Transport for Sick Children is a charity with a group of volunteer drivers who use their own cars to transport accompanied children to hospital and clinical appointments. Based in Stockport and serving the entire Greater Manchester area, these sick children who are under the age of 16 would have no other means of attending their appointments without the help of the charity.
We spoke to Marie-Anne Eckersall, Fundraising and Communications Co-ordinator at Transport for Sick Children about the history of the charity.
“In 1977 a retired paediatric nurse – Sally Carroll, was asked to take a family to a medical appointment as they were struggling with transport. After taking the family to that appointment, Sally then began helping other families too. As more people joined her in volunteering to help, Transport for Sick Children was established and grew to become an established charity in 1994. We now have a network of volunteers throughout Greater Manchester who use their own vehicles to pick up families from their homes and take them to appointments. Depending on how long the appointment is, they will either wait for them to take them home or return later to take them back. The appointments can be at clinics, therapy centres or hospitals.”
How can I get involved?
With our NHS experiencing some of the most severe pressures in its history, Transport for Sick Children is playing an extraordinary part in helping to relieve some of those pressures while helping children in need. The charity can only run due to the goodwill of the team that volunteer for them and is currently looking for both new drivers and new Trustees. The volunteer driver role is very flexible and can work round other commitments, some drivers are out most days and others a few times a month. Drivers are re-imbursed monthly for their fuel costs.
Transport for Sick Children is always keen to fundraise where possible as well as supporting anyone fundraising on behalf of the charity, whether it be sponsored runs, baked sales or any other challenges.
How can I donate?
People can donate directly on the website https://transport_for_sick_children_limited.enthuse.com/profile or via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TransportForSickChildren
If you would like more information about the charity, feel free to give Laura or Marie-Anne a call on 0161 443 4122. The website has lots of information about the charity and you can complete an application form to become a volunteer driver at https://transportforsickchildren.org/volunteer-form/