LOCAL charity Tavistock Physically Challenged Group has been awarded a much needed £1,500 to help with its transportation costs.

The group, in partnership with Leonard Cheshire Disability, was formed more than 20 years ago and sees volunteers give up their time to bring together people with varying disabilities that affect their mobility.

Made up of 25 members and 10 volunteers, the group meets twice a month – something which, prior to the the award was quite difficult. With members who live all over West Devon, the group is a platform for people to discuss their challenges with other like-minded people.

Set up by Mary Worth, who is now an honorary committee member, the group stops many volunteers and members from feeling isolated.

Jo Ley, has multiple sclerosis and regularly campaigns for the MS society, said: ‘If it wasn’t for Mary Worth the group wouldn’t exist.

‘She still comes to some of the meetings as a honorary member. She is very poorly at the moment with multiple illnesses but nothing is ever a problem and she is always helpful and cheerful.’

She added: ‘We have been given £1,500 from the Devonian Trust. The money is for transport for disabled adults and we have to spend this money on transport. It is a lot of money to a tiny charity like us!’

The group’s volunteers often arrange speakers and games for its meetings but would also like to introduce day trips in the future. Jo added: ‘We just want to be able to keep going.

‘We lose money every month, petrol and the hire of the TASS bus and milage are really expensive but the £1,500 means that we can go places.

‘We have arranged a trip to Tamar View and Endsleigh in Ivybridge. We weren’t able to do things before very often and have to go places suitable for wheelchairs. We’d like to go further afield too on day trips.’

Volunteers and organisers invest much of their time planning games appropriate for people with wheelchairs or limited mobility.

Before meeting in Tavistock for lunch some members go to an assisted swimming group.

Jo said: ‘Swimming is fantastic. We go to a “fit as a fish” group with an instructor. It is fantastic because it’s not just a slot for disabled people, regular people can take part too and help is on hand when it’s needed.’

Jo added: ‘Tavistock Physically Challenged is mostly made up of people with MS or who have suffered a stroke but we would accept anyone.

‘We have lots of volunteers and members and because we all gel together so well no one can tell who is a volunteer and who is a member.

It’s a very sociable group as well, some people don’t live with anyone and struggle to get around so we are now able to go and pick them up.’

Jo has been involved with the group for five years and says numbers to tend to fluctuate.

She continued: ‘Without this group I think the members would feel isolated, even the volunteers as well. When we do lunches sometimes that’s the only hot meal the individual will have eaten the whole of that month.’

Paul has been a member of the group for many years, after suffering a stroke 13 years ago.

He said: ‘I live with the most caring and loving woman imaginable ... but because she loves me so much she tends to worry a great deal. It doesn’t help that her health is not of the best either.

‘Leonard Cheshire gives her a chance to have a break from me once a week and I get the exercise I so very much need. She would be anxious taking me out and would find walking with me quite difficult because she would worry about me falling over or trying to do too much.

‘It is very much a case of out of sight out of mind with my beloved. If Ian takes me out I have the freedom to go to places she would be uneasy about, but as she trusts him she finds it very good. Ian took us both on a week’s visiting places of interest in Devon and Cornwall last year which she found very enjoyable because all the planning was done for her. She also didn’t feel she had to be completely responsible for me ... The burden of which she is able to carry, but in my opinion only just.

‘And there is, of course, the extra support I get from the delightful interactions with the other clients. They make me feel that if 13 years ago, I had to make the choice between winning the lottery or having a severe stroke, I would have made the wrong choice by choosing the lottery.’

Alex Dixon-Greenfield is from the West Devon Enabling Scheme and works between Tavistock Physically Challenged Group and Leonard Cheshire Disability, ensuring they both have enough volunteers to keep running.

She said: ‘I work closely between the cross over of service users and volunteers from both groups; because we work so closely it works so well and makes sense to pool our volunteers to the benefit of the service users.

‘We provide volunteers for people at risk of suffering social isolation which leads to depression and a decline in physical ability. We work to support people to stay independent in their own homes and part of the community.’

Alex added:?I’ve been involved for eight years, it is an amazing team of volunteers who really dedicate themselves.’

Tavistock Physically Challenged also fundraise regularly in order to provide members and volunteers with a subsidised Christmas lunch at Tavistock Golf Club.

Jo Ley added: ‘TASS does a thing in the market and we were invited to sell wares to make money for charity. Last time we made £220. Waitrose in Okehampton was also raising money for us and raised around £200. They choose three charities every month and ask shoppers to put a green token in a slot for the charity they’d like money to be donated to.

‘Members also pay £3 every time they come to a meeting, which is something we would like not to have to do but it seems to work.

‘We are also always looking for volunteers to help our friendly, sociable team.’

Tavistock Physically Challenged Group meet every second Tuesday of the month in Princetown and every fourth Tuesday is an outing for lunch or afternoon tea at various venues.

l For more information contact [email protected] or [email protected]