Thanks to Spalding and Cowbit voluntary car driver

This letter is from this week's Lincolnshire Free Press...

After 10 years of sterling service as the Spalding driver/co-ordinator for the South Holland Parish Voluntary Car Service (SHPVCS), Iris Landen retires at the end of January.

Drivers and patients using the service will all be very sorry to see Iris retire but realise all good things have to come to an end.

Iris has been a fantastic helper to our car service and has given many hours’ voluntary service each week to residents in our area.

Often taking calls at extremely unsociable hours to help out some of the passengers who get offered short notice appointments.

Many weeks Iris has taken over 100 calls from residents enquiring if we can help with transport in the Spalding and Cowbit areas alone, which then necessitates contacting our pool of volunteer drivers.

The SHPVCS Committee sincerely thank Iris for the friendly and helpful way she has worked with us, our drivers and passengers over the years.

We would like to publicly acknowledge the significant efforts that Iris has made on behalf of the Service. She will be sorely missed by us all.

Roger Bates has volunteered to take over the role from February 1 and will work the same hours as Iris, 9am to noon and 2-4pm Mondays to Fridays.

We are also delighted to announce that Andy Bunce has kindly agreed to provide back-up for Roger in times of need (holidays etc). Roger can be contacted on 07746238561.

As always, we would be delighted to hear if anybody would like to join our small pool of volunteers drivers, right across South Holland. You don’t have to offer a set amount of time each week. Some drivers are able to do one journey a week, some are happy to be available more often. There are no set hours.

Drivers are re-imbursed 50p per mile and DBS checks are funded via the Service.

Please contact me if you want further information.

Coun Angela Newton

South Holland Parish Voluntary Car Service chairman, tel: 07939559764