Concern expressed over Leitrim Community Car Scheme

Last Friday Leitrim Volunteer Centre hosted a unique gathering of politicians, volunteer drivers and service users of the Leitrim Community Car Scheme.  Marian Harkin TD, Martin Kenny TD and Minister Frank Feighan listened intently as the Volunteers spoke enthusiastically of their experience of giving back to the community through this scheme. 

Some of the Drivers went beyond the call of duty by helping service users pick up the shopping on the way from their hospital appointments. Some referred their Community Scheme Passengers to daycare services and meals on wheels services and there were many other accounts of their personal experience of the social car scheme. 

One of the service users said she would not have been able to make her hospital appointments without the car scheme.  A younger participant who needed treatment for cancer had to travel with his wife by train to Sligo and by bus to Galway and stay in accommodation over night putting a huge strain on their scare finances.

The three local public representatives Minister Frank Feighan, Marian Harkin TD, and Martin Kenny TD made a firm commitment to do everything they could to ensure the Community Car Scheme would be sustainable into the future. Each in turn commended this valuable and much needed service and promised to make representations to the relevant Government Depts.    

Since the first journey on March 9th, the community car scheme have completed over 110 trips with older people, people with disabilities, families at risk and Ukrainian displaced people to hospital appointments in Mullingar, Galway, Sligo and Dublin, GP, Physiotherapy as well as other more local trips for essential services. Referrals have come mainly from Public Health Nurses, Social Workers the County Council, and the Local Development Company.

Staff and Board members spoke about how they were deeply concerned with the level of demand and whether the Leitrim Community Car Scheme would be able to continue to meet the needs.  To develop this service, they are seeking assistance with funding to cover the cost of a Co-ordinator, fuel and out-of-pocket expenses for the Volunteer Drivers.  

Leitrim Volunteer Centre consulted with the Community Development Office in Leitrim County Council, to ascertain the need for Community Volunteers and how they can be best used in the county.  The desperate need for a Social Car Scheme was highlighted.  As one of the most rural counties in the country, it is very difficult for people to get medical appointments and to access essential services.  

Since the start of Covid, the Civil Defence had been facilitating people in rural areas who needed to attend doctor or hospital appointments, however, since restrictions eased, the civil defence has returned to their normal duties and do not have the time or resources to continue to carry out this work.  Almost all the calls that came through the Community Call scheme in the last 2 years have been requests from vulnerable and isolated people looking for transport to hospital appointments.  

The Community Car Scheme has proven to be hugely popular with the number of trips increasing every day.  In its present form, Leitrim Volunteer Centre are very conscious that the needs are far exceeding what they can possibly meet. The Manager stated “We need to at least tribble the number of Volunteers, they need to be supported and trained in First Aid, Manual Handling, Health and Safety and Customer Relations, A Coordinator would be responsible for taking referrals and liaising with GPs, Consultants, PHNs, Social Workers and Educational and Phycological services.  The coordinator would ensure that all the necessary policies and procedures are in place for the smooth running of the scheme.   

How the Service Operates

The Social Car scheme is aimed at involving volunteers in helping vulnerable and isolated community members within their local community, through the provision of flexible transport to and from essential appointments. Volunteer Drivers provide, using their own car, essential door to door transport for passengers identified, who have difficulties accessing public or other forms of transport. 

The Volunteer Driver role is advertised on www.i-vol.ie Volunteers register online on the following link https://www.i-vol.ie/volunteer-opportunity/?ID=a004G00000laIRcQAM

They are interviewed, Garda vetted, trained and if deemed suitable are placed on the panel of available Drivers.  Requests and referrals are processed through the Leitrim Volunteer Centre who in turn send a call out to the Drivers and whoever is available will be given the Name, phone number, Eircode, destination and appointment time of in Client in a private message.