Sussex volunteer driver charity launches appeal to help people get to vaccine centres

Inspired by the Brighton based ‘Cabs 4 Jabs’ campaign, the appeal will part-fund taxi journeys for people, unable to use public transport, when the Havens Community Cars volunteer drivers are fully booked.

Chair of Trustees, Paula Woolven, said: “The demand for our services sky rocketed in January when the first injections were given to those over 80 - many of whom did not have the mobility to use public transport and who had no other options to get to the centres in Brighton or Eastbourne.

“This week, the only other Community Transport organisation in the District offering transport support, CTLA, had to temporarily halt their services and we are now attempting to fit many clients who would have used their minibuses in with our amazing volunteer car drivers.”

Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company have supported the appeal with a grant donation to Havens Community Cars of £250.

The charity has been supporting people from as far away as Seaford.

Your donation will assist a journey to receive a vaccine for someone unable to use public transport or meet the full cost of a private journey, when all the volunteer drivers are already booked.

Any surplus after all the vaccine runs have been completed will be ringfenced in a bursary fund for people unable to pay for their normal medical journeys to reach treatment at hospitals, doctors surgeries and cancer centres.

You can donate to the appeal at www.localgiving.org/appeal/fuelinjection.

Havens Community Cars can be called on 01273 918226 or emailed at [email protected] - the office hours are Monday to Friday 9am-1pm. Leave a message outside these hours or follow the answerphone emergency number instructions.

See also: Sussex people reveal what it is like to live with the effects of Long Covid