FOR more than 25 years a small group of West Devon charities has been working together to provide a much needed service for older people, those with living difficulties and those isolated in rural areas, by offering various transport services.

The West Devon community transport charities include Okehampton and district Community Transport, Tavistock Ring and Ride, Tavistock Country Bus and Tavistock Area Support Services. The charities provide services such as voluntary cars, shopmobility, transport to hospital and doctors appointments, ring and ride, transport advice and information and many more.

Andy Lyle, the manager at Tavistock Area Support Services, said: 'The majority of what we do is undertaken by a core of committed volunteers. The volunteers deliver these services and can be on the road as early as 6am transporting a client to a hospital appointment and as late as 11pm bringing a community group back from an activity. This is in all weathers and 365 days a year.

'The mini buses travel 100,000 miles a year covering all parts of Devon, making sure people can get out and about, do their shopping, visit friends and family go on a day trip or just get out from their own four walls! Our voluntary cars/ transport to health cover all aspects of car journeys, from taking someone to get their pension, to taking a young child to a much needed hospital appointment in London, Oxford or one of our local hospitals. Our volunteer drivers get to know the person they take better than a social worker, doctor or alike — they laugh with the client, cry with the client and support the client at all times.

'We need your help to get this message of what community transport can do to help local people living in Devon to get out and about. With the cuts we face in transport provision in our county, people need to know that there are charities out there, working day in and day out, to make sure there is transport provision available.

'We can only reach a certain proportion of those people but with your help we could reach even more, giving them hope for a brighter tomorrow.'

Last year 'Transport for Your Community' was launched throughout Devon — a marketing tool supported by each community transport group within the county. More information about this can be found at http://www.tfyc.org.uk">www.tfyc.org.uk

Andy added: 'Please help us in 2012 as we can work together to help make a difference to the lives of people living in West Devon.'

To find out more contact him on 01822 616958.