A VOLUNTARY transport service which provides transport to those unable to drive said unless they recruit more volunteers, they will have to consider cutting back the service they offer due to increased demand.

Trowbridge Area Community Link Scheme, which is part of the wider Link scheme, made nearly 5,000 trips last year, many of which were to the Royal United Hospital in Bath – something which chairman Doug Ross will exasperate due to the recent Hopper cut.

He said: “With the Hopper being cut, it does put pressure on us but we have little chance to do much more than what we are doing now.

“From May, there will be a huge demand for people to get to the RUH and the link, not just the Trowbridge branch, won’t be able to meet that demand.”

With just 25 drivers for the Trowbridge Link, many give up their time more than once a week which is why the group are looking for more volunteers to spread the workload.

Mr Ross added: “The volunteers are just fantastic and many do more than they are allocated to do because they know the importance of the service on people’s lives.

“The people we are taking say they wouldn’t know what to do without us. They could get taxis but people are less well-off and wouldn’t be able to go as far as they do with us. We don’t charge for what we do but we do ask for a donation to keep us going.

“Our drivers say being a part of the Link is rewarding and they find it a useful job which they can do after they have retired and they want to feel that they are doing something good and giving back to the community.”

The Trowbridge Link aims to provide people in need with transport to and from hospitals, doctors, dentists, visits to relatives in nursing and care home, assistance with shopping and good neighbour services of visiting people for a chat to avoid social isolation.

Volunteers will need to have a full license and will need to be able to have a DBS check.

To get involved, email Doug Ross on dfraserross@hotmail.com.