News

AGM

15th April 2025

We had a great turnout for the AGM, with many of our volunteer drivers turning up to join us.

The meeting heard that, following a successful transition to the new telephone number, the old BT landline number has now been ‘retired’, saving the charity about £1000 a year. All calls in to LINK should now be made using the new number, 07899 484561. Local GP surgeries have been informed and we are printing a new set of leaflets to highlight the new number and what LINK can do for people.

Also recently retired is our longest serving Co-ordinator, Marie Goddard. Marie has been volunteering for LINK for well over twenty years, and has been an absolute mainstay of the charity. We wish her well and will be presenting her with a farewell gift, bought with generous donations from our drivers and committee members. Thank you, Marie, we’ll miss you!

So that means we are now looking for at least one new volunteer Co-ordinator to join the rota and take the pressure off the remaining four. The role would suit anyone who likes talking to people. We give full training, and daily expenses for the days you are answering calls. Please get in touch via our new number if you think you can help us.

One fascinating point to emerge from the AGM was the value of LINK schemes to the local economy in Wiltshire. Research by the County Council has shown that this amounts to £1.6 MILLION a year. If we did not provide the LINK service, that’s what it would cost the County Council and/or the NHS to replace it. Now our drivers know what they are really worth!

Limitations on whom we can help

A reminder that our volunteer drivers should not be asked to lift clients in and out of the car, or into wheelchairs. We actively discourage this, as we have a duty of care to both our volunteers and clients, and cannot risk the possibility of either being injured. We can only offer our services to clients who are capable of getting themselves into and out of a car; anyone else should contact their health care provider to arrange a different means of transport to appointments.

New Telephone Number!

Over the next few months, from September 2024, we will be trialling a new telephone system for contacting LINK.

The landline system we have been using has become increasingly expensive, so in order to save the charity money we are hoping to use a mobile phone instead. While our co-ordinators, volunteers and clients get used to the new system, we will be running both the old landline number, 01672 564930, and the new mobile one, 07899 484561, in tandem. Gradually, though, we intend to switch entirely to the mobile number.

We’ll be updating our publicity materials and the website accordingly, and will let you know when the switchover is complete later this year.

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Wednesday, 12th April 2023

Hospital Parking – A Quick Update

Always a thorny issue, it can seem as if every hospital in the area operates a slightly different parking policy for LINK drivers. Increasingly, many are outsourcing their parking to private contractors, who are using number-plate recognition schemes to catch out the unwary. One of our volunteer drivers was caught out recently on a visit to a hospital where the system had recently changed, and was issued with a parking ticket. When he tried to appeal the fine on the grounds that he was a LINK driver, the appeal was disallowed by the company operating the scheme.

The moral of the story is always go and book in as a LINK driver with the hospital’s reception desk. They can verify what their current system is for LINK drivers, and that should give you back-up proof you don’t need to pay. And please, let the co-ordinators know if you have trouble of any kind parking.

The good news is that Wiltshire County Council have undertaken to try to persuade all hospitals in our area to adopt a common parking policy for LINK drivers. But in the meantime, don’t forget to book in at reception whenever you take a LINK client to a hospital!

Tuesday, 11th April 2023

COVID UPDATE for drivers, co-ordinators and passengers

Government policy is now that we must learn to live safely with COVID-19, but there are actions we can all take to reduce the risk of catching the virus and passing it on to others. Vaccinations are very effective at preventing serious illness from COVID-19 but, even if you are vaccinated, there remains a chance that you can catch it, or another respiratory disease, and pass it on to other people.

This advice draws on national guidance on the measures and other actions Link volunteers should consider in order to reduce the likelihood of catching and/or passing the virus on to other people. Remember, you may be driving a client who is especially vulnerable to serious illness.

Reducing the Risk of Infection

The symptoms of COVID-19 and some other respiratory infections are very similar. It may not be possible to tell what infection you or another person has although the illness is likely to be mild. If you have any of the following symptoms, or do not feel well enough to carry on with normal activities, you are advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people… which would include not using the Link service:

Continuous cough
High temperature, fever or chills
Loss of taste or smell
Shortness of breath
Unexplained tiredness or lack of energy
Muscle aches and pains not due to exercise
Loss of appetite
Long standing headache
Sore throat or runny nose

If you are concerned about these symptoms you should phone the NHS helpline or contact your GP.

Many people will no longer be infectious to others after 5 days, but the risk to others may last up to 10 days, and it is important that volunteers inform the co-ordinator that they are unwell and not available for this longer period.

When a client calls the co-ordinators to request a service, the co-ordinator must specifically ask whether they have any of the COVID-19 symptoms.

Volunteer drivers should consider positive personal hygiene practices including the washing of hands before and after any trip, sanitising their car with spray or wipes and reducing physical contact with clients.