On 22 July, Care in Haslemere held its 48th Annual General Meeting. With approximately 20 people present, it was well attended and was led by the current Chair, Ivor, along with the Treasurer, Jerry, and Secretary, Jenny.

Care in Haslemere is an incredible local charity that provides a transport service to and from medical and dental appointments at clinics and hospitals.

It's clear that the service that Care in Haslemere provides is needed more than ever. In the last 12 months, they have provided nearly 1,100 journeys, covering a distance of over 19,000 miles. That compares to just under 17,000 miles in the previous year. Over half of these journeys are within a 5 mile radius and confined to Haslemere and the surrounding villages. However, their reach does extend beyond this. One quarter of journeys cover a 15 mile radius, stretching to Guildford, Farnham, Aldershot and elsewhere. And, whilst making up a minority of journeys, patients have also been taken into London, to Worthing, Ashford and Cosham.

Much has happened over the past 12 months to bring the charity into the 21st century! New computer systems means that much more of the booking process is automated and allows them to better match drivers with patients. All this helps the volunteers to do the best job they possibly can.

As in previous years, as well as running a successful service for patients, Care in Haslemere have provided support for other local groups. In the last year, they have donated £1,000 to both the Haslemere Food Bank and the Haslemere Youth Hub. 

The fact that the charity has been running successfully so long is testament to their volunteers. Particular mention was given to long-standing volunteer, Terry Henley. He has volunteered for Care in Haslemere for over 15 years but has recently had to step down. He will certainly be missed by the rest of the team.

However, sadly, volunteer numbers are a fraction of what they once were and Care in Haslemere desperately needs more help. Whilst the year has been a success, it has become increasingly difficult for the Care in Haslemere team to meet the requests that come in. It's testament to the resourcefulness and flexibility of drivers that they have managed to do so. They're very conscious that the need for their service is increasing and, as much as they would like to expand their service to be able to take people to social meetings too, they're having to turn down these requests due to lack of drivers.

There is no doubt from speaking to some of the volunteers that this is incredibly rewarding volunteer work. The charity tries to provide consistency to their clients and where possible will use the same volunteer to drive the person to each of their appointments. In this respect, the service really is providing so much more than simply a set of wheels to get the person from A to B. This is by no means just a taxi service. It's probably better described as a 'personal assistance service'. And, it's an opportunity to provide reassurance, to reduce stress and to provide some company and conversation en route for the patient.

Drivers do receive payment for the journeys they do, at a rate of 55 pence per mile, a figure that was recently increased by the government from the previous allowance of 45 pence per mile.

Volunteering hours are flexible - as you can imagine, appointments can be at any time and any day. But you can let the team know the hours you are available and how regularly you are available to help out. In this way, it can be the perfect volunteering role to fit around other commitments.

They would love to hear from you if you have an interest in getting involved. Find out more about Care in Haslemere in our previous article about the group. Or get in touch with them directly via the Care in Haslemere website.