pm in Loch Torridon Community Centre. However, you can also attend by zoom if you would prefer. Sadly we are not yet able to do a full social gathering but I hope that you will be able to attend in one way or another.
Attached are some adverts for the AGM which are also appearing in An Carrannach and the Gairloch Yellow Pages - if you could print one out and stick it on your local noticeboard to let others know about the event that would be appreciated and save me travelling round the whole area! Printed copies are available from the office if needed.
Funding - we are pleased to say that we have been successful in securing 3 year funding from NHS Highland. This will be an increase in our funding from NHS Highland and recognises the good work done by volunteers in supporting people to appointments at local surgeries and hospitals and also the delivery of prescriptions. Good news for the continuation of these services as well as recognition of the value in the work of our volunteers. Good job one and all.
I am away for a couple of weeks but any problems just contact Mat on the mobile number below and he will help you.
Hope to see you (in person or online) in November.
Peter